《Subdued Soul Chronicle》 Chapter 1: Evil Moon (1) Chapter 1: Evil Moon (1) The Si regions Moon Pce is seen in the center of Sorabeol City as a sizable half-moon structure rising high. One of the lined-up pavilions was bright. The Tianshu1 Hall. This was the hall where entertainment and artwork were presented to the royal family. It waste at night, and the ce was crowded with young girls, wearing long purple silks and traditional yellow overtops. They were the servants who worked for the royal family. Normally, no one would even attempt to breathe when in a ce as solemn as the pce. But today, without the elders around, everyone could do their own thing as the disciplining had toned down. So they spoke and moved without a moments rest. Enough, enough! A girl said loudly, Calm down. It will be a huge problem if we lose one by ying around like this. Exactly fifteen. We received just the right number for the number of people who came, so no one will excuse us if we lose it. At those words, all the people looked in one directiontherge wooden box. The one filled with supposedly various kinds of monsters, ghosts, spirits, and ghouls. Inside were masks used for ancestral rites. Recently, terrible and horrifying signs have been appearing in and around the Moon Pce. The walls of the pce had blood sttered all over them, and a dozen birds had died with their heads stuck into poles. Eventually, even blood was raining down! It went without saying that the superstitions and sentiments of the people had taken a turn for the worse. Therefore, Guk Seon, the head of the Hwarang Group2, decided to supervise the ancestral rites. The purpose of wearing the monster mask at the ritual was to banish it, so he hired brave and agile people. You need to act realistically. Only then will the ritual turn sessful. Right. Think clearly before choosing a mask. Am I a Yokai? Or a ghost? Or a monster? The girl thought seriously and examined each of the masks. Everyone was being quite picky. And for a while, everyone looked solemn. But then came a strange gust of air. The girls looked at each other and carefully said, But as I keep looking at it doesnt it feel creepy? You think so, too? I thought I was the only one. Everyone looked down at the masks with confused expressions; the masks were just too vivid. And this was the problem. Did it have to look this real? The masks had empty-looking eyes that were looking around. Red, sticky blood seeped from the mouth, and the drooping tongue gently wrapped around their wrists like a snake. But these were all the girls hallucinations. This is just a mask. A person being afraid of a mask? Everyone tried to act like this was nothing, but they were all on edge. Just then, a whirring and creepy sound were heard. And some of the girls squealed. I-It is just the wind. Right. Said the other one. But you never know, it could be that woman blowing the wind? Woman? Who? The woman we saw outside earlier. The one with the terrifying look! I definitely thought she couldnt be a human. Was I the only one who saw it? Well, there are just way too many ghost stories in the Moon Pce. I dont think it will be weird if something happens. Ande to think of it Another girl spoke cautiously, There are legends about the so-called monster marks in the Tianshu Hall, though. What legends? Listen carefully. Back then, it was the same as it is now. Some courtiers came here to practice the ritual dance with us. But then something strange happened. Each picked a mask and put it on their faces but there was still one left inside the box. The girl looked around while speaking quietly. Someone must have used it and then decided to abandon it. At that moment, a weirdly cold silence fell around them. The chilling air ran through the napes of the girls necks. Did a ghost pass by at the right moment? Ugh! A girl shouted, making everyone horribly surprised, and sheughed. The other girlsughed when they realized she was teasing them, so they all giggled. But suddenly, it became silent. Stop now! If people from the other hallse here, they will be shocked at our actions! Right, lets end the fun here. The girls put away their yful attitude and picked out the masks. Several hands reached inside the wooden box, taking their time to select a mask. All were wondering which to take or whether to just pick the remaining one. Suddenly, one of them moved, snatched a mask, and put it on their face. But After everyone had taken their own masks, there was one left at the bottom of the box. It was the mask with gray hair, a red face, and fangsing out of its lips. A mask of a demon known as a Goblin. Who didnt pick one yet? All the girls looked at each other with fear rising within them. Did everyone pick one? At that moment, it felt like cold water was thrown onto them. One, two, three fifteen. All fifteen of them had masks on their faces, which meant that there couldnt be any left behind. But there was one left. And the people wearing the masks didnt like this game and shouted, Do not mess around! I am not messing around! Look! Do not lie! You were the one who told the story! What did you do?! The entire atmosphere was buzzing with people screaming, dont joke around, dont mess around, and paying attention to each others voices. When suddenly. Wait. A girl pulled out something she had been hiding under her skirt. It was a round que with a needle in the center and intricately written inscriptions on it. A Heaven and Earth relic. It was normally used to read astrology and fortune telling, but it was also widely utilized to detect any evil spirits from folklore. If there is an evil spirit here, this needle will spin continuously. Everyone looked down at the Heaven and Earth relic, a circle que centered on a square board. The moment the needle began to spin violently, it passed through Bad, Evil, Great Evil, and Great Chaos. ! Everyone was shocked. There was now a Great Chaos spirit in this ce, which meant that this evil spirit was terrifying. This was like a story. Did someone put something else on their face and not the mask? Who could it be? The girls expressions were creeped out as they looked around. Not me! Everyone took their masks off to im their innocence. But A pce servant was standing still, and everyone turned to focus on her. The girl who just stood there was wearing the monster mask. Yeom? They yelled her name, but no response came; instead, a ck cloud formed around the girls feet, with a rapid rising of yin3. Everyone was shocked. Yeom is acting weird! They were all terrified and tried to run, but the evil spirit moved as well. Ahhh this is bad! It was alreadying for them with its arms outstretched when they noticed. It moved so quickly that no one could respond fast enough. Run! The girls who were nearby fled. Bang! Instead of the girls, the tiles in the hall shattered as a result of the evil spirits tremendous power. They all felt terrified at this powerful evil spirit they had never encountered before. The darkness it was giving out made their heads spin. We need to ask for help! The Golden Ring Troops, who were in charge of the ritual, had to be nearby, so everyone gathered and screamed, Help us! Someone help us! But their cries were never heard outside the halls because theycked the skill to break through the barrier that this evil spirit had created. They wanted to run, but they couldnt see an exit. It felt like they were locked inside four walls. Ack! In that chaos, one of the girls ended up being captured by the evil spirit and copsed as the spirit tried to drag her away. NOO!!! Everyone was shocked at this. The entire situation became too frightening for them in an instant. But they couldnt let their friend be harmed. Catch her! They finally decided to be brave and grabbed their friends arm and pulled her. They somehow managed to pull her out together. There is a closet here! The girls took their wounded friend and moved quickly, closing the door before the evil spirit could catch up to them. They brought out anything they could and made sure the closet door couldnt be pushed. Thud! Thud! The evil spirit continued to pound on the door, shaking the entire thing with its tremendous power. Things fell, and the door looked cracked. Their eyes turned dark. Is this how they will die? They all looked around with terrified eyes. I-I dont want to die They trembled in fear and reached to embrace each other. Bang! Another heavy pounding followed, and more than half of the door was cracked. That thing will destroy the door with one more hit. They closed their eyes, realizing that this was going to be their end, when just then, they all heard a clear and sharp sound. Then there was a clink! Then there was the sound of something falling. They could finally breathe real air once the hall, which felt sealed with a dark and evil spirit, was opened. Someone broke down the barrier by throwing a small jade ornament infused with spiritual power, and the girls looked surprised. Someone came! With that, the evil spirit smashed into the door. Ackkk! They could hear the bloodthirsty scream of the monster, but the evil spirit that broke in couldnt enter as a ray of brilliantly bright blue light pierced the darkness and its back. The Rei qi4. The qi that the Hwarang cultivate. But The girls eyes widened in surprise. They expected the Golden Ring Troops to arrive, but they were wrong. A girl shouted, I think it is the White Tiger Spirit Troops of Hwarang! The so-called Hwarang, which should have been far from here, had reached the scene, and before they could say anything, the blue light from the sword surrounded the evil spirit. It could be seen through the broken door. The White Tiger Spirit Troop wore a white robe with a distinctive ck pattern. The moonlight on the back created a shadow on the pure white robe with the pattern. The face looked cold as if carved from ice. All of the girls were startled. Although they were still young, they knew who he was. This man was widely known throughout the Moon Pce. He is the devil The person who uttered it gulped back the words right away. It wasnt someone else, but the most known man of the Hwarang hade to rescue them? Everyone was so shocked that they forgot to breathe.
  1. TL/N: Year of Life.
  2. TL/N: Military group in the Si region.
  3. TL/N: Cold Qi.
  4. TL/N: Cosmic energy linked with healing but of no religious background.
Chapter 2: Evil Moon (2) Chapter 2: Evil Moon (2) It was a rule that a bloodthirsty evil spirit could be attacked. The first way to subdue them would be to use a sacred object or relic, such as musical instruments, to lure them. But the situation now was too urgent. The Hwarang man stood in the way between the evil spirit and the girls. It was as if he was putting himself and his life into the mouth of the evil spirit which was like a mad dog. Swish! The girls gasped in surprise. They thought that the Hwarang man would be torn apart. But that didnt happen. Unlike his noble and handsome appearance, his hands were wild and unrelenting. In an instant, he took an advantageous position and swung the sword as fiercely as a tiger. Blue Rainbow. The clear blue light caused a blue rainbow, just like its name. The sword spirit, which was the spirit that resided in the sword, shed, and the Yin-Yang que of the Hwarang man shone. Just like the rumors. All the girls looked like they were in shock. In the past, general Kim Yu Shin was called Hwarangs Magnificent Dragon Disciple. And the Si people imitated that concept and created the Immortal ns. There are now five Immortal ns for the Hwarang Group: the Blue Dragon Troops, the White Tiger Troops, the ck Tortoise Troops, the Vermillion Bird Troops, and the Golden Ring Troops, which represent the sun. This was how it worked, and the man who suddenly appeared and saved them was from the White Tiger Troops and was called Seol Young. If one were to make a list of all the demons and evil spirits he has killed up to this point, the list would be as long as the pirs of heaven. And he was the protagonist of such a famous rumor. Kuak! As the evil spirit was driven to a corner, it became more and more ferocious. Somehow, it attempted to get away and tried to attack the girls. Seol Young pressed against the evil spirit with his sword to make it immobile. At the same time, he looked around coldly. Do not stand there. As he waved one hand, a number of shiny blue dots formed on the ground. He wants them to stand there? The girls went quickly and stood in that area. They didnt know that it was a circle. Sun, Moon, and Five Stars. It was a basic method that mimicked the arrangement of the Sun, Moon, and Five Stars. Once inside, the girls would be safe from the evil spirit. And Seol Young began his onught as soon as the circle wasplete. The girls stared in disbelief. Because the evil spirit possessed a human body, it couldnt be cut down by the sword. So Seol Young tried to drive the evil spirit away by hitting it. Puak! Puak! Puak! The sword moved as fast as lightning and struck the vital points of the girl, who was possessed. The energy of the sword spirit zed like a blue fire. And someone whispered, I heard that he is someone who is born with strong spiritual powers and one of the best in the Hwarang Group. Actually, it did appear that way, and the girls eyes throbbed at what they witnessed. Kwak! The evil spirit screamed and fiercely resisted. The hands and feet shattered everything they touched. Seol Young continued with his onught, not caring about anything. All the attacks hit the center of the forehead of this evil spirit. There wasnt even a second of hesitation in his attacks. He was determined and precise. It is wonderful Their eyes looked captivated due to his powerful aura, and the girls couldnt even blink their eyes as they watched. It was then What is this fuss?! There was a noise outside. When the barrier created by the evil spirit broke down, the sounds from inside leaked out. The Hwarangs of the Golden Ring Troops, who were preparing for the ancestral rites, were all shocked at the noises and ran here. The guards of the royal pce and the crown prince had rushed in too. And everyone was shocked at what they saw. Everything was shattered here and there as if a wild boar had attacked the ce. The door broke off, and there were all sorts of broken things everywhere It was clear that something powerful had attacked the young girls. Still, should they consider it lucky that the girls were within a protective circle? The Golden Ring Hwarangs shouted and asked, What happened here? The girls, who were still shocked, pointed to one side. All the Hwarangs eyes widened at the situation they had just noticed, and only then did they see Seol Young. Even in the midst of all thismotion, Seol Young was still tapping down the forehead of the young girl he was holding without hesitation. And his spiritual power was high. No way. At this great feeling that took over them, they all stood silent. Eventually, the screams subsided, and the evil spirit stopped struggling. Thud! The possessed body drooped down like a broken toy. And the bizarre mask on her face fell off, revealing a pure white face. The mask shattered right away as it touched the ground. Yeom! The girls immediately ran to their friend. How is she? Is she breathing? The pulse? They were looking here and there, but something touched the girls toe, and they picked it up. It was a jade ornament attached to the belt. This was the object that the man threw when breaking the barrier. The girl looked down for a moment. The metal ring hanging from the jade was ttened. It was because it was pulled out and thrown. The man did appear to be quite elegant, but this showed how much he rushed to get this done. What are you all staring at her like this for? Say something. What just happened? The Hwarangs of the Golden Ring asked. I that while we were all getting together and choosing a mask, our colleague, Yeom, ended up being possessed by an evil spirit. She lost her temper and then attacked us. We really thought we were going to die The girl who was exining paused for a moment. The crumbled metal ring had to be pressed several times before it was fixed, and she bowed politely as she handed it back to Seol Young. Thank you. Then again, she said to the Hwarangs of the Golden Ring, If this man hadnte to recuse us in time, a very terrible sight would have unfolded. At least half of us would have been dead. Right. Right. All of them were pretty scared. The Hwarangs of the Golden Ring were silent. Just looking at the situation, they could make a rough guess, and the girls words only confirmed it. This was almost like a disaster. This ritual that they organizedwhat would happen if the courtiers didnt survive? It was a terrifying sight. It is a shame that someone else came to help them and not us They turned to Seol Young. The white hem of the robe with a ck pattern swayed in the wind. He stood upright as if this wasnt a big deal. It looked as if he was an old man who saw through everything beneath those garments. The White Tiger Spirit Troops were known to have great spiritual power and outstanding performancethe kind of people anyone would want to get close to. But this mans personality wasnt so easygoing. More than anything Several peoples eyes were drawn to one spot. Seol Youngs sword. They all nced at the Yin-Yang que that hung from the sword. The Yin-Yang que was a sacred item that every Hwarang gets bestowed. A piece of a divine mirror from heaven, and each of them must have this. However, there was a difference between theirs and Seol Youngs que. Spirit Jade. They were told that the jade containing the spiritual power of someone strong was hung there. The Golden Ring Hwarangs just stared at it. The sight of it reminded them of their past. How much the Hwarangs hated Seol Young and how much Seol Young despised them. That man with the icy expression must be thinking a lot inside right now. You people, who didnt even know there was an evil spirit present, do not deserve the title of Hwarangs! When they imagined such a thing, the minds of those people shrank. But they still had to thank the man, so they opened their mouths. Seol Young It was then Why are you leaving a mark within Hwarang? The sharp voice of a girl echoed around, prompting everyone to look at the source. It was Yeom, the girl who lost consciousness and copsed. She jumped up. Supernatural cmities will continue to happen one after another! It will be a catastrophe in the end! Yeom pointed at Seol Young and shouted. Soonter, her eyes turned white, and she was back to being unconscious. Everyone fell silent as they were all too shocked to speak. How could she curse the man who helped her? On the other hand, the hall was turned into a mess with so many people speaking. T-That is surely! Isnt this the same? How did this happen? Everyone mumbled, with faces turning white as paper. The Hwarangs felt this was odd and asked, What do you mean same? T-That The workers looked at their superior when their high priest said, Well, it was said that it would be announced soon. It is something the Hwarangs have to know. The Hwarangs felt strange hearing this tone of voice. It was true that the Hwarang Group and the Heavenly Hall werent on good terms. But there had to be more to it. Yeonjae, the Golden Rings seventh Hwarang, asked, What could it be? The Great Heavenly Hall received a revtion this morning. Said the high priest. A ck mist surrounded the Ten Thousand Waves Clearing Flute1, and a voice came from the sky, and it shouted Why are you leaving a mark within Hwarang? Supernatural cmities will continue to happen one after another! It will be a catastrophe in the end! And when the head of the hall woke up at this and ran for the flute, well, it was already ckened to the core. This left the Hwarangs shocked. Ten Thousand Waves Clearing Flute. The mysterious flute was obtained from a dragon during the days of the king. It was one of the items that calmed the worries of the nation. It wasnt umon for the flute to have some trouble. No one other than His Highness knows about this, so how did that young courtier know and recite it in the same manner?! Couldnt this be the voice of heaven?! Said the high priest, making everyone turn to Seol Young. What nonsense. Seol Young uttered that and turned around. Right now, Great Rang2, Second Rang, and Third Rang were now in the Mingzhou region, so he had to get back to the front gate and do his duty. However, the priests stood in his way. How is that nonsense? Think about it. If there is an evil spirit in such a holy ce, then whose responsibility is that? The man shouted, It is yours, Seol Young-rang. You used your energy to cast evil spirits! A cold wind blew in the hall. This was a taboo topic that everyone knew about but didnt speak of. Since I entered the Immortal n, never once had I done such a thing. Seol Young responded. No, you couldnt use it. That is because young master Baek San of the White Tiger Spirit Troops had ced a seal over it. Did you think we didnt know? He pointed to the jade que, which was hanging alongside the Yin-Yang que. But then, the Yin-Yang que shook violently. ? Seol Young felt a strange sensation spread, and he immediately reached out to check it. But it was toote. ck! There was a sharp clicking sound, making everyone look down at the ground. The Yin-Yang and Spirit Jade. The two items that were intact until just now shattered and fell apart. How did this happen? Everyones faces turned pale. Such holy items couldnt just break on their own. Even if it did break, it couldnt shatter like that. As a result, they watched the seal, which hadsted for seven years, break. Blue light shone on Seol Youngs hand. The spiritual power which had been sealed within was soaring up. And Seol Young immediately hid It. But the priests who saw it werent going to stay silent. Now that the holy items broke, you have lost your qualification to be a Hwarang! Seol Young didnt respond. The monster who would bring chaos. Of course, he wasnt like that. Surely there was a time when it would have happened due to the huge conflict, but now he was a Hwarang, and he was getting along fine. So why was he being framed like this? Isnt this someones n to get me kicked out? At that moment, he thought of his three hyungs. The four of them promised to live and die together. So how shocked would they be to realize he got kicked out once they came back? If they realize Seol Young lost his qualifications to stay. That couldnt be. But he was sure of one thing. I will not be taken lightly. Seol Young made up his mind.
  1. TL/N: A mythical item of Si time known to drive out evil energy.
  2. TL/N: Rang is a title for an adult male like Sahyung.
Chapter 3: Evil Moon (3) Chapter 3: Evil Moon (3) Elegant Pavillion. That was the name of the Hwarang main quarters in the Moon Pce. It was a term derived from the Wind Flowing Disciples1. It was where the office of the Governor was. And this sacred ce had been noisy since morning. Governor! Someones voice resounded. It cannot be, right? You will not be making the decision, right? Among the four members of the White Tiger Spirit Troops, a handsome man with thick eyebrows and clear features shouted. This man was Song Ok, who was ranked second in the troop. He had a reputation for doing what was right because he hated the concept of evil. I will believe in our Governor! He stared with zing eyes and ced something on the desk. A dagger de. Second-rang. Another Hwarang beside him shook his head. This young man with a sad face was Hyo Wol, the third member. Calm down. I doubt the Governor will do that? Will he drive out our youngest and most innocent member? Hyo Wol had an easygoing personality. So naturally, from a young age, he took on the role of stopping his older brothers. This time, it seemed like he was ready to change He pulled out a dagger de, too. If that is the case, then this ce will have a new horrific change in our bond. Their clear eyes showed that they werent simply threatening him. To carry out their will by talking about shedding blood. Governor! Please take a careful look into this! I trust you! The voices of the two caused amotion in the hall. Despite their talent and high position, shouldnt they be stopped? When Seol Young was about to speak. *Ting* There came the light sound of a bell. And Song Ok and Hyo Wol stopped speaking. It was a bodily reaction. From a young age, they were always well-trained. You stay quiet. A gentle voice could be heard. Do you think the Governor would blink an eye just because you are speaking like that? I will speak instead. The person who spoke politely had a gentle expression on his face. Those who would see that face would also have a softened expression. It was Baek Eon, the first of the White Tiger Spirit Troops. Since Baek Eon was respected for being virtuous and honest, Song Ok and Hyo Wol had no choice but to be silent. Baek Eon then spoke softly, I looked closely, and there was no evil spirit in Seol Youngs body, and if that really did happen, then wouldnt his sword, the Blue Rainbow, have noticed it first? I know that the Governor already knows about this. After a moment, the Governor finally spoke, Yes. Surely our Seol Young has had a bad rtionship with those priests in the past. But as you know, it has been a long time since he changed. Our group has entirely taken the lead in ughtering the evil spirits afterpleting our training and turning into Hwarangs. At the same time, we have always been exemry in our duties. I guarantee it. Seol Young-rang has never done anything bad or unjust. Baek Eon spoke very clearly. He didnt take out his de like the second and third. Nevertheless, he most strongly expressed his intention of never backing down. The Governor evaluated the three as follows: The second looked scary but was the most generous. The third was weak but the most thorough of all. And the first was the most formidable character, despite how he looked. Although their personalities were so different, they stayed united, like right now. The three stood side by side and stared at the man. Hmm. Governor Jin Rim looked at them. I knew you woulde and make this fuss. He chose to speak in that manner first. The Governor was known to be a serious person, and his appearance was the same as his character. His cheekbones and chin were all distinct, and hisrge features gave him a dominating vibe. This is aplicated issue. But it must not obscure the essence of the topic. Everyone stared at him. You must have heard the incident about the flute. Yes. The prophecy of the Great Heavenly Pavilion, which was delivered to His Majesty in the morning, was fulfilled even before the day passed. What if the same thing happened to me and not Seol Young? What do you think I would have done? Everyone was silent, thinking of the answer. I would have immediately given up my position as the Governor and walked out. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol, wouldnt you do the same? Even if you are proud of your achievements, how can you keep going when everyone who looks at you doubts you and is suspicious of you? Not to mention that Seol Young The Governor turned to Seol Young. When this happens, everyone will be forced to remember the past. Incantations. That is the problem here. Were the incantations in the world only done with good intentions? Isnt a shaman known to bring demons and use amulets? The Governor spoke sternly. Even though Seol Young is the son of a noble in Si, he learned such things. At that time, several schrs considered this a shame and cut their hands off. And isnt he also here because Young Master Baek San intervened and ced a seal on him, making sure he didnt cast anything evil? When the name of the deceased teacher was mentioned, all the Hwarangs bowed their heads. And with the seal being broken now, what do we do? How do we act? Everyone saw the power seep back into his body right away! Those who learned to cast evil spirits never have a good end. And there is nothing I can do considering that this will bring peace to the Hwarang troops. The Governor went silent. Did this mean that Seol Young had to be taken out? Baek Eon, Son Ok, and Hyo Wol were shocked. Seol Young looked at them. All the words that the Governor said were indeed true. But this wasnt a matter of reason. His three hyungs would not back down. And Seol Young was the same. Ever since he climbed the mountain holding his teachers hand, this ce, the White Tiger Spirit Troops, had turned into his homea family. How could he live without it? He couldnt even imagine that. So after thinking all night, he managed to find an answer. So he opened his mouth. Governor. Is it fine if I get to say a few words? Yes. What was he trying to say? Seol Young looked at his brothers and said. First, I would like to ask something. Are there any rules in the Hwarang troops that prohibit one from using incantations? Hmm? The Governor frowned. Even if it isnt in the rules, it isnt right. The Five Great Immortal ns is a ce only for spiritual practice. But it still doesnt exist in the rules. And he quickly continued. Second, ording to the Governor, all those who learned to control evil spirits didnt end well. True. Blinded by the power they got, they summoned the evil spirits and died, or they lost their souls only to turn into spirits that wander the world. But can we say that for all? There are surely exceptions. The first among us Hwarangs to cast a spirit. Surely, you remember. The Governor was silent. What about him? Does nobody know how it will end? But can he not have a good end? It could be and couldnt be, too. But to say everyone who touched and tampered with it never had a nice ending is a bit of a generalization. Governor was silent. He was a smart man, and he knew saying anything would be like giving the reins over to Seol Young, and he couldnt object to clear evidence. So he admitted. What you are saying isnt wrong. There is no rule about summoning or incantations in Hwarang. Nor has it been said that all of them who touched it had a bad end. Surely the Governor can give us some air to breathe in this incident. They were all asking him to give Seol Young a chance to prove that he had been falsely framed. Right now, strange things are happening one after another. In particr, I heard there was blood rain a couple of days ago elsewhere, and people are suffering. This incident wasnt even solved. Everyone is rmed if the chaotic future described by those in the Great Heavenly Pavilion is already in the works. Seol Young continued, But, what if I, who is suspected to be one with the evil spirits, solve this with my own effort? Then, wouldnt everyone be able to let go of their doubts to some extent? Ah! Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol finally understood what Seol Young was aiming for. Right. Right. Song Ok was back to normal. That can be done! The four of us will work to reveal the injustice done to our youngest! Until the flute is back to its original state, we will keep solving the strange things that are happening! What do you think? He shouted loudly. He was already ready to pack his bags and move, the other two didnt say anything, but they were ready too. Seol Young felt moved by the friendship and loyalty they all shared. But That way, his innocence would not be proven. Above all, if all of them leave, who would take care of this ce? Seol Young continued, I know that since the que has broken my identity, the trust around me has changed to doubt. So I will leave the troops. This time, all three of his hyungs were shocked. This was unexpected. Even the Governor was shocked. Walk out of the n and work alone This made Seol Youngs n more ambiguous. The White Robe Hwarangsthis would mean abandoning the clothes that symbolized them. Instead, if he started from scratch and went to restore the belief and trust in himself Wouldnt he be given the robe back? He could see just how strong-willed Seol Young was to get over this issue. Fine. He nodded his head. I will approve the request with my power. Thank you. The other three were still looking shocked, so Seol Young looked at them. He was just going out for a while and would be back. Once he cleared up the doubts people had about him, he would be back. There was such determination in his eyes. fine. The three brothers nodded their heads.
  1. TL/N: They use the same characters.
Chapter 4: Evil Moon (4) Chapter 4: Evil Moon (4) In the Xiantao Mountains protecting the west of Seorabol, the ce was quiet and surrounded by plum trees. Seol Young finally greeted the tombstone of his teacher. It might be difficult to see you for a while. From the tombstone, Baek San seemed to be smiling. He had a stern yet smiling face. He looked at it for a while. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were waiting for him. Their gazes were unfamiliar. Seol Young couldnt wear the white robe with a pattern anymore. Now, he just had a white robe on. When the ck pattern on the robe disappeared, it felt awkward to look at, as if something was amiss. But without showing that, he bowed to them. I, Seol Young, have left the White Tiger Spirit Troops to aplish a duty alone as of today. My hyungs who epted me into the n, and those who taught me despite the many mistakes I made, and cared for me until the end I will never forget the grace you have shown to me. Seol Young said. The three of them nodded, and Baek Eon asked, Did you pack all that you need? Yes. Those in the White Tiger Spirit Troops lived a frugal life. There was nothing special to hold. They just had very few items to exorcise the evil spirits. Seol Young lifted his head and nodded to say there was nothing amiss. For real, there is just one thing to do to change this. I am well aware that I am no longer of the troops but is it fine if I continue to use this bowl with a plum blossom pattern on it? Ah! Of course! Of course! All three answered. They pretended to be well-kept, but their hearts were breaking. And even though Seol Young looked blunt, everyone knew just how much this child cherished the troops. Then I will leave. They left the ce with their teachers tombstone. They headed to the hall, where they saw boys with white robes that had ck patterns on them. They were a group of young people who aimed to be Hwarangs. And when they got close, they rushed in. Sa-rang! Did you really leave the n? That is too much! This is seriously extreme! They all had gloomy faces, and some even burst into anger while the others cried. Among them was a little boy half the size of the others. Myung Kyung was just seven years old. One was holding him in the hand as he held a cookie, crying about why he had to leave. This is wrong. Myung Kyung mumbled a little. How can Young leave from Baek Song Wol Young?1 This felt like such shocking information that it turned his world upside down. All of them didnt like this feeling in their chests. The four Hwarangs of the White Tiger Spirit Troops always stood ahead to defeat evil. People would always call them Baek Song Wol Young. And it was a proud moment in which four people made a name for themselves in an environment where standing out was difficult. But for the time being, this will be a thing of the past. Seol Young approached the little boy. Normally, shadowse back once they disappear. I will be back soon. Until then, learn how to wield the sword properly. Yes. Myung Kyung looked a bit better. Seol Young, who calmed the child, turned around. The long-neck bottle that the Great-rang uses is empty. Thanks for letting me know. We will handle it. No, I didnt inform you for that reason. Give that bottle to me. On the way to Sabolju, I will stop by the Middle Rock Hermitage, get things done, and bring some back. The three hyungs were speechless at this. The demon-shing sword had to be purified regrly. In order to do this, one needed sacred water. And the water around the Middle Rock Hermitage was known to have medicinal properties used to restore spiritual energy when training. There was no other better treasure to purify the sword of a Hwarang. Seol Young was on his way to Sabolju, a ce under Si. They all thought he was going to get there and just leave. But he can take care of himself. The three nodded their heads. The water and purification werent important. What was important was the situation and how he would get there. Seol Young was someone who had bad rtionships with all five of the ns in the past. Seven years have passed, but people would surely not like him. However, Seol Young wasnt associated with a n anymore. Wouldnt there be people who might take this as a free pass ande to hurt him? The same would apply to the spirits, the monsters, the demons, and more. There werent just one or two people who had a grudge against Seol Young. Enough. Do not worry about that thing, and make sure to take care of your safety. Baek Eon declined. But Seol Young, that stubborn child, managed to get that out of his sleeves. Baek Eon looked at the youngest of them. The fifth month is called the Evil Month because of the ghosts that harm others. Be careful with each of your moves. Avoid ces where the yin is too strong, and if Hwarangs from other cese, do not jump into fights and walk away if possible. Get it? Yes. Seol Young answered bluntly. After saying that, Baek Eon took out a white pouch from his chest side pocket. Isnt that the Nine Truths True Pill? Seol Young asked in surprise. This pill was made using the method only handed down to the White Tiger Spirit Troops after nine steps of purification. If one took this in case of emergency, their wounds would heal quickly and they would feel refreshed too. If you feel any difort, take it immediately. If its not enough, use another. Do not think about sparing them and use them whenever needed. Why are you giving me such precious Seol Young was grateful for the words and the pouch he got from Baek Eon. Have this too. Song Ok and Hyo Wol held out pouches as if this were apetition. Both were kids from wealthy families, so they had a lot of money. If you sleep in a shabby ce to save money, you will hurt your body. Make sure to find a good ce and stay there. Do not skip meals just because you dont feel like eating And eat in ces that cook food properly. Once you are back, I will ask all about the kind of food you had and where you ate. These are the orders from your second and third hyungs. I understand. Seol Young said his goodbyes and headed to the door. He went down the mountain, leaving his three hyungs and the little kids with red eyes behind. The grace his three hyungs did wasnt something he could fulfill, even if he gave up his body for them. He couldnt do anything to make them worry. Seol Young thought. But the wind would always blow when a tree wanted to stand still. And it was when he left the mountain *Wheik!* It was the sound of the wind cutting down. And a single bamboo leafnded in front of Seol Youngs feet. The bamboo was a symbol of the Blue Dragon True Troops. Dragons and bamboo were closely rted, as the legend goes that the dragon of the East Sea brought down divine bamboo. And several Hwarangs appeared from the thick trees. They were all wearing blue robes with a silver pattern. The person standing in front had a confident expression on his face. The man had a decent yet violent first impression. It was Seo Geom, the first of the Blue Dragon True Troops. He himself came here. It was surprising, yet not so surprising at the same time. Seo Geom-rang. Seol Young bowed and tried to pass by when Seo Geom suddenly blocked the path with his arm. And Seol Young couldnt cut off the hand of another troops first position holder. But Seol Young was the kind who didnt like to talk to anyone other than the people in the White Tiger Spirit Troops. So he had to stop and wait for them to move. He looked at Seo Geom. What is it? Can we talk about the past incident for a while? Said Seo Geom. 8 years ago, a powerful evil spirit called the God of Great Catastrophe appeared in Wanggeong. And due to fighting against that evil spirit, many Hwarangs of all five ns lost their lives. However, thanks to the outstanding performance of the Governor at that time, the ce could be protected, and we went back to working together for the safety of the people. This incident urred before Seol Young joined the Hwarangs. And it was a story that Seol Young had nothing to do with. Even though the former Governor had a great name, Seol Young had never met him. And the reason for this being brought up woulde up. He had gone to practice after finishing the work at the time. And suddenly, there were all kinds of evil spirits running around everywhere. And one of them was the Ghost Demon King. Hemanded many evil spirits under him and caused great chaos. . The Hwarangs couldnt just stand by. At that time, they united once again under the leadership of Jin Ram, who just took up the position and captured it. But when it was caught, we realized it was done by a 12-year-old child. Seo Geom smiled brightly. At that time, Seol Young-rangs fame shook the region of Wanggeong, but unfortunately, I wasnt able to witness that because I was in a closed room training. The talent called incantation! He had rxed eyes, but they were tense. That was his purpose. In the past, the entire state was turned upside down, and all the Hwarangs were abused and harassed by a child. And to be subjected to things like summoning and incantation, which these shamans were known for. For the Hwarangs, who were known to have great pride, this was a scar on their hearts. Everyone wanted to defeat Seol Young to restore their damaged pride. However, fighting between two ns was prohibited. So this felt like a chance given by the heavens. Seol Young said, As expected, Seo Geom-rang ran to me faster than the ck Tortoise and Vermillion Bird. There are so many people who want to catch and kill me. Well, this shows my life wasnt worthless. Seo Geom smiled at this. Ah! You are looking down on me! Hahaha! At the same time, Seo Geom moved, and he quickly used his sword. Seol Young dodged without pulling his sword out. I want Seo Geom-rang to teach me. However, Baek Eon Great-rang didnt want me to fight the Hwarangs of other ns. But you dont belong to that troop anymore, so why will you listen to him? Because I admire his character. Seo Geom was furious. There was no way that Seol Young was ignoring what he said. You need to learn some manners! His sword lunged out to strike. The white light around the sword surrounded the area. How could one get out of the situation without fighting? There was just one way. Even if he didnt want to, he could feel the energy tickling in his hand since a moment ago. Seven years of being sealed? This felt like he had been using this power just yesterday. Then, after a long time Seol Young concentrated his mind. As if waiting for the call, a familiar feeling ran up and formed around his right hand.
  1. TL/N: Thebination of the 4 Hwarangs.
Chapter 5: Evil Moon (5) Chapter 5: Evil Moon (5) *Pjjjjkkk!* The blue aura-like light formed on Seol Youngs fingertips. It was as strong as lightning. It took shape in an instant and moved like a talisman. It was a technique of using a talisman with only spiritual power, but the absence of paper was a medium. This was called a spiritual talisman spell. A technique that required a high level of concentration of spiritual power to produce an explosive force in a short time. Seo Geoms face twisted at this. How dare you use such a! He couldnt even end the shout as the sky suddenly turned ck. Dark shadows sprang from the ground. The voices in the forest. The talisman that Seol Young had drawn was none other than a summoning one. It was a skill he hadnt used for a long time, but his body remembered it. A powerful summoning spell was drawn. And the spirits would have no other choice but to answer this. All of them were called out, and they formed a circle around him. They surrounded Seol Young, insanely moving around like they were dancing. You are so far behind in dealing with the ghosts! The Hwarangs of the Blue Dragon True Troops ughtered them in an instant. But there were too many of them. Their minds were distracted by the sounds that the ghosts were making all around them. Several of the Hwarangs had always dismissed Seol Young. However, the power Seol Young used right now wasnt something to be underestimated. The child who was born with strong spiritual power and grew up with spirits and demons must have trained a lot. Moreover, he had now taken a step further, as if he had trained all this time. A smirk appeared on Seol Youngs face. I am busy now. He sneaked through the gaps. He escaped the siege in a short time. Will you not stop?! Seo Geom shouted. They all chased after him shing down the summons, but they could never catch up with Seol Young. Seol Youngs foot technique was unique. It was the technique he learned from observing the spirits. Seol Young only stopped after he was sure that he was away from the Blue Dragon True Troops. His head was spinning. It had been way too long since he used any incantations, and it felt a little strange to use them now. I will soon get used to this. It wasnt easy from the start. He knew the road to proving himself would not be smooth, but his personality didnt perceive things easily either, and he never got discouraged by the difficulties that would find him. Avoid Hwarangs and cut down the evil spirits. And he walked as he made up his mind. When he left, many suspicious thoughts lingered in his mind. Seol Young raised the qi in his body with an irritated heart. When his sword shone blue, everyone was startled and moved away. A few days passed with nothing to do. He intended to scare away anything that might be afraid of him. And he would cut down anyone showing signs of a small scam or fraud. asionally, there were spirits that approached him, thinking something interesting hade up, but they were killed right then. Every ce Seol Young passed was clean. Eventually, he reached Sabolju. There, Seol Young made sure to buy yellow papers for talismans and other items. Then he went around asking people, Where did something unusual happen in here? They say blood was pouring down as rain. Ah, yes. The vige of Jeolgol was the location of the incident that shocked everyone. There were severalrge tombs along the path. Seeing the tombs guarded by Stone Tomb Beasts, it seemed like the tombs of some high-ranking or wealthy people. And it seemed like they were famous enough to get a good piece ofnd. The incident of bloody rain in this area would undoubtedly terrify people. Since when did it start? It has been over a month. People knew that Seol Young was a Hwarang, so they rushed to appeal to him. Please do something. I am afraid I will die. The high-ranking people asked us to be patient, saying the vige would not vanish but Are there any other problems around? The rainit seems to attract beasts. Theye to drink the blood. Beasts? Seol Youngs face turned serious. What could the reason be? Is it something rted to the vigers? I dont know. Who could have made our Duduri1 angry? Or maybe killing an evil beast caused this? Everyone said different things as if no one knew what was going on. Seol Young sent them away and then went to the darkest ce. It was to summon the Earthbound Spirits and ask them. What is causing these constant disturbances in the wilderness in that area? The ce is the problem. There is something strange. Even the spirits didnt seem to know. That ce There was an old temple site between the vige and the wilderness. It seemed to be the origin of the viges name. And he wanted to see it right away. It held an unusual atmosphere. Not a single house was around. There were only foundation stones that had been burned and were scattered everywhere. The ground was visibly wet and red everywhere. Seol Young touched the floor, and he realized that it had seeped quite deeply. It was the same under piles of stones. Even the crevices had a lot of red, and the stones were dyed in red. There was definitely something here. What do I do in such a case? Seol Young thought for a moment. As a child, he was used to roaming and running around, chasing behind spirits and getting food to eat. If he couldnt, he was beaten for trying to steal and got kicked out, so he had no choice but to improve his skills. First of all, the spiritual writing. He sat on the floor and put his hands on the ground with his eyes closed. Memory Reading was known to be the art of reading the marks left behind by the spirits on objects. Scenes shed through his mind as he focused. Dead rats, roons, and the souls of the Buddhists who hade to the temple due to the evil energy around There were numerous traces of spirits passing around. Then, a scene stood out more clearly. In the middle of the night, some people appeared at the temple site. They went to the site where thergest hall was and dug inside. Something was buried like a small jar. And there was an ominous and sinister energy emanating from the jar. It was simr to the one that was spreading. This was it! Seol Young opened his eyes. He removed the stone and immediately dug into the ground, and he touched something. As soon as he touched it, a mist of blood rose. This was poisonous. So this is it. Seol Young lifted the spiritual qi with his fingers and put it on the ground in the directions of north, south, east, and west. The letters shone. Everything in the jar was being blocked from escaping. *Woong* The ground vibrated. Chaotic qi was swirling around, with unknown figures moving through the bloody mist. It was a trick to divert attention. It was not a hard thing. Old thoughts popped into his mind. Maybe none of the things around him had changed. That means I need to level this up. From the tip of his finger, he created another talisman incantation and put it on the ground. The Demon Intersecting Talisman, which punishes the evil spirits nearby, was stuck to the ground. *ck!* Then came a loud noise, with a stench spreading everywhere. The smell of rotting corpses. Seol Young dug into the ground. Shards of a jar came up with a pile of scales, white scales. There were also slender bones. It was the corpse of a giant snake. One that has been rotting for a long time with only bright red eyes remaining clear. You are the culprit for all of this. Seol Young took out the yellow paper he brought when leaving the White Tiger Spirit Troops. After collecting the remains and wrapping them up in paper, he returned to the vige. Not even half a day had passed, and yet everyone seemed to know. Even if you are a Hwarang who knows martial arts, being alone is It is resolved. Sorry? People were surprised. You fixed it? Instead of answering, Seol Young slightly raised the paper and showed it. The people were terrified to see scales, bones, and whatnot mixed there. Oh my! What even is that?! Imoogi corpse. Imoogi? Some shamans seem to have obtained a corpse that was corrupted and couldnt turn into a dragon. They must have put him in the jar and served it, as they considered it to be a deity. And as it gradually gained strength with the sacrifices given, the creepy things must have begun to happen Seol Young stated what he thought happened. But the group of shamans got scared as things escted and hid the jar over there, in that temple site, and ran. And as it already gained enough strength, it summoned the spirits on its own by making it rain. It was as clear as if the story was written in the palm of his hand. What he saw and heard as a child wasing to life. If left alone, the number of spirits would have increased and caused trouble for the entire vige. This was dealt with on time. Blood will not rain again. The people looked at him. Looking back, strangely, the feeling of suffocation they had been feeling had disappeared. It was the first time since the incidents began. Even though they did beg for help, they didnt expect it to be done. This white-robed Hwarang was surely cold and blunt, but he sure got the job done. Thank you! Thank you very much! We can finally live now! The vigers bowed to Seol Young one after another, making him feel ufortable and step back. As he left the vige, he went back to collect his thoughts. This wasnt as chaotic as those in the Great Heavenly Pavilion spoke of. Rather, this was just man-made trouble. It was serious, but once the cause of it was identified, it could be resolved quickly. I will have to report this to the Governor. This wasnt some disaster As he continued to walk with such thoughts, there came a bizarre sound from the mountains. *Woong* Seol Young stopped walking. Dark shadows rose from the ground one after another. Those with horns, with two heads, and long tongues that touched the floor They were all evil spirits. And a sharp sound of breathing could be heard from his moutha whistle. When the seal was lifted, his old habits came alive. Such a sound would frighten anyone nearby at the moment. It was like a whistling sound in the darkest night that could scare anyone. But Despite understanding the meaning of it, they didnt disperse. Rather, they began to get closer. The thick cloud of darkness began to spread over the ground, and in the blink of an eye, the number of spirits increased. Go away! Seol Young groaned loudly at the spirits gathered, and the blue me rose. But what was this? The spirits didnt seem scared. They held a weird hostility as if They were aiming for the bones of the imoogi. Seol Young snorted at this. Finally out of the darkness.
  1. TL/N: Wooden diety.
Chapter 6: Evil Moon (6) Chapter 6: Evil Moon (6) Judging by the absurd attitude of the spirits, it seemed like the situation was taking a turn for the worse. Moreover, even at this moment, more and more spirits were gathering. They have to be annihted at once. Seol Young thought. What would be the best way to do it? Then an idea came to him. There were manyrge tombs around this area, and he surely saw them on the way to the vige. Lets try that method then. Seol Young stared at the spirits. When all of them gathered close, he drew his sword out and touched it with his palm. Blood gushed out of a long scar that ran from his index finger to his ring finger. Seol Young mixed the blood with red cinnabar and sand. Then, he drew a huge summoning circle on the ground. When he was done, he put the Blue Rainbow Sword in the middle. *Thud!* The ground rang loudly. This circle contained strong spiritual qi. It spread far and wide over thend. ? All the demons and spirits were looking around. They looked a bit confused, not knowing what was happening. After a while, a reply came. A low growl grew closer andrger beyond the bushes along the path until it appeared. They were creatures made out of stones. Some were as big as rocks, some had horns on their foreheads, and some swung tails as strong as whips. These were the stone statues put around the tombs to guard them. And they shouldnt be able to leave the vicinity of the graves. But with the power of summoning that Seol Young used, he was able to call them here. In response to his call, all the statues from the nearby tombs came running. They roared in rage when they saw all kinds of evil because they were intended to protect the tombs in this area. Kwaak! The screams of the spirits resounded. And the stone statues crushed them to pieces with their sturdy ws, horns, and whips. Kuak! Those who were shocked tried to run, but the stone statues were not the type to let them leave after seeing them. So the result was a ughter. It was just as Seol Young thought. The statues held spiritual qi too, and they could deal with evil spirits. And because the one who cast them was strong, they were strong too. This was a good way. Thanks to the crisis, he was able to devise a creative way out. Seol Young just watched this fight happen, feeling d, and as he watched, there were some that looked remarkably valiant. They were four animalsa blue dragon, a white tiger, a ck tortoise, and a vermillion bird. He wasnt sure why such beasts were ced to guard them, but they surely did most of the work. Seol Young felt curious about it. Who were they protecting? Thanks to them, the absurd scene he had witnessed was settled quickly. The spirits and demons failed to fight back and copsed, with screams resonating everywhere. Eventually, everything ended, and the gloominess around the area, which had lingered for a long time, finally got swept away. He was d to have gotten through the crisis. But the moment he turned around As I thought. Seol Young had a bitter smile. It was unreasonable for someone to use such a technique. It took a huge amount of spiritual qi to get the tomb guardians out of their stations and control them. Seol Young was still lucky enough to stand on his own two feet. If he were someone whocked spiritual qi, he would have already coughed up blood and passed out. Thank you. Seol Young stroked the heads of the four, which represented the Hwarang troops. Then he stroked the other ones too. They all rubbed their heads like dogs. Some even wagged their tails. It was truly reassuring to have them. When I recover my spiritual qi, I will return you to normal. Seol Young walked again with the statues as his escort. But After a while, he had to stop again. ? Something unbelievable happened behind his back. The evil spirits were following him again. Seol Young was confused. Werent they killed? How could there be so many of them at once? The number kept growing. The more they gathered, the more things got out of control. He hadnt even recovered his qi yet, so it seemed better to get rid of the small amount right away. Seol Youngs eyes gleamed and scanned through the darkness. His eyes were able to see through the darkness, and after a while, he found amp in the distance. Ah! He considered this to be good. He found a fairlyrge ce to keep horses. It was on the road before the high hill, so hunters usually gathered quite a bit. Many travelers could be seen resting. And he needed a ce just like this now. The energy of strong people could never be ignored. And the sounds of drinking, cups ttering, loudughs, and singing all of them were strong. Even the spirits avoided such ces. I need to get inside. Seol Young hurriedly stepped ahead and soon went to a ce that looked like an inn and entered it. But there was no luck. There were only two people in the innan old man who seemed to be the owner and his grandson, who was a clerk. Suddenly the door opened, and a man in a white robe came in, which surprised them. Their faces said they were a bit too shocked. Oh my, I thought you were a ghost. At the old mans words, Seol Young just shook his head and pointed to his sword. The man said, A warrior? Doe in. Sit anywhere you findfortable. This inn is empty, after all. Seol Young looked around the inn. Again, not a single rat could be seen. How can there be no guests here? Strange, right? I know. It is strange for us too. The man spoke politely. Even if this ce seems out of the normal path, it should be crowded with passing people. But not a single customer dropped in today? It has been like this since the morning. I just dont understand what happened. Seol Young felt an ominous feeling for the first time today. -The fifth month is called the evil month because ghosts often harm others. The words of Baek Eon. Bad luck wasnt simply bad luck. Once the flow begins to falter, even the most insignificant things will cause great chaos. Perhaps This wasnt a crisis he could get through. However, he also wasnt the kind to be troubled just because he was pushed into a corner. He nodded at the old mans words and asked for the strongest alcohol he could get. From now on, bad things are going to happen here, so it would be best for the two of you to walk out. Uh? The owner and the clerk looked at each other. What do you mean by that? Is something bad going to happen? It was a sight that was hard to believe. But then came the whistle. A mournful one, and it continued to get closer. This made the two people go pale. There was a sudden roaring sound outside. People gathered and mumbled words that couldnt be understood at all. Sometimes it sounded like a gulp, and sometimes crying. They clearly werent the voices of humans. Seol Young said it again, The back is safe, so you can leave now. The two didnt wait long after what they heard to run through the back door. And now the inn was empty, with Seol Young sitting alone. The cry of the ghosts began to get closer and closer until it felt like it was right next to him. And then they came in. Through the cracks in the door and windows in the walls, they continued to gather. They appeared to be twice as numerous as before. Were all the evil spirits gathered here? Seol Young sat upright, still wearing his white robe. His eyes, which had been sunken, didnt waver. He felt excited. They had always been in this love-hate rtionshiplike wanting to touch it but yet wanting to cut it. And now he was alone, while the opposing side had numbers. This made the spirits excited. And their numbers gave them confidence. But there was a downside too. Thinking that someone else would steal the chance to kill Seol Young, a group rushed in to attack first. But then there was a loud roar from the tombs, and all of the grave keepers appeared from the air at once. Once again, they went back to killing the evil spirits. It was a one-sided massacre. But Gradually, the situation changed. There were too many enemies. There was no end to the killing. One by one, the stone statues began to slowly falter, yet even in those moments, they tried to take even one more extra spirit down. But they couldnt stand it. *Thud!* One fell and shattered. After a while, another fell and shattered. The evil spirits swarmed like ants. Seol Young just concentrated on quietly conjuring his spiritual energy, but it didnt work. *Thud! Thud!* In the end, each statue fell, one after another. Even the four statues representing the Hwarang troops began to fall despite fighting valiantly until the end. Seol Young, however, was indifferent. But with things taking a turn for the worst right in front of him, he started wondering if this could be the day he would die. He thought If I am to die, it wont be from being trapped like this. I will make sure to take even one extra demon down with me And he looked at the bottle of alcohol and the ss ced before him. He didnt order it to drink, but right now, it felt like doing so would be good. So he poured it into the ss. The atmosphere was tense. Every spirit was looking at his movements. And the moment he put the drink down, the spirits who noticed it attacked. A blue lightning shed, and true to the name of Blue Rainbow, a blue rainbow arc was drawn. Kuaaak! The horrifying screams rang out. The spirits which were attacking had split into two groups, and no one could see how Seol Young swung the sword to cut them. They were agitated. However, seeing Seol Youngs spiritual power, they became greedy again. Wouldnt it be great to just kill the human and absorb the strong energy in his body? They couldnt resist such greed. Kuaaak! The second group rushed in. Again, the sword shone in blue. They screamed and yelled as they surrounded him. Everyone looked at the Hwarang in a white robe. His sword was sharp when it came to cutting down the spirits. And the alcohol on the table. But Still, it felt like the result had been decided. There were still too many spirits, and with just twenty-five of them being taken down, it didnt seem like he had a chance of surviving. No one had any intention of leaving. As both sides shed, wanting to win, it was obvious who would fall first. The spirits knew it too. However, they were not ready to jump hastily. . Both sides faced each other in silence. And it was then that a squeal broke out. The door opened. And through the fog created by the darkness, someone came in. And looking around the inn, he mumbled to himself, You never know if this is in business or not. Chapter 7: Evil Moon (7) Chapter 7: Evil Moon (7) Right now, in this inn, one person and a hundred thousand evil spirits were in the midst of a tense confrontation. Everyone was on edge about this, yet no one heard the sound of approaching footsteps, nor could the presence be felt. It was such a strange thing. An expert1. Seol Young gathered the qi in his eyes and examined the man. But surprisingly, he couldnt feel any spiritual energy from him. It felt like he was a normal person. What was he? Originally, Seol Young wasnt someone who paid much attention to other things. Even if given four eyes, he wouldnt care. Yet this situation called for it, so he observed the person closely and figured things out. First, the age? He looked around twenty years old. And clothes? Mostly ck and had a couple of threadworks that looked expensive. He could tell this man was a noble. And the attitude and character? Although there was thisid-back look, there was elegance too. And it felt like he was thoroughly educated. Seol Young came to this conclusiona noble who must havee to visit the temple. He must have felt bored aftering along with his mother or sister and decided to sneak around but got lost. Pathetic. A waste of such a face. Seol Young gave him the cold shoulder. The man had the kind of face that people would follow just by looking at it. A cool and calm noble. And there was this distinction from just his face that people wouldnt get tired of looking at. Seol Young didnt like these types of people. I hope such people disappear quickly. Seol Young was judging this man, who was looking around the inn. This wasnt a ce or sight for people to see. A young man who was about to turn twenty years old was now fighting evil spirits. As if they had shed a couple of times earlier, the ce was a mess. The man was probably going to run back. Seol Young thought so. But Surprisingly, the man wasnt too surprised. He just nced at the bottle in front of Seol Young. In the middle of something? It is so noisy that I came to check out this ce, and my throat is dry, so I should have a drink too. Then he sat down at a random table. This was bold. Seol Young clicked his tongue. People of high status and well-off families never did a single task for themselves. Even among them, there are exceptions. And there were strong people too. They were the kind who didnt care about ghosts. They continue to live happily, not caring about anything else. However, this felt too weird. Wasnt this like beingpanions to the underworld right now? As I thought, he must be the annoying kind. Seol Young had no choice but to get up and approach the noble. At this moment, the man stopped mumbling and looked at his hand. His expression was strange. Is he sober yet? Or did he fall asleep? Seol Young wasnt sure, so he opened his mouth. I apologize for the noise. I didnt know that people were staying here. The spirits looked at the two, but they didnt care. But this inn isnt open for business now. Neither the owner nor the clerk working here can serve drinks as they have already fled. He just stated what happened. As if he had lowered his guard because he was talking, the evil spirits moved to attack him, and Seol Young swung his sword without even looking at them, and flesh scattered everywhere. As you can see. This ce is full of evil spirits. I know that this is a bit of a hassle, but you will have to find another inn. He spoke calmly. Aha. Said the noble in ck as if he was impressed. Is it the strange sound I have been hearing all this time, then? That was when he looked away. On one side of the inn, there were piles of things that the customers had left as payment for the alcohol, and he was suddenly interested as he walked up to them. Seol Young was losing it. He came to the man and talked because he was busy, yet the man acted like he didnt hear his words. He knew that not every human was normal, but this guy seemed to be on a different level. Noble hyung2. Seol Young called out coldly. Did I exin it in a manner you cannot understand? Or do you have a disease where you make it hard for people who try to be polite to you? Staying here will make you get in the way. Yet there was no response. To be honest, I dont care if you die or not. However, the number of ghosts will increase, and dealing with more of them will be hard. Still, the other party was busy rummaging through the customers things and trying to open a fan. He also shook some jewels and other stuff. Should I just throw him out? He was so angry that he thought of doing it. He knew that these kinds of people wouldnt listen to others. And even in the toughest of times, they make the situation harder for others. Maybe throwing him out will bring him to his senses? Grrr And as he thought, among the spirits here, low-ranked spirits began to gather. Even if they couldnt defeat Seol Young, they must have judged that it would be better to take down a weak one. Target the weaker of the two prey. In other words, they were beginning to attack again. They were moving silently. It seems like they are going to run away after getting the blood from his body. Seol Young tightened his grip on his sword. He decided that when the evil spirits moved, he would wipe them out all at once. And the noble still hadnt moved. The spirits were sneaking up and reaching his back as he continued to casually look at things. The eyes of the spirits were glowing red. Kiik! They screamed and moved, but the next moment, something unexpected happened. Before Seol Youngs sword, Blue Rainbow, could move, the evil spirits were cut down as they fell like rain. The noble dressed in ck clothes had cut them to pieces. And in his hand was a Ring-Headed de. That is odd. Seol Youngs face changed. Surely he couldnt have noticed this weapon until now. He held a fan in his hand. Even Seol Young didnt see him switch from a fan to a de, pull the de out of its sheath, and use it. And that wasnt all. What was even more shocking was the reaction of the noble. Hm? The noble looked at the corpses of the evil spirits, which fell like maple leaves around them. Could it be that this happened because I pulled out my de? No, whye when you are in danger? He clicked his tongue. If someone didnt know and saw it, they would be fooled. He had really just thoughtlessly pulled out his de and identally killed spirits. But as if that were possible. Seol Young had gone stiff. The Ring-Headed de wasnt a good weapon. Even if was paid much due to the name it held, it wasnt much different from a regr weapon. And unless it held spiritual qi, it was only an ordinary de. One couldnt cut down formless evil spirits with it. Grrr The evil spirits looked angry. Humans normally get intimidated and scared when they see other humans killed in such a way. But these evil spirits were the opposite. The smell of blood and flesh was something that stimted them. Kuaaak! In the frenzied mess, they pounced on this noble. And it was the same this time too. Once again, the de drew an arc very cleanly. Ah, this. I hope no onees around. He mumbled. Seol Young had the chance to observe this time, and he finally found it. This man was hiding his strong spiritual energy. Seol Young hadnt noticed it before. If he had polished his spiritual qi and reached this level, then he would surely be a person rted to the ns. However, two swipes of the de were insufficient to reveal anything. Yet he was sure of one thing. Seol Young looked at the floor, and the bodies that fell were smoothly cut. And upon closer inspection, he noticed something odd. The flesh that was cut by the de looked merciless, as if a blunt sword had been used. This was something he had never seen before. This mans strength seemed to surpass the leaders of the sects. He appeared to be slightly superior to Governor Jin Rim as well. But was this possible? Seol Young stared at the man. And when their eyes met, he just shrugged. He had a cold look, as if he was indifferent to everything around him. And now it felt clear that this unknown man hade here with some other intention. Seol Young spoke coldly, Which n do you belong to, senior? Senior? The man smiled. Why are you pretending like we are familiar with each other? Did you think I would let you go alive then? He spoke like this was fun, yet his eyes held murderous intent. It was clear he wanted to kill Seol Young. At that moment, the evil spirits, who were waiting for a chance to attack, lunged at him, and he swung the de with all his might. Wait. It feels like the priority is being pushed back. *Bang!* Dozens of spirits flew back. Everything around him was getting crushed and broken. His strength was good enough to shatter the walls in the inn. Seol Young had a suspicious feeling. He is not in the right state of mind. As things continued like this, one should be agitated, but Seol Young thought calmly. It is fortunate that the inn has money to reimburse it.
  1. TL/N: A master in a field
  2. TL/N: Respectful term for an older male
Chapter 8: Evil Moon (8) Chapter 8: Evil Moon (8) At times like this, one needs to be calm. Seol Young quickly assessed the situation. This man seemed to be thinking of getting rid of the spirits in here first. Then there was no need to fight. Lets just use him then. The madman who broke down the inn. It was not the most desirable move, but it still felt like a good choice. He had to drive this man into killing as many as he could. The spirits will also be at a disadvantage if they team up by timing their attacks and taking turns. If they wanted a fighting chance, the inn was narrow, so they needed space. Seol Young shed the evil spirits around and lured them outside. A ce to lure them At that time, that ce stood out, and he quickly headed there. You are insane. The noble frowned, as this was an old tomb. Is it time to cover things up now? Seol Young replied. Just at that moment, the ring on the Ring-Headed de broke, unable to handle how it was used. As he thought so. Seol Young nced inside this old tomb. This tomb looked to be an abandoned one. One side copsed, which created this ck hole in it. An old, long de was enshrined in it. Seol Young quickly threw the sword at the noble madman. Actually, such acts were considered taboo. This was like disturbing the dead. To take the goods of the grave and use them was a huge NO. Those who practice peace and righteousness should always avoid such things. But Seol Young was fine. Exining things to people was bothersome for him. And there was no time, either. Kiik! The screams of hundreds of evil spirits were enough to deafen their ears. If it were a normal person, they could feel their internal organs tremble, cough up blood, or die. Seol Young responded coldly. If you dont like it, fight them with your bare hands. The noble snorted as he picked up the de. He was more familiar with des than swords. Kieeik! Kiiik! The evil spirits began to turn more and more desperate now. Yet the number of those attacking was lessening. Seol Young calmly continued to cut down the spirits by staying near the tomb. And a desperate scream rang out. Eventually, thest ones fell, too. Kuak! A few managed to escape, and Seol Young threw his sword. Puak! The flying sword had gone round and round as it finished off thest of the evil spirits. Sigh Seol Young sighed. No matter how abnormal things were, there wouldnt be any more spiritsing up here. But, of course, this wasnt the end. The unknown man was still here, and was not hiding his killing intent. Well, there is something I need to do too. Seol Young raised his sword and drew a line on the ground. A charm? The noble looked at him. Seol Young continued to do what he was doing without responding. And soon, he finished drawing the charm. Numerous pieces of rocks and stones began to float. These were originally the pieces of the grave guardians who were destroyed in the fight. They rose to the air. Normally, the life of the guardian ends when it gets destroyed, and the rtionship it holds with the shaman also ends there. However, Seol Young had written a summoning technique, and even in death, the bond didnt break. Such a horrid sight. To use other peoples grave keepers as your barrier and distribute the burial items as you please and even use their graves The noble seemed a bit amazed. I am asking you because I am really curious, but what will the owner of the tomb say? Wont they tear you apart? Not at all. Didnt that man destroy the inn too? If he couldnt see the simrities in their actions, then he must have something missing in his head. There was no need to talk with this man who was trying to kill him, but he had to finish the job. Seol Young answered. When I was young, I robbed the graves every day, and it was never a problem for me. Because I always make a promise before I touch anything. Promise? I promise to pray for rebirth and paradise. Then the ghosts will let you sleep, give you food, and even lend you burial items from the bottom of their hearts. My talismans are quite valuable even for the ghosts He moved his hand as he spoke. Seol Young was in the process of adjusting the summons and changing it into a spell with reverse power. Only then could the summoned beasts be freed from bondage. It wasnt about using the spiritual power, but the effort put into it. Eventually, he managed to change it, and the wriggling stones in the air lost their strength and fell to the ground. Aha, what did you do now? The madman asked again. But it doesnt matter to you even if the summoned beasts roam in shattered form, right? Then why bother letting it go? Because I feel for them! Seol Young responded as if the question was stupid. He knelt down and collected the stone fragments one after another and cleaned the dust that fell on them. There were several piles of it. Seol Young bowed to each of them. I wish you rebirth in paradise. After bowing to them, he got up. Now, he must be running out of patience. And he was right. Right. Why was I even watching all this? The sword of the opponent flew right in front of him. It was natural. It moved without making any sound, like a beast used to hunting its prey down. It was clean, with no excessive movements aimed at taking life. If Seol Young had not been prepared, he would have died right then. So he managed to evade it. Srrng! The two swords collided. The Blue Rainbow Sword was lighter and sharper, so it was able to get the upper hand. On the other hand, the nobles sword was pushed back. He made no defending movements and only rushed in. Even if it seemed like nothing, all the changes in his movement felt useless. This noble seemed to be a person with amazing talent that was honed on a very stable foundation. A technique of a famous family Seol Young tried to figure out who this person was. But even when he could feel something familiar, it quickly turned unfamiliar. He couldnt understand it. Do not be nervous. He needs to have some weakness. Seol Young decided to take advantage of the opponents gap in movement and moved in to attack. At the same time, his other hand moved. Shh. Spirits rose from the earth, casting dark shadows and hitting the opponent. But this man handled all of them without even a frown or shock. As soon as the second group of bad spirits emerged, random explosions urred. They were the stones of spiritual power that Seol Young had stored up. This is a bit interesting. The man was grinning as he broke them. Fine. Do your best. Seol Young didnt respond and continued to attack. The Five Thunder Talismans dazzling lightning rose. The lightning bounced off the opponents sword and broke down a tree next to a tomb. In the darkness, the shadows of the two blended together and then moved. The talismans light and the Yin of the spirits felt entangled. The light around them began to dim, and the sky turned dark. It felt like this was a long night, with his body turning heavy. Didnt he just confront the evil spirits from the temple area the day before? He was tired and didnt have enough spiritual power either. The group of spirits, the prayers of Dharma, and the techniques are out. All that was left to do was to summon. Seol Young took the sword from the madman and sealed it with one hand. answer the call! A weird aura flowed through the sword like it was exploding into something, and a figure emerged. A warrior with an angry face, wearing dazzling armor and wielding a long sword that glowed in blue light. This was Emperor Xuanwu1, the strongest being he could summon through this method. Summoning meant a battle with the summoner and the summoned. If a shaman tried to enve a being that wasnt within their power range, they would die. Seol Young also didnt overdo it. This was an existence that he could summon once or twice in a lifetime. This felt like a life-or-death situation, and his first attempt looked sessful. But I dont have much time. Emperor Xuanwuunched a powerful attack on the opponent. With just one step forward, it felt as if the ground split and trees fell. And with a single swing of the long sword, violent des of wind rose. For an instant, it felt like the madman was finally being pushed back. However, after the two sides shed with roaring sounds, the summoned spirit began to fade out. The spiritual power of the summoner was toocking for him to wait any longer. He was summoned as ast resort, so this was a pity. In the end, the spirit was cut down by the sword of the madman and destroyed. Seol Young felt dizzy for a moment. The damage suffered by summoning the spirit and getting pushed back was huge. He coughed up blood. As I thought, keeping you alive is a problem. The noble finally spoke in a cold voice. Was this the end? He remembered his three brothers and the other children one by one. At that moment, something shed in the dark. No. There is still one left. Seol Young put his hand into his sleeve and ripped out what was hidden inside. It was a small piece of wood with something written on it. It was a wooden tablet. Normally, Taoists held it, but it wasnt something they always carried around. And this wasnt something that was rted to him or Buddhism or anything. It didnt even hold the qi of heaven. But he could tell that there was something that evil things hated. And so he put it on him. After he had tried everything, this was thest resort left. Seol Young broke the wooden tablet and infused his remaining spiritual energy into it. At that moment, something strange appeared. It hit the opponent in the blink of an eye. It was fast and odd. ? The man couldnt even react. This unidentified summon of Seol Young went through all of the opponents defenses and hit his chest. I did it! The first attack worked, and the man staggered back. At that moment, a ck haze began to rise from his body. What is this now? Seol Young was surprised too. There was a weird sound hitting his ears. It wasnt a ghosts scream or cry, but it kept going around, giving him a headache. A mad voice The sound could make people go insane, and he was seeing this dark energy spread everywhere. From one end to another. It constantly spread, like it was devouring everything, like a dark Mand. The Mand was a circle that was said to epass the universe. It was known to be so profound, deep, and characterized to be ever-expanding depending on nature. Seol Young noticed one thing about these strange changes. Eclipse Pain and despair came in as if they had pushed their way to the surface. The souls buried in the underground seemed to scream. [Run away!] Seol Young was startled as he came to his senses. The strange energy he felt everywhere wasnt murderous qi or Yokai qi. This was Demonic qi! He always touched everything he was told not to, but this was his first time witnessing this. The madman was shocked too. His eyes widened in disbelief, and hisid-back demeanor vanished. He had a look of disbelief at the situation, which looked dangerous. What did you do?! The man asked Seol Young as if he wanted toe and grab him by the cor.
  1. TL/N: Strong Chinese diety
Chapter 9: Evil Moon (9) Chapter 9: Evil Moon (9) Well. Did I do something? Seol Young didnt know either. He was cornered, and he tried thest thing he could do in order to live. He couldnt figure out what the broken wooden tablet was. But he wasnt going to be questioned about it by the madman. Why do I need to tell you that? Seol Young asked calmly. He took a good look around. It was the only weakness. When this unknown thing hit him, the man who felt unstoppable no matter how hard he fought was hit back and staggered. At that moment, some serious reactions urred in his body. Too bad If it had been a more proper attack, he could have used another spell and knocked the guy down, but that didnt happen. Seol Young didnt miss the quick hand movements that the man used. It was as if he couldnt control the evil energy, so he did something. The moment his hand moved, objects that seemed like an assassins needles and daggers moved. And a very thin golden light came up through the ck haze and suppressed it. That light? Seol Youngs eyes widened. It surely had to be a Taoist object. Taoist objects were utilized by Taoist practitioners, and they held a unique qi in them. The fact that spiritual energy was contained within this golden light was a very important thing to remember. Now I know what you are. Seol Youngs expression turned cold. A person who practices the righteous path yet has fallen into the demonic path! Such a shame for a Hwarang, right? Do the Golden Ring Troops know about this? ? At those words, the mans expression darkened. Golden Ring Troops? Who would want to do anything with them? then he wasnt? Seol Young was puzzled. The cultivation mentioned was known to be yellow, and as the training reached the highest stage, it would turn golden. This was a fact everyone knew, which was why Seol Young was confident. But he wasnt? There was nothing that a person who had fallen down the wrong path would not lie about. But the man didnt deny that. He was just offended that Seol Young got it wrong. Did he have to react as such? Did this golden light really have nothing to do with what he was thinking? Seol Young was confused for a moment. Answer me. What did you do? I clearly asked. The noble madman asked again. There was no trace of carelessness underneath his arrogant demeanor. He seemed to think that Seol Young would once again summon it. He didnt know that there was only one piece of wood. This is a gamble. Seol Young decided to take the risk. The position where the Sun, Moon, and Stars meet across the sky in He pretended to recite an incantation as he randomly moved his hand. A thick wind rose, with dark smoke covering his vision. He tried to run but As soon as he turned around, he was grabbed. In the blink of an eye, the Blue Rainbow Sword slipped out. What is all this now? I really cannot let my guard down near you! The madman spoke as if this were absurd. Seeing the Blue Rainbow in his hand, Seol Young felt his blood go cold. Was he stealing his sword? This was a gift from his teacher and the most precious thing to him. How dare he! He tried to take it back, but he was pushed down. The man pressed down on Seol Youngs shoulder. It seemed like a thousand pounds of iron were pressing down on him so hard that his knees wouldnt budge. As he struggled, the man warned. Your shoulder bone will break. He didnt say it was broken, but he did say that it would break, and that made Seol Young angry. And the man continued. I will ask you onest time. What was that? I dont know either. I tried that for the first time, and I only had one of them. Is that so? He nced at Seol Young. Seeing how you tried to run, it cannot be a lie. You dont even know what it is then I dont have to worry about it. And he smiled softly. Anyst words? None. Seol Young red at him. If the day of his death arrived, he expected to fight until the end and die covered in blood, but he never expected to be driven into a corner and die silently in the hands of a powerful opponent. I will watch until the very end how he kills me. And after watching that, I will be a ghost. Wouldnt that be better for me? To be a ghost and reunite with him? He vowed to take revenge even after death, but the thought of death felt odd to him. If he had to say something. Even if I fulfilled my mission, no one will know about it and will say that I failed, so it feels unfair Mission? In that vige there, I promised the Governor that I would solve the mysterious incident where blood was raining. Governor.you mean Jin Rim? The man asked for a moment and then said, Ah! Now I know! I see it all now. Even though you are a demon, he must have said he would be lenient on you if you did good things for people. What nonsense! I am not a demon but a Hwarang! He looked at Seol Young with eyes that were asking, What bullshit are you talking about? But A white robe. A sword without a Yin-Yang que and all kinds of talismans and summoning spells. All of this wasnt very Hwarang-like. And the madman said. Exin. From the start. Why should I? Do you think I will obey your words even if you break my bones? I dont have to break your bones. He calmly raised the Blue Rainbow Sword. Seol Young felt so enraged that he wanted to kill the man. He wouldnt mind dying, but he wasnt going to sit still and watch his cherished sword break. And he said. I was originally from the White Tiger Spirit Troops of Hwarang. I was the fourth member, but something happened which made it difficult for me to stay there And the man continued to listen to the story while holding his sword. He wasnt just listening. He even asked questions. Finally, Seol Young told him everything. Riding in a wagon with his parents and being attacked by people. Being an orphan at the young age of two and being all alone in the mountains. The grave ghosts taking pity on him and raising him. How he learned all kinds of spells and rituals from the ghosts, and spirits around him and was called the Ghost Demon King. The conflict with the five groups of the sect and his fathers friend Baek San taking care The man continued to listen to the full story with a frowning face. It was as if he didnt know a single thing. Seol Young considered this strange. How can he know about the Governor but not themotion that happened inside? Was he locked somewhere for ten years or something? Eventually, the story about the flute came up. The revtion came out, and how the entire ce was shaken by the words it said. Then, what happened within the office. At this point, his face changed. It shouldnt have happened. It felt like he thought Seol Young was lying. What do you even know? You threw away everything and fell into the path of evil! When he said that, the manughed. Well, I think I have heard enough. The man gripped the sword tightly, and Seol Young realized that this was it. Puak! Seol Youngs hair fluttered in the sharp wind. There was no time to do anything. He thought he was really dying. But no. With a thud, the sword fell in front of his eyes. The Blue Rainbow Sword. ? He raised his head in wonder. The man turned around and examined the sword. I dont like it, but for the time being, I am forced to do this. It seemed like he lost interest in Seol Young. He seemed really fickle. But this was good. Seol Young stood up, taking the sword. He was thinking about putting it back in its sheath. Anyway, thank you for helping me kill those evil spirits. He nodded once and turned around. It felt like he had just entered the mouth of a beast and managed to escape. It was just one day, yet it felt like ten years had passed. Lets head back. Seol Young quickly moved. But After a while, he stopped. When he heard footsteps following behind him, he turned around only to see the man. Why are you following me? Following? The man looked shocked. I am going in this direction. Was that so? But it felt odd. If he went right, the madman went right, and if he went left, the madman went left too. And he wasnt following him? Seol Young went on, and the man continued to follow him. He moved into a busy street, and if he lost track of Seol Young, he inquired around and found him again. The warrior in a white robe went there. And when Seol Young entered an inn, he followed him there. He sat casually on a nearby table. Seol Young ignored it as much as he could and ordered rice with bamboo shoots and paid for it. Meanwhile, the madman said. I will have the same as him. He fumbled around to get some money and stopped. His face had gone pale. Customer? The server asked as politely as he could, and noticing it, he asked. Please, do you not have money? In our ce, even if the truest noblese, they have to pay before a meal. We thought you would pay for the food, so we gave you water and a towel. What should I do now? At least pay me for the towel. Everyone stared at him. Seol Young stood up while watching that and went close. I will pay for the meal. Ah. The man looked pleased. It has been a while since I came out, so I must have forgotten to bring money with me. It is fortunate for me to meet such a good person here. Seol Young red at the man and told him to be silent as he sat across from him. It would have been simpler if you had just killed me! Why keep me alive and stalk me all throughout my journey to harass me like this? He didnt answer, and when Seol Young was about to get up, he smiled and said. I will pay it back. Enough. Seol Young put down the money bag and said. You just disappear. And he turned, a cold wind blowing in his face. When Seol Young put up the most disgusting expression, not many would dare to talk or even bother getting close, but this man was different. As soon as he left the inn, the man followed him again. Seol Young was taken aback. What could he do after finishing the mission? Well, he could hang out with this strong demon on his way back and take him to the city. And that was when it struck him. Middle Rock Hermitage. He made a promise when he left for the mission that on the way back, he would bring it. Things were going well. In the mountains, there were sacred ces for Buddhists. Furthermore, there were monks with incredible strength and power present, and the number of monks was huge, implying that nothing evil could enter. A person full of demonic qi could never enter. No matter how strong he is, he cannot follow me there. Seol Young thought. It could work. The madman followed him closely until he reached the mountain, but his pace decreased as he climbed it. It was a ce filled with clean energy along the steep mountain slope and smiling Buddha statues everywhere. The qi would collide with his and make him suffer. Seol Young was deliberately walking closer to the ces full of pure qi. And as expected, things turned quiet, and as he turned back, he couldnt find the man. Suddenly, he didnt exist anymore. As I thought. For the first time, he felt relieved sincepleting the mission. Seol Young ran as if he were flying toward the Middle Rock Hermitage. But An unexpected sight awaited him. Chapter 10: Evil Moon (10) Chapter 10: Evil Moon (10) The Middle Rock Hermitage was not just a sacred ce for the Buddhist disciples but also for the Hwarangs. To get there, one had to climb the steepest slope and then pass through a stone gate made of natural rock formations. And this was why the ce was normally quiet and solemn. It was always like that in Seol Youngs memory, but it was different today. The door to the hermitage was firmly shut, and not a single monk could be seen. Both the young ones aiming to be monks and the older ones were outside, but they all looked agitated. What is happening? Seol Young asked the novice whom he knew. Where is the head monk? Ah, that The novice was taken aback. He said he wouldnt meet anyone for now. Then the other monks? It is the same. I am sorry Seol Young-rang. Everyone looked so distraught that they didnt even notice that Seol Young had a different appearance from usual. There was no need to exin anything about his white robe now. You havee a long way. What do we do now? Actually, there was a guest who came in earlier. I dont know why but the head monk and the others were so surprised and greeted the guest. After the guest went back, they all said in unison to not let anyonee. ? Seol Young was puzzled. He had visited this ce numerous times, but this was a first. What kind of guest? A man or a woman? I apologize. I was asked not to speak of it. Even if the Buddhaes here and asks, I am not supposed to Everyone was silent. This is strange. On the way back, he ran into someone at the stone gate of the hermitage. Seol Youngs feet stopped as he doubted his eyes. Right next to the gate was the madman dressed in ck. And as soon as he saw him, the man threw something. A gourd bottle. It was shining from within, which meant it was filled. And he said with a grin. Didnt I tell you I would pay you back? He couldnt help but be shocked. Was this monster the one who met the head monk and the others? Everything was pointing to it, but it just felt too odd. How did you know that I wasing here for the water? Are you stupid? There is only one reason why the Hwarangs visit this ce with a gourd bottle. How did he know about the bottle? And more than that There is no way that the stern head monk would have just given it up to anyone? Which is why I went. The man continued. If I hadnt, you would have had a hard time there. First, you will have to prove your identity to them. It was true. If it were that head monk, he would have pretended he didnt know Seol Young. Why is your robe white? And you talk as if you know me. Isnt this a ce of purity and kindness that doesnt allow such rude people to enter? The raspy voice was already clear to his ears. But the same monk gave water? And for someone who was on the wrong paththe demonic path? He couldnt understand, so he went back. Are the monks safe inside? Did someone get harmed? It isnt like that. Everything is as usual. The monks answered, but the door was closed. Just what happened It had been a long time, and he looked to the far side where the man was still standing near the stone gate. It looked like he was waiting for Seol Young to arrive. He was smiling and going around, but his eyes were terrifying to look at. The spiritual power that reached a high level moved like a golden mist. The shadows cast over the ground had thick demonic qi. This was all invisible to others. If this continues to happen, things will turn bad, so we need toe up with countermeasures. Seol Young made up his mind. He didnt leave right away and grabbed a monk. He pretended to talk about random things and moved naturally. In the monks residence, where the monks lived, he managed to catch a monk who was in charge of temple work and wrote a letter. Contact Baek Eon-rang of the White Tiger Spirit Troops. I understand. I have a friend I can trust. He is a hunter, so he moves fast. After doing that, he left that area as if nothing had happened. So? So? The man was talking to the dog near the temple. Did Seol Young mistreat you every time he saw you? He is so cold, just like his name. And he grabbed the dogs paw and smiled at it. It seemed like he overheard the novice monk calling Seol Youngs name. Seol Young transferred the water in the gourd bottle into his own and didnt care what the man said. Seol Young-rang! The monster followed right away. It isnt amon name. Could it be that you were just born with such a cold face? How did your parents feel about giving you this name? They wanted me to be a wonderful Hwarang, so they gave me this name. My name is derived from Stepping on Snow (Seol) without trace and No shadow in daylight (Young). Ah, it held such a deep meaning? . Why are you quiet? Its your turn to ask for my name. I will ask the devil for the name of his new friend. But the madman didnt get angry with his response. Rather, he looked interested. Seol Young was the only one who got irritated with it. You will see when the time is right. After fighting day and night with words, they reached the capital. At this time, spring was in full bloom, and the scene was filled with a sense of softness. Laughter was audible from the pavilion, and the houses and temples were adorned with blossoming flowers. The steps of the monster slowed down as he looked around with those gold-tinted eyes. It was like waking up from a dream. It felt like Seol Young could run away. So he used a light footwork technique right then to get out and go to the closest inn. Is there an errand boy here? The White Tiger Spirit Troops Baek Eon-rang should be waiting for. He wrote the paper and handed it over. And, as he said before, it was about luring this evil being. And as Seol Young began to walk, he followed him. Seol Young-rang! Where did you go? Where do you think I went? It isnt like you are following me, but you came to the capital because you had work to do, right? Right, because I have a lot of work. But He stopped. Arent you going to the Moon Pce? A forest stretched out in front of them. Amidst the lush greenery around, auspicious energy drifted. The forest of Si, Gyerim. The birthce of Prince Yanzhi, the founder of the royal family. Seol Young said, I need to stop by Gyerim first. You must have something to do in the Moon Pce? Right, do whatever you want. Seol Young looked straight ahead and walked away. If Baek Eon got his message, then he woulde here. With that thought in mind, he gazed at the trees in the forest. At that time, a voice came from inside the forest. you really believe that, Baek Eon-rang? Seol Youngs face changed. Baek Eon kept his promise, but there were other people, and it was clear that the person who just spoke was Seo Geom, the leader of the Blue Dragon True Troops. And that wasnt all. Did you know why you were called here without informing the others? If the White Tiger Spirit Troops is attacked by this demon, all the Hwarangs will be affected! Baek Eon-rang, Seol Young is no longer one of your troops. I understand how you feel, but not being involved will be better. It was the ck Tortoises leader Mu Won. And the Vermillion Birds Hwa Un. Surprisingly, all the heads of the troops had gathered except for the Governor. And Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were questioned by many. Seol Young was enraged. The moment he was about to step in, he heard Seo Geoms cold words. If we hadnt rushed out, Baek Eon-rang would have fallen into the trap. As soon as he left the troops, he immediately brought a vicious devil to the capital! Wasnt the revtion from the Great Heavenly Pavilion right? Seol Young just stood there. The words they said werent wrong. As soon as Seol Young came out of the troops, he was indeed using the evil spirits and called the White Tiger Troops into the Gyerim Forest. Anyone would think this was suspicious. I did nothing wrong, but hyung must be Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were all amazing Hwarangs. These were people who always looked up at the sky. But now they were being questioned. All because of me. When he stood there nkly, a voice came from his side. This is why I didnt believe you. What were you nning on doing just because those conceited Hwarangs dont trust you? Seol Young looked to the side, where the madman stood, while crossing his hands. He looked quite arrogant. It was the attitude of wanting to stop all those people. They will end with a single word I say. No, just a cough is enough to clear them. What nonsense was he saying? They were brought here to deal with him in the first ce Before Seol Young had time to say anything, the man moved forward. And he cleared his throat. The Hwarangs, who werent in the mood to look to the side due to their argument, turned at the sound and flinched. Hmm? Everyone looked at Seol Young, who was there. And the person standing behind him. ? They almost shouted. It felt like they couldnt believe this and were surprised, as if they had died ande back to life. H-He really is quite odd. When Seol Young was about to speak. All the Hwarangs bowed deeply to the man. They yelled with all the loyalty they could muster, their voices trembling. We greet the Immortal Being! Seol Young doubted his ears. Immortal Being? He was shocked, too. The identity of the man he thought was mad was who? Chapter 11: Evil Moon (11) Chapter 11: Evil Moon (11) The Immortal Being meant the previous Governor. Just as the king turned into an Immortal King after stepping down, the Governor turns into an Immortal Being. In a nutshell, he was the current best individual in the Hwarang. And not just that. Eight years ago, when a devil-like God of Destruction appeared in the city and caused strange events to happen along with the deaths of many people, the Hwarangs were finally able to kill it after a fierce struggle. And it was all done by one person. Governor Zaha. Rumor has it that this man was the brightest star in the sky and was born a human. Everyone called him a godly human. Actually, he was, but the problem came after that. People expected him to continue leading the Hwarangs or hoped that he would continue to work for the nation. But he left. No one could even stop him from leaving. They couldnt even think of catching him. -Do not leave! That was what everyone thought. But he handed the position down to Jin Rim, who was still young and left. After that, news broke out. that was all Seol Young knew. He had never seen this person in portraits, but he knew that all the troops had respected him very much, so even Seol Young thought favorably of him. But that person was this madman? He felt the back of his head tingling. He could never connect the final dots. He couldnt wrap his head around the idea of it. Is this why he knew nothing about what was happening here? If he turned his back on the world for eight years, there was no way he could know The mess created by Seol Young, as well as the death of Baek Sang, were also unbeknownst to him. It makes sense now. Seol Young remembered what happened at the hermitage. It felt reasonable for the head monk to simply give him what he asked for. It was because, after eight years, a legendary figure came to them and requested something. He probably asked for the fact of their meeting to be kept a secret, and that was why they shut the gates and refused visitors. And The mystery of his golden aura was solved now too. Seol Youngs eyes werent wrong. The golden aura looked the same as that of the Golden Ring Troops but a little different. -Golden Ring Troops? Who would want to do anything with them? He did say that. Because there was no such thing as the Golden Ring Troops back then. At that time, it was called the Sun and Moon Troops. And the Sun and Moon Troops had their own separate troops, but they were wiped out at that chaotic time. And it got renamed the Golden Ring. The Golden Ring held the same meaning as the sun. As a result, the puzzle pieces surrounding the man were solved one by one. Is he really the High Governor? Contrary to the dissolving suspicion, his chest became increasingly cold. When he came back here, he thought that with his brothers and the Hwarangs, he could exorcise this person, whom he thought was a devil. But that turned out to be impossible. This cannot this cannot be! Seol Young stared at the man, who was surrounded by several Hwarangs. Under the honorable disguise of their once supreme leader, he held clear demonic qi. And yet nobody noticed it. It would be nice if I can prove it right here But that felt impossible now. And that man knew it too. That was why he looked so confident. Eight years have passed. How could you have not changed at all? You are exactly how I remember you. I-I thought I was dreaming for a second! You should have informed us you wereing in advance! At least let us know! You have no idea just how much we have missed Everyone is going to faint! No one will believe it until they see you for themselves! The heads of each troop surrounded him like little boys. Actually, the person they were concerned about was right here, yet they looked at the other man, and when their excitement was dying down, he sighed. Wouldnt it have been odd? A demonic being ising At that moment, Seo Geom went stiff like a stone. He was so excited that he forgot about something for a while. -As soon as he left the troops, he brought vicious demonic beings into the capital. He did shout that a couple of moments ago, and everyone heard it. As Seo Geoms face turned white, he dropped to his knees. What I said then, the demonic it-it He was speechless. Several of the Hwarangs looked at Seo Geom and thought. It isnt Seo Geom-rangs fault. All their gazes turned to one side. It was none other than Seol Young who spoke of a demonic beinging with him. That was what was written in the letter sent to Baek Eon. Where did things go wrong? Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were heartbroken. Normally, no one would call apanion with a good rtionship a demonic being. Although the circumstances surrounding this event were unknown to them, it looked like there was some form of conflict between the Immortal Being and Seol Young. And he spoke about fighting this demonic being and being unable to win. It seems like a huge misunderstanding Honestly, this wasnt something members of their troops would do. Discipline above all. They are now strangers because Seol Young temporarily left their troops. But they couldnt stay still, and Baek Eon immediately decided to save the youngest. Let me say a few words on behalf of Seol Young-rang. And he calmly added, There is one thing you need to know. Seol Young-rang entered the Hwarang troops after you left, sir. And naturally, he has no idea who you are, so everything that happened is unintentional. Baek Eon-rang. What are you saying? Someone objected to his words. Immortal Being is the supreme leader of the Hwarang troops. If anyonemits rudeness, it will not be tolerated. Those who have be a disgrace to the five troops deserve severe punishment. Right. Zaha nodded. The Hwarangs, who had hated Seol Young for a long time, decided to do this. It is all over now. Finally. But what came out of Zahas mouth was different. You mean, let everyone receive punishment. Uh? Everyone was shocked at this. Zaha looked around. The looks on their faces were all pathetic. Not knowing what they did wrong, everyone was intimidated. Old memories hade back. How much they wanted to resemble the person in front of them, and how anxious they were to get even onepliment. The emotions at that time came back, and it made their hearts tingle. When I left the Hwarangs Zaha said. All of you were just boys in their mid tote teens. Jin Rim didnt say a word, and Seo Geom had a cloth wrapped around his left hand, wondering what the next fight would be about. Baek Eon had a swollen eye, Hwa Un smelled like alcohol, and Mu Won had bit his lip so hard that blood was flowing. It was such a long time ago, and he was listing everything as if it had happened yesterday. Everyone was different, but there was an oath which they shared inmon, I will never tarnish the honor of the Hwarangs. Yes, Immortal Being. They all bowed their heads. Since everyone said that, I believed all of you and left. Even if I thought about many things because you said that, I thought that you people must have been making an effort to follow it. I couldnt believe that such an oath wouldntst for even one year! He nced at Seol Young. Then everyone realized what he was talking about. Their faces went pale. To think that the entire immortal sect and five of its troops got swayed around like toys by just a kid who was thirteen years old! And do you realize what is more shocking? Many years have passed since then, yet I do not see much change. That child ended up bing strong enough to interfere with my training. No one could say anything. Each word felt like a stab in their hearts. They wanted to dig a deep hole in the ground and hide. I caught him and listened to him, and it was more of a shock. To prove that I am not a moron who will destroy the nation, I will try to solve all the supernatural cmities that are happening and disturbing the world all by myself. Are those words true? Yes. Many of them answered. Seol Young-rang made such a request to the Governor and got permission. Right. He used his head. If he is innocent, he decided that it can be proven that way. Zaha added. But there is one crucial thing you are missing. Jin Rim is quite an upright person, so he couldnt see this. But I see it all clearly. As everyone stared at him without blinking, he continued. Think about it. Seol Young-rang made a proposal by taking the initiative, and he alone goes to the ce and solves it, thenes back to report it when it is done. If that is the case, who will know if he hid something? Didnt you think that could be a problem? Seol Young silently looked at this. He felt something happening. The man who came here and shook everyone, the one intimidating them all and pointing out their weaknesses and reminding them of the old times. He wasying out the n he wanted. And now he had the feeling that the man would say what he intended, which was why he came up with such an introduction. It cannot be helped. He shrugged his shoulders. I just wanted to livefortably. What do I do now? As the supreme leader, I should be taking responsibility He spoke as if he hated it. I will follow Seol Young-rang and take on the role of his watcher. Seol Young doubted his ears. What was this man doing? Of course, he thought the man would take his position back and control the weird direction the Hwarangs were heading. But that didnt happen. He seemed to be forcing himself to do something he didnt want to, but his eyes with golden aura were shining with sly intentions. And when his eyes met Zahas, he blinked. Seol Youngs heart felt cold. It seemed like he was stabbed in the wrong ce. Chapter 12: Evil Moon (12) Chapter 12: Evil Moon (12) Many of the Hwarangs who were gathered here were unaware of theplicated things the two had gone through. So, they trusted Zahas words. The entire troops had be uneasy after the prophecy was revealed. There was concern about not knowing when something bad would happen again. During this situation, their former leader had returned, and he decided to stay here for the time being to look into the matters rted to the prophecy. This was like light shining in the darkness. Everyone surrounded him with smiling faces. If Immortal Being works hard for the Hwarangs once again the Governor will be very happy! Yes. Zaha spoke as if he remembered something. Come to think of it, do you know if Jin Rim has an idea about all of you being like this? They all went silent again. N-No Then, should we head back together? Everyone was shocked. W-We will head back first! Everyone hastily bowed and began to move. They seemed like a flock of birds that were flying away. And with everyone gone, there were only three left. The three of the White Tiger Spirit Troops. Baek Eon said something he hadnt said earlier. Immortal Being, Seol Young-rang has been through a lot of hardships since he was young, so he doesnt really trust people on the first meeting. Even if he sometimesmits rude acts, it is only because he didnt know Great-rang, no, Baek Eon-rang. Seol Young intervened. He stood between his three brothers and Zaha. This is the thing I talked aboutst time. Baek Eon was surprised when he took out a gourd bottle. Ahh! They werent done yet, and this came. In the meantime, this was brought. How did that head monk even give it to you this quickly? Seol Young gave him a look saying, do not ask. He was thinking of protecting his three brothers from this dangerous man. He didnt want to let them mingle too much. Watching Zaha with hawk eyes, he motioned for them to move. Zaha also added. Lets leave now. Yes. Then we should leave. The three looked back and forth several times. It was like giving their child to someone else and leaving. It is because our child isnt the friendly type, but he isnt a bad kid. He is not evil. Everyone was speaking with their eyes, and they disappeared. And Zaha mumbled. How did Baek Eon turn out like this? No matter how many times his youngest memberes at me with his knife, he looks like hell keep saying that its because the kid isnt friendly. He shook his head. If one gets involved with such a person, they will get into trouble for all three parts of their livespast, present, and future. Just look at him. A grown man like Baek Eon is embracing this kid, and the others cannot even handle it. His voice was too loud to be speaking to himself. Seol Young red at him without saying a word, but their eyes met. Well, my words werent wrong, right? I made sure those noisy Hwarangs went away with just a cough from me. Why arent you saying anything? Are the words you heard not that surprising? You still cannot believe this? No. Seol Young replied. I didnt know who you were, but now I understand. I did hear that you were the one who defeated the great chaos by yourself, and it was no ordinary one, and you encountered such a great evil and yet He paused for a moment and nced at the demonic qi this man was hiding. Those experiences change the soul. No matter how strong and upright a person may be, he will never be the same as before. And its natural that somewhere along the way, he gets twisted. Zahas expression darkened. He didnt think that this was how things would flow. But I am not curious about that. Why are you doing this to me? Seol Young asked with a cold look. As I said, Im not sure why it worked on you, but I cannot do that again. And if that bothers you, cant you just kill me? But the reason why you bother me like this means that you have a different purpose. Zaha was silent for a moment and burst intoughter. As if it could be some great reasoning What? Of course, the real purpose is different! So, despite the annoyance I have, I followed you all the way to the capital, and I made a lot of noise to those Hwarangs because of that. He spoke frankly. Now, no one will think it is strange that I followed you here. And overall. They would rather say that I am working too hard for the Hwarangs, so the n I devised is perfect. After congratting himself like that, he added. You are right. When you meet such a huge, evil, god-like being, you end up changing. While facing that, something like an innate demon sprang in my heart, and in the end, I took the demonic path. And you seem quite proud of it? Proud? Well, it means nothing to those who walk this path. The only thing that has meaning is power. How can I obtain more power? He nced at Seol Young. His look was the same as someone who has decided what to buy. And when their gazes met, a thought crossed his mind. He had forgotten about it because he was being protected by his brothers, but how many crises had there been when Seol Young was living with the tomb spirits? Seol Youngs eyes turned blue. I I just put all of them down together, and we can only hold it down for now. At that moment, Zaha took the Blue Rainbow Sword. The spirit energy was sucked from the sword. The blue energy instantly gathered in Zahas hand, and it blended with his golden aura as it burned into white mes. It was a great force. As I thought Zaha nodded his head. I felt it when I took the sword back then, but this is a spiritual energy that is hard to find. Such a pity that a Hwarang has this. Seol Young was shocked, but then he took back the sword. Blue Rainbow! Despite being a simple spirit. why did you let that demon touch you? He scolded the sword and red at Zaha. What is the use of doing that? Even if you take the energy away, it is a one-time thing, and it will just disappear. No, did you think I didnt know about that? As if there were no point in hiding it, Zaha said, Of course, I also have to take away the spiritual power. The spiritual power that you are born with and have built through your body is steady. And why do you think so? You used the Great Absorbing Method. A technique to absorb the core strength within by squeezing the blood veins one at a time before the soul leaves the body after death. ! He looked a bit shocked. Zaha wasnt talking about casual stuff. He did, in fact, have knowledge of forbidden arts, as Seol Young coldly stated. Do you know that all I tried was one or two things? But not one seeded. On the other hand, not a single bone fragment will be left after that. But Zaha was strong. Even though Seol Young tried to be calm, he was feeling threatened. If you kill me, each vein on your body will be filled with resentment. It will hold the grudge I have in my body too. It will be a curse on you. Every time you try to use your strength, you will feel the pain of your body being sliced down with a dull sword. Without even being able to hold anything, you will feel your body twist and die. Seol Youngs face was turning cold as he said this. Every word carried this bloody curse, giving even the strongest person chills. However, Zaha was different. I knew it woulde out like this. He slyly nced at Seol Young. At that time, when I was about to kill you at the old tomb, even as I was forcing you to kneel, I could see that viciousness in your eyes. At that moment, I realized, This is worse than the most poisonous snake, so killing it would put me in trouble. So I need to borrow someone elses knife. And he added. Fortunately, if I wait longer, it will happen on its own. What? They didnt sound like random words. And Seol Young asked. Am I going to die soon? Why? That is what you are trying to do. Solve a strange incident all on your own in order to prove that you are not the evil person who is ruining this nation. As I said, the idea is interesting, but it would be a nice thing to die too. Why? Because you are missing one important thing. Seol Young hesitated. You are just saying anything to get under my skin. Think whatever you want. Zaha calmly epted it. I dont need to listen. Seol Young thought, but the words remained in his heart. Because he was feeling it himself after hearing the prophecy, it felt like he was lost. Eventually, Seol Young opened his mouth. What is it? What is it that I am missing? But the guy snorted. You think I am stupid? To just tell you that? What? Seol Young was shocked. If you arent going to tell me, why did you bring it up? That is my wish. And he turned around. It seemed like he had no intention of talking anymore. It was really like dealing with someone who could trouble the three lives of a person, and he vanished. Seol Young was shocked. Is he going to act like this Something in him changed. He left the forest and headed to the end. At the foot of the mountains, there was a tomb site that only he knew, and after confirming no one was there, he dug it. After digging for a while, he touched something. It was a small stone box. Seol Young broke through the dirt and took it out. The lid was sealed with a talisman. Infused with aura, he opened the seal and the lid. When he unwrapped the cloth, there was another talisman with a sealing spell on it. Seol Young picked it up. The jade stones inside collided with each other, making small sounds. Inside was something that all evil spirits would want to covet. And he hid it well in order to use it when a huge problem came Now was such a time. Thick trees grew around the burial mound. The Tomb of King Jin Pyeong. If one went to the back of the tomb, there was a ce people could visit. The people here called it the ck and White Circle. This ck and White Circle was divided into the Criminal Room, Serving Room, and many more ording to the purpose of usage. Each represented an ordinary, odd, refreshing, and heavenly person. Seol Young moved to the highest one, the Heavenly Room. There was an insignia wrapped around it and a curtain in the middle of the table. The opponents face was obscured, and only the hand ying go1 was visible. In this room was Myo Su, the top-ranked yer with the most wins. Seol Young went there and sat down. Reaching into his robe, he took out one of the items he dug up at the tomb site. It was a vial made of jade, and he ced that on the stone b instead of a go stone. This meant he was here to make a request. A hand came from the other side of the veil, and it was picked up, and as he inspected it, he mumbled. Colored jade? He noticed it right then. There were only a few people who came here. But there must have been several requests like this. Myo Su was such a person, and he asked. Where did you get it? I picked it up from a grave when I was young. It was the tomb of an ancient shaman. Seol Young exined. The colored jade was the jade that blocked the nine holes of corpses. It served as a barrier to keep the spirit from escaping. As a result, it absorbed the spirit of the dead. It wasnt unusual, and it was moremon in well-known shaman tombs. The other person liked it. What item do you want me to investigate? None. Uh? It was broken. Seol Young said. It was stolen from a Taoist about ten years ago. The letters were written on a piece of wood, and it seemed like a wooden tablet. And? It held the disposition to hate evil and attack spirits. It had nothing to do with Buddhism, and it didnt contain the heavenly qi either. Can you track it down with those clues? I want to know what it is. Myo Su was silent. It was not something that could be easily found, but it seemed like he didnt want to give the jade back. Can I know the shape? Myo Su took out a round bronze mirror and held it, and Seol Young put his finger on it and recalled its image. On the surface of the mirror, an image formed. Fine. Myo Su said. I will ept it. How long will it take. I dont know. It takes time Seol Young was a bit disappointed, as he needed the information immediately. He took another jade and put it down. Actually, there is one more jade. If you find it in five days, I will give that too. Myo Su, who thought about it, said. Seven. And thepromise was made. Seol Young walked away from the ck and White Circle. It will take longer than I thought. Zahas words kept repeating in his mind. -You have missed one important fact. Seol Young clenched his fist. How do I make it all go away? He couldnt find another way. There has to be another weakness. I will find it out.
  1. TL/N: Chess game
Chapter 13: Evil Moon (13) Chapter 13: Evil Moon (13) The Elegant Pavilion, the main office for Hwarangs. There was a person there seated in the top spot. And he was looking at a scroll with his head slightly tilted. A young well-mannered-looking person engrossed in his work. And it was difficult to even breathe in this atmosphere. But there should be something else to think about. There was a faint haze over his shoulder. If one listens closely, one can even hear the screams of the spirit. It seemed like this darkness would burst out like spilled ink. Seol Young looked away. ! Jin Rim was looking at the person in front of him, half shocked. Even his face, which was normally macho with high cheekbones and chin, looked so stunned. The emotions were practically making rounds on his face. Why so? Well, it was as if he met with Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in the fiery pit of hell. Even the Governor Seol Young sighed. Jin Rim was like a deputy who assisted Zaha eight years ago. So Seol Young thought he might have noticed the man being tainted by darkness, but he didnt notice anything. He just looked simply delighted at his presence. Immortal Being, you have already done your term here. No one would ever request anything from you now. Yet, the world is in chaos, and you decided to step ahead for us Hwarangs once again I just dont know how to thank you. It cannot be helped. I cannot be at peace when everything around me is in chaos. In Seol Youngs eyes, Zaha was no different from a scammer. Jin Rim, not knowing anything, turned his gaze and looked his way. So you were able to resolve the incident? Yes, Governor. Seol Young quickly nodded and took out a package. It was all because of this. And this is? The bone of a dead serpent. A group of shamans seemed to have used this, and when fear rose up, they buried it in a temple site, making all that happen. Seol Young politely offered it up. This incident became known in the capital, and many people were anxious about it. However, with the cause and solution figured out, it isnt something that can be called a supernatural cmity. Hmm. Right. Jin Rim nodded, looking at the bone. Was there anything else unusual? When he heard that, something came to his mind. There was an incident where a group of evil spirits had abnormally moved into the area and surrounded me as they threatened me. Why? Seol Young looked at Zaha for a moment. He didnt realize it at that time. But now, when he thought back, the fact that this person had demonic qi might have been why all those evil spirits had gathered. I dont know. I am d you got out without a wound. Did the High Governor help you? Yes Jin Rim stared at Seol Young, whose face looked paler than usual. It could be because he was suffering from all the fighting, but then it felt like, what am I missing in here? But in Jin Rims eyes, he could only see an exhausted man. Anyway, it was a lot of work. He reached out and opened the box on the desk. This incident wasnt a serious one. Also, you met the High Governor along the way and received help. Doesnt this mean that heaven knows about your innocence? The High Governor wants to clear up this matter so you will have no problems. Seol Young-rang, do not worry about it, and do your duties diligently from now on. Jin Rim gave the jade que back to prove his identity herethe Yin-Yang que. Yes, Governor. Seol Young received the que, and the report was over. However, he didnt say he would leave and just stood there. He focused on the conversation between the two. Jin Rim mumbled as he discussed other issues. It would be nice if things continued like this, and it would be nice if someone said that the vision of the great Heavenly Pavilion was wrong. But things cannot move on so easily. He raised his head and looked at Zaha. Did you know? For the past eight years, the revtions of the Pavilion have never been wrong. Is that so? Even back then, the name it held was great. Wouldnt it be better now? Yes. Even the queen said so. His Highness is bing too dependent on them. You will see when you meet them Jin Rim paused for a moment. He looked at Zaha curiously. I still cannot get used to it. How have you not even changed? You have the same appearance as when you left eight years ago. I guess you had a good time. You dont like it? No! No! It isnt like that! Jin Rim shouted out loud, with a look of shock on his face. He is ying around even with the Governor. Seol Young clicked his tongue. He knew that the man was messing with Jin Rim. It is really fortunate that the High Governor managed to feel a bit at ease. I am really thankful. Jin Rim was a little flustered and turned. Come to think of it, I heard you havent been to the Apsara House yet. You havent even seen your family. Jiyun nuna1 just had her third child At that moment, the expression on Zahas face vanished, and Jin Rim wasnt sure what to do. I said something unnecessary. Seol Young pretended not to care, but his ears were open. The sister he spoke of was Zahas. After losing her first husband, she recently got married. Seol Young knew it because the Five ns visited and celebrated with her by offering gifts. -She is the sister of the High Governor. Everyone informed him when he became a Hwarang. The rtionship between the siblings seemed strong. But things seem different now. When his soul changed, the affection must have vanished as well. Maybe the Governor will notice it this time? Thinking about it, he secretly looked at him, but the Governor only had a devastated expression. I need to go. There is a lot to do. At Zahas words, Seol Young felt a bit taken aback. The Governor doesnt have to worry about the other things and just do your best to handle the Hwarang troops. Zaha said and went out. Seol Young bowed to the Governor and followed him. He was waiting for this moment. He made sure no one was around as he called out to him. Wait. He thought he wouldnt hear it, but the man turned back. Seol Young quickly said. Lets make a deal. Deal? You dont want me to die yet, right? Still, if you said those words, it means that you wanted something from me. What is it? Zaha looked at Seol Young for a moment. He immediately burst intoughter. What can you even trade with me? I am only interested in your spiritual power, and besides, it will be mine soon. Then he gave advice with an almost friendly look. That was just a thoughtless statement. Dont mind me too much. I am busy, so I need to leave. He moved without even looking back, not giving Seol Young enough time to even say anything, and in an instant, he crossed the yard and moved to the small gate. Seol Young became upset at the idea of being ignored once more. But at the same time, he was puzzled. What is he in such a hurry for? Zaha was obviously in a hurry, so he followed him. He was able to catch up with him. Zaha left the area and headed for the Chaoyuan Pce. The Chaoyuan Pce was the tallest and grandest building in the Moon Pce. It was also the main hall where the king and the prince would conduct their business. Seol Young hid behind a pir and waited. Perhaps the king and queen, the princess, and the prince were all there as an audience. After a while, he came out. Hwan Soo, the eunuch who served the king, followed. High Governor, are you heading home? If not He had nned to make small talk for the first time in eight years, but he was turned down. I have something urgent to do. Ahh. I see. The eunuch was the eyes and ears of the king, and he directly requested a conversation but got kicked out right then. Does this mean that the urgent matter wasnt even an audience with the king? Then what? Seol Young came out of hiding and followed. The destination this time was the Heavenly House. It was the treasure house of the Moon Pce. High Governor! I knew you woulde looking. So here, I prepared this. An official handed him something. Ah! Seol Young nodded at the sword. Zaha, as he left this ce, had to let go of his sword, Dead yer. He did hear that the sword was being kept safely. He came in such a hurry to get the sword. But As he continued to look at it, he thought. Is this it? Seol Young continued to watch with suspicious eyes. As the official talked loudly, I knew that this sword would one day meet its owner again. Now, try this. In here? Zaha smiled. It also seemed a bit unnatural for Seol Young. The way he held the sword felt awkward. It was different from his suave attitude until then. He looked flustered. As I thought. Seol Youngs eyes gleamed as he thought he could finally reap the reward for tailing him. He finally caught the tail!
  1. TL/N: sister
Chapter 14: Evil Moon (14) Chapter 14: Evil Moon (14) The sword of a Hwarang couldnt be touched carelessly. That was because the sword was guarded. If one practiced the sword for a long time, it would be imbued with a spirit. This was called Sword Command. The name of the spirit in the sword was the name of the sword. Seol Youngs sword spirit was Blue Rainbow. And Zahas meant death or dead. It meant no life, no pain, no agony, and a state of nirvana too. There should be a very strong spirit within that sword, a spirit of destruction and chaos that would kill countless demons. It could be called a God. It wasnt like they kept it in the treasury for nothing. Dead yer would not forgive its owner for deviating into the wrong path. It was clear that the moment the sword was held, there would be an uproar. That is probably why he came for the sword in a hurry. He wanted to take care of the sword before it exposed his wrongdoing. The story fit right. Seol Young continued to watch Zaha. Yes, we took very good care of the sword, and it has been eight long years, so why not check it? It looks fine to The official seemed to want some kind of confirmation that the sword was good. But Zaha was evading the process. He just wanted to take the sword and leave. And when he was dying it like that Did the High Governor truly return? There came a high-pitched voice like a bell, and a group of people appeared. This made Seol Young go stiff. Standing in front was a woman. The woman had curled hair and a golden crown, cloud patterns on her clothes, and a young yet dignified look. The Head of Great Heaven. The head of the Pavilion of Great Heaven observed the sky, sun, moon, and stars to predict the important happenings within the nation. That person was here. Actually, she had to be well over sixty, but still, on the outside, she looked like a young person. In the world, it was said that she wouldnt grow old because she was like a messenger who gave information about the will of heaven. And that wasnt the only mysterious thing about her. She yed an important role in putting the current king on the throne. The king was originally just in the session order, but then she gave him some revtions. -Perform the sacrifice ording to my words, and you will be king. And he did. He ascended too. As a result, the Pavilion was given the right to exercise power for the first time in history. That must be why she is here. High Governor. She looked straight at Zaha. There was a faint change in his expression. Even though she had heard of it, she couldnt believe she was seeing him in person. To be back here after eight long years, there are so many things I want to ask you. But Ill do thatter and make one request first. She said, with her eyes wide open. Could you please pull the sword out right here? Seol Young was surprised, as he didnt expect her to make that request. Is the Great Heavenly Head also doubtful? Did she really notice it too? Maybe the Governor and the others couldnt, but she Well Zaha spoke in an irritated tone. Do I have any obligations to follow your orders? I never said it was an order. It is a request. Thedy spoke sternly. As you may know, there have been several strange things happening within and around the pce. Eventually, the evil spirits even managed to invade the pce. Now that the High Governor is back, I would like to request something. Please purify thend with the aura of your Dead yer Sword. Are you asking me to take it out and drive the evil away? Why are you stuck on those words? Can you really not grant me such a small request? If the High Governor is not going to do this, then I have no choice but to think of other ways. You can do what you want. He tried to leave with the sword, but she boldly blocked him. That right there. Cant the High Governor just pull the sword out? At those words, the officials and guards around them were shocked and looked at Zaha with troubled eyes. Zaha thought this was absurd. What nonsense are you say Then pull the sword out. I dont want to. In that case, I will reveal the truth to everyone! The High Governor cannot pull out his own sword! She raised her voice loudly. As Zaha avoided her, all the members of the Heavenly Hall turned to look at her. She had an expression that said, caught you. Pull the sword out right now! If not, I will inform His Highness! Hwarang! You leave now! Yes! The man was ready to run and inform the king. Zaha looked troubled now. Why would you bother His Highness with such senseless words? Fine. Should I just do what you want me to? He finally put his hand on the hilt of his sword. But unlike his words, he couldnt pull it out. Can you not pull it out? She shouted again, making every guard surround Zaha. He was being prevented from escaping. Zaha reluctantly clenched his hand. Seol Young felt a bit lost at this. He did want to expose the identity of this man, who was pretending to be good toward people. But this didnt seem right. He despised the womans decision to intervene in the affairs of the Hwarang troops. He couldnt help it. And Seol Youngs hands moved in the air, forming a spirit qi circle. It was a talisman. At that moment Pat! Light bursted. Following Zahas hand, the sword came out with great force. A golden light shone like a rainbow, and it seemed to soar high enough to touch the clouds. ! The woman was shocked. What is this? Seol Young was confused. There seemed to be no problem drawing the sword. The sword spirit seemed to ept its master and soar high like the beast it was. Could it be that even a spirit can be deceived? If not, what is this? He couldnt understand this. But whatever it was, his actions were intentional. Zaha knew very well that there was no problem with the sword being drawn. Still, he deliberately dragged this on, pretended to be troubled, and raised the suspicions of others. He waited for the officials of the Heavenly Pavilion toe and surround him, and then he pulled out the sword. As a result, everyone felt lost. The Heavenly Hall was sensitive to aura, so they must have felt like they were hit on their heads. But they couldnt back down now, and seeing them like this was surely enjoyable to Zaha. You keep bothering me even though I said I was busy. He grunted and drew the sword back in. And the woman had to back out with a red face. Right. I made a mistake. It has been so long that Ipletely forgot things, High Governor. You are a person who isnt afraid of anything in the world! But you will not be able to get out safely this time. She red at him. The heavens have issued a warning to all, and yet the evil spirit hasnt been punished yet! Hwarangs, your arrogance will be repaid! Like back then! She spoke some terrifying words. It was ominous and terrifying and made peoples hearts tremble, but not Zahas. Didnt the Governor already announce it? Seol Young-rang has nevermitted a crime, so what will we be punished for? You keep saying it is unfair, but isnt it natural to give one a chance to exin themselves? And he looked straight at her. I do not want outsiders to meddle in the affairs of the ns. He was smiling at that moment, but it didnt really seem like a smile. Seol Young could see why this man was hated. Meddle huh! She eventually gnashed her teeth but withdrew. Strange things will continue to happen! Even if many people die because of the wrong judgment of one, can you really stay calm? I will be opening my eyes wide and watching you! After saying something that sounded like a curse, she turned around, and her men ran after her. Zaha didnt seem to care about it as the smile reappeared on his face, and Seol Young thought, There was no need for me to intervene. Even though the person had changed, it seemed like the hatred of the Heavenly Hall was the same. One of thest residues left at the bottom of any soul is hatred. Was there any reason for the Heavenly Hall to act up like this? When he thought about it Then, have a safe trip, High Governor. The official said goodbye, and Zaha left the ce with Seol Young following him. Zaha left the Moon Pce right away. They crossed the streets of Sorabeol and walked all the way to the ce where the blue water flowed. Naturally, they moved to a crowded area. The South City. A marketce in the southern part of the capital. And there was nothing one could not find there. Everything was in abundance over there, from food to handicrafts to anything else. And there were a lot of people, too. Not just market alleys, but there were drinking halls, gambling halls, and even fights that would break out. In other words, this wasnt a good ce to tail someone. The people passing by would obscure his vision, and faces covered with hands would pass by,ughing loudly. Suddenly the noise behind was so loud that it made Seol Young turn, and a Buddha statue began to roll over. A few porters were carrying it as they were sweating. Get out! Get out of the way! Seol Young did his best to follow despite themotion, but he lost track at some point. Where did he go to? He looked around in shock, and someone came close to his face. I waspletely wrong about you. He said. Isnt being followed a lot more fun than following someone? And he smiled. Seol Youngs heart stopped. He was using footwork to follow, but it seemed like he knew about this. What should he do now? He thought of a way. Maybe it would work. Seol Youngs hand moved fast, and he drew a talisman in the air. Dazzling light shed and made them squint their eyes. In the next moment Sring! Something came out with an eerie sound. Before he knew it, Zahas sword was in Seol Youngs hand. He secretly picked it up with his ghost-like skills. Seol Young red at Zaha and said. You need to find out what important thing Im missing right now. If you do not tell He held the sword to his throat. I will stab myself in the neck with your sword and die right now. I will turn into a vengeful ghost and stick to the sword. I will not be defeated with talismans, and I will curse you and harass you each time you use the sword for the rest of your life. Zaha looked at him with an absurd look on his face. Chapter 15: Evil Moon (15) Chapter 15: Evil Moon (15) Give it here quickly! Zaha shouted. However, Seol Young didnt even pretend to hear him and tightened his grip as the swords de was about to cut his neck. I am not lying. I really am going to stab myself right here and die! Seol Young threatened him. The people passing by were staring at them, and some even stopped to observe. I dont know this person! Zaha said, but no one believed him. They were all looking at him like, what rtionship could they have that the other person is ready to bleed? Ah! Fine! Fine! He shook his hand. Actually, I shouldnt keep anything from you. Even if you knew, it wouldnt really matter. So knowing it or not doesnt mean I will fail, right? Then tell me. Before that He snatched the Dead yer Sword. If he bes a ghost and clings to you, we can deal with him together. What are you so afraid of that you didnt move? He was talking to his sword as he turned to Seol Young. I have work to do. Work to do? Why do you think I came here? It is to visit the market. After saying this, Zaha turned around and walked away without even looking at him. Seol Young thought for a moment. Judging by his attitude, it seemed like he would really tell him. But I dont think he will say it right away. It seemed like he was taking his time to think about what to do and say. In short, nothing was easy. Does this mean he thinks I will get tired and give up? Seol Young quickly followed him before he vanished. Zaha was standing in front of a shop that sold earthenware. Among the various things, he picked up a piece of bird-shaped earthenware. He turned around and observed the items. When I saw it then, I immediately thought of that phrase, The living take Yang as their source, and the dead take Yin. Why did that happen? the monsters are known toe out in lunar eclipses. Seol Young said. It was a phrase from the Records of Myth. 1 Right. That is right. Zaha looked at the earthenware again, and Seol Young stood next to him. Werent there pottery like this eight years ago? And they could have existed eighty years and even eight hundred years ago too I will take this. He picked some of them and handed them to Seol Young, who caught them without hesitation. While they moved again, Zaha said, Actually, I have something I am curious about. Earlier, when I was acting like I couldnt draw the sword out. What were you secretly trying to do? Seol Young put the earthenware to the side and raised one hand. He drew a simple talisman. A golden glow shed as it took shape and vanished quickly enough for no one to notice it. Zaha recognized it right away. Isnt that the technique you used when you took my sword? Yes. But that is just light? Luminous Talisman. Talisman? Then it had almost no power to drive away demons or spirits. I only nned to use it to shine a light. I assumed you couldnt pull the sword out at all, so I tried to fool that woman by simply shining the golden light. Why? Didnt you want my secret toe out too? The affairs of a Hwarang have to be solved by a Hwarang alone. Seol Young said, which made Zahaugh. The girl who had been ncing at them since earlier approached them and looked a bit happy. Young Master! Would you like to buy this incense? I dont like fragrances much Still, Zaha bought them. Mushrooms, orchidshe bought anything that the girl chose. Then he ced them in the earthenware that he had given Seol Young earlier. I am being treated like a porter. Seol Young walked back and said. But didnt it seem like the Heavenly Pavilion knew about you falling into the wrong path? She seemed to think you couldnt pull out the sword and cornered you. Maybe she saw it in her vision, or maybe my innate nature changed? He responded indifferently. What is there to even like about those groups of people? They hate wealth, they hate art, they hate good-looking men, and all they want is power. And he soon turned his attention to a bird shop. There were many rare kinds of birds, and Seol Young said, These birds were surely for sale even eight years ago. Maybe not eighty but Zaha looked at the birds that were there, and they were pping their wings and jumping around the cage. One of them had blue feathers and pped its wings to hit the others. That one would be good. He bought the parrot and epted the cage, where the bird continued to flutter. Then, when he passed by a cat shop, he stopped there too. No, that too? Seol Young felt a bit anxious, and thankfully The bird will hate it. Zaha gave up and walked away. Seol Young steadfastly followed, carrying all the things in his hands without a singleint. As time went on, the market became moreplex as a gambling ce, acrobat performers, and preaching monks appeared. And storytellers too. A clear and appealing voice caught his ear. wanting to see the face of a beautiful woman, I walked faster around the tower Seol Young nced to the side. The story of a bachelor who encountered a ghost while walking around a tower was going around in the city. Unable to catch up with it no matter what. The bachelor got impatient and stretched out his hand The story was at its climax, and everyone looked silently at the man. Even the merchants were silent. They couldnt help but be intrigued by it. Zaha also looked at him. And out of nowhere, he asked, What is this? A horror story. I didnt ask for that. What is the important condition for a story to turn into a horror one? Ghosts? Seol Young said as he held the things in his hands. Ghosts, spirits, monsters such things make up a horror story. Wrong. Zaha shook his head. Think a bit more. Something that can be experienced? Seol Young thought for a moment and said, It cannot be someones story. Followingmon sense but not reason. There is always a part of it that catches people off guard. Wrong. All wrong. He wanted to ask what the hell Ah, there. But Zaha suddenly turned and went into a tea house right across the street. Looking back, he noticed something. Come to think of it, Zahas sword didnt have the Yin-Yang que. When he left after pulling the sword out, he must have released its seal too. Then, now that the sword has been recovered, it should have a Yin-Yang que attached to it. But he didnt bring it up, nor did anyone else think about it. Even if he thought of it, Zaha must have forgotten it as well. Who would even tell this man to wear the Yin-Yang que? He cleverly avoided doing it. Seol Young followed him into the tea house. This tea house hadrge windows and was well-lit. On the wall, along with various portraits of the city, were pictures of tea leaves. Zaha sat down and said, Not a single thing has changed here. Only the servers Seol Young put everything to one side and sat down. So, what is the answer? ? The most important condition of a horror story. You didnt finish it. Ah. He spoke as if it were nothing. Simple. There has to be a reality that you can return to. What is that supposed to mean? As I said, for a horror story to be ssified as horror. There needs to be a reality to return to when the story ends. But what if there was no reality to return to? It wouldnt be a story anymore. Seol young went silent for a second. That has to be a pun. When the servers brought the leaves, neither of them spoke or expressed gratitude, so the server set the leaves down and walked away. Silence fell. Why are we talking about this? Seol Young thought. Zahas figure leaning on the chair looked odd to him. He couldnt pinpoint what it was; he just felt it. For some reason, he thought of the water ghoststhe scary ones that tricked people before killing them. And before he knew it, it was already the middle of the day. Isnt your patience reaching its limit? He asked, spinning the teaspoon in the cup. No. Then think a bit more. I have already given some clues. Seol Young frowned. When? Think about that too. He added. You should already know. But you just didnt think of it as important. The mysterious incident that happened in that ritual hall. Think again. How did you know it in the first ce? It was something he reyed in his mind several times, so Seol Young said, That day,te at night, while passing near the pce, I saw something like a goblins fire. I thought it looked strange and went near it. While I continued to look around, I heard screams around the hall and noticed a barrier there, so I threw the que to break it down. He continued to speak, and Zaha listened. He touched his belt, which should have a jewel on it. Inside was the courtiers, who were being attacked by their colleague with a mask on. I immediately thought it was the work of an evil spirit and began to exterminate And Ive already told you what happened after that. Right. But Seol Young-rang, the most important thing isnt the things you mentioned. Zaha continued. It isnt that the evil spirit was exorcised, or that your que, which sealed your powers, was broken, or that the Yin-Yang que was thrown. It isnt that the woman got possessed, either. There is something else you have to pay attention to here. What is that? That exact horror story happened in real life. Seol Young looked confused. It felt like being caught off guard, as he had never thought of it. The story of a mask in the hall. It was a horror story that had been going around the pce for a long time. The horror story actually happened It was surely different from other cases, as such things never happened. Seol Young agreed and asked, But why is that important? Why do you think? Zaha said. Because the same thing will happen the next time.
  1. TL/N: A book of myths that holds many incidents.
Chapter 16: Evil Moon (16) Chapter 16: Evil Moon (16) In the same way? Seol Young asked. The incident in the story will actually happen next time? Is that what the Great Heavenly Pavilion was talking about? Probably? How can you know that? Do you have the ability to see the future in your dreams like those people? Such stupid words. This is called simple inference. I can say this based on my extensive experience and knowledge. A mysterious incident will happen in the same manner the next time. Why? What is the point of a horror story happening? If I knew that would I be here? He looked out of the window with a smile as if he didnt want to talk anymore. The server who had been watching them brought tea leaves. This is a popr tea in our store, and Hwarangs especially like it for its fragrance. And it gives a clear, refreshing feeling too. And they drank the tea in silence. After a while, they picked up their things and left. They were back to going around in the alleys like earlier. But one thing is certain. Zaha suddenly said. How do you think the Hwarang troops have been doing until now? Situation recreation? Receiving the spirit of nature and practicing the skills, and when someone is in pain, run over there to help them no matter how far they are. A piece of wood peeked out among the flower petals that floated along the river. A wooden tablet that was used during the Dragon King Ritual. It was something that shouldnt be thrown away like that. Zaha picked it up, used his spiritual power to remove the letters that had power, and let it float away again. It was always the same. They would do anything to solve any problems caused by evil spirits or ghosts, and they would rule over them with their swords. But things seem different now. Like the God of Cataclysm? I dont know either. He said. Seol Young-rang, I wasnt the one who took on the task of resolving the strange happenings. Shouldnt you go and figure things out yourself? And they stopped in front of a mansion. Seol Young stopped and looked at it. It was a golden house.1 It seemed like the most decorated ce in the city. The highest-ranking noble must have gotten this. He was able to run a ranch and lead soldiers. And the house was luxurious. This mansion seemed like that. There was a noticeably huge board that said Apsara. Apsara House Seol Young remembered it. The Governor definitely asked about him being here. Whose house is this? What rtionship do they have? While he thought that, Zaha looked at him. What? Will you follow me here too? Thene inside and ask. ? Seol Young was confused. And he strode into the house. Immediately, the inside felt noisy. Several people seemed to greet them excitedly. Home. Only then did he find out. It means that the owner of this house had been away for eight years. But yet, it didnt seem like that. Like other mansions in Sorabeol, this one looked well-taken care of. It was fully prepared so that if the owner decided toe back, there would be no setback. After snooping here and there, the door opened. What do I do, Seol Young-rang? Ive talked to everyone, but they all seem nervous that the Ghost Demon King is here. It doesnt matter if you want toe in, but you cannot carelessly move around, so they say they will lock you up somewhere. If that is fine Seol Young thought this man wasnt worth listening to and turned away coldly. And he remembered. Wait, these He turned back, but the door was closed. Should he open it? There was a lot more he wanted to know. But he decided to stop. He assumed he would know where they might meet. Seol Young set down the earthen pots in front of the gate. And turned away. The next day, Seol Young stood in front of the Moon Pce and waited. After a while, the three members of the White Tiger Spirit Troops came up and looked at Seol Young. All their faces brightened. They only moved after making sure no one was around. What is wrong with your face? Are you having trouble sleeping? Where did you sleep yesterday? I told you to inform me if you didnt have money. Hyo Wol continued to pour out words, and Seol Young shook his hand. I was near the temple, so dont worry. Rather, I was waiting because I had something important to tell you. Baek Eon asked. What is it? No. Its just that I wanted to tell all of you to be careful. Taking a look around, Seol Young said, There is information about the strange revtions that the Great Heavenly Pavilion said. Like the same thing that happened during the ritual, ghost stories will happen in real life. What? All three of them became serious at the same time, and Song Ok asked, Did the High Governor say that? Seol Young nodded. If something like that seems to be happening, you need to be careful. And please let me know right away. I get it. Baek Eon replied. As people began to gather here and there, they immediately split up. The three of them headed back to their ce, and Seol Young went in another direction. Tianshu Hall. The ce where the monster mask incident happened. He wanted to get a fresh look at the scene. Please identify yourself. When he arrived at the entrance, a gold line had been drawn through it, barring entry. Here. Seol Young showed them his jade que, and the soldiers nodded. Ah, yes. And they opened a path for him. There were people inside the pce when he entereda group of boys dressed in gold. They were warriors of the Golden Ring Troops. They were the ones taking care of the aftermath and had to purify the hall, which was invaded with evil energy. They came early in the morning and seemed to be busy handling the cleaning process. They were surprised that Seol Young was here. ? Everyone looked at him with wide eyes, and one btedly jumped up. Seol Young-rang, you came? The boys exchanged nces. This was an incident where their troops were in great trouble, and they heard that this man called the Ghost Demon King helped them. They were terrified of him at first, but they couldnt stay silent since they had to thank him. So they all exchanged nces. Why do you think he came here? To investigate! The boys immediately stopped what they were doing and stood in a corner to not get in his way. What will he investigate? Their curious eyes moved along with Seol Young, who was looking around the area. Everything was over. The spirit was exorcised, the mask was broken, and thedy who was possessed was treated by the Hwarang troops. The hall had probably been cleared several times to repair it. There should be nothing left. Could something faint be left behind? He wanted to check it out, but no matter how much spiritual power he used to sweep the ce, he found nothing. Seol Young looked away. The young ones were watching him. Doesnt he have anything else to do? That was how they looked at him. And then Seol Young asked, Can you call the courtiers who came that day? Yes! Soon they were called, and Seol Young asked them, You must have received fifteen masks that night, right? Yes. All of them responded. Where did you get those masks from? Where were they from? Here. The girls took him to another room. They opened the door with a key and showed him the inside. A lions head appeared right in front of him. It was the huge lion mask used for the lion dance. After that, there were multiple other masks lined up. This is the warehouse for storing masks, and that day, the official in charge of this ce picked up fifteen masks and put them in a box as he handed it to us. Seol Young looked around the warehouse. He felt nothing. Then the other side turned noisy. High Governor. He heard the greetings of the Golden Ring Troops. Zaha walked in and calmly entered the warehouse. What then? Found something? . What is with that face? Cant Ie here? I expected you to, but I didnt expect you to actually do it. Seol Young replied. My expression, well while waiting for me to die, a demon appears, chasing after me like an eagle to keep its eyes on me. Do you think this calls for a smile? Wouldnt it be better to find something else to spend your time on? I doubt it would change anything. Change anything Seol Young stopped halfway. The boys and girls were watching, and the heated conversation between the two was making them curious. Lets not talk here. He moved somewhere else, and after checking each of the masks in the warehouse, he had a thought. And he called for the official, who handed out the masks then. From what I know, there were fifteen of them, and I just picked the scariest ones and ced them in the box. That is all. I dont know anything Seol Young used his spiritual power on him. The officials soul was pure. He showed no signs of being possessed. There was no evil energy, either. It was clear that he wasnt involved in this. You can go. Seol Young sent the official back and That A courtier approached, and he remembered seeing her face. That night, when the incident happened, this was the girl who picked up his que and threw it back to him. Seol Young looked at her. Is there something you want to say? He asked her casually, not wanting to seem like he was questioning her. If you want to treat her well, wouldnt it be better to start with your names first? She must be nervous Just then, Zaha came in with his advice. He didnt want to listen to that advice, but He wasnt entirely wrong, and Seol Young knew he didnt treat other people well. This girl must have approached him with good intentions, so he should treat her gently. What is your name? Kabi. The girl seemed a bit taken aback by the two men, but she answered him. I have something to say. What is it? Kabi nced at her colleagues before speaking. They were looking over this way too, and it seemed like they had a discussion about it. This incident was so odd that we all put our minds together to review it. But this was done by something evil. The pce is possessed by an evil spirit? Yes. Kabi said cautiously. There was one strange thing.
  1. TL/N: Not literally
Chapter 17: Evil Moon (17) Chapter 17: Evil Moon (17) Seol Young asked. What was strange? Kabi waited to speak. On that day, we were all a bit rxed since no one was around, and even while choosing masks, we were talking so much. At that time, Yeom said this What? that when entering, she saw a woman when we entered the pce. Woman? Pce? At the Tianshu Hall? I dont know. Kabi shook her head. She said it casually. That she saw a scary woman who didnt appear to be human. That was it. I asked again, just in case, but nothing. Yeom didnt seem to remember anything. And to Seol Young-rang too she said something strange. Kabi nced at her colleague. She was in treatment at that time, and I was worried that asking more questions would make her condition worse, so I didnt ask. But we all heard it very clearly, right? Yes. All the girls answered in unison. Seeing a woman right before the incident No matter how trivial the words were, they mattered now. Seol Young made a mental note of it. Was there any intervention? He looked at Zaha with those eyes. But For a brief moment, he could see a strange expression on his face. The others might not have noticed it, but Seol Young had followed him closely for the past few days, so he didnt miss it. Is it because of that story? He secretly stared at him. Was it because he was staring too much? Suddenly, he instinctively felt something faint. There was some disturbing movement. There is something out there! Seol Young hurriedly left. Seized by an unknown urge, he dug into the ground with the tip of his sword. After a while, something touched ita metallic ring. To think that something like this was buried right behind the Tianshu Hall without anyone realizing it He hastily dug it up. Of course, he thought of it as some cursed item or bloody doll. But it wasnt. After he brushed the dust off of it, it turned out to be a half-moon-shaped metal te. The two pieces were both buried together. What is this? He put them side by side, and he realized something. Putting the two pieces together made a mirror. When he turned it over, the four animalsblue dragon, white tiger, ck tortoise, and vermillion birdwere engraved on it. The zodiac pattern was also painted. The four divine beasts and the twelve zodiac signs. Seol Young was shocked. Arent the Hwarangs based on the four divine beasts? Who buried this here? I. Seol Young flinched at the voice he heard from behind. It made him feel like he had just muttered the answer. What are you so shocked about? Wasnt that what you were thinking? Who buried this in here? He turned to find Zaha, who was behind him. Seol Youngs face was stern as he spoke. When did you bury it here? Before leaving the kingdom. Why? To keep things quiet. He remembered what had happened at the tomb site. When he told him about the incident in the pce where people were harmed, and how his expression changed. -It cannot be? Could it be because of this? Seol Young eximed, looking at the mirror in front of him. At one time, this mirror should have held great power. He could guess it. But now it was broken. This was surely a divine item. It was buried with good intentions. At that time, it couldnt have been tainted yet. Seol Young touched it and used his spiritual power. Did an evil spirit do this? He couldnt find any traces left on it. Even if a spirit did it, this was clean. I dont know who broke it. Seol Young mumbled. If this is damaged, it might attract dark things, so I will take it. Do whatever you want. Seol Young took out a piece of paper and wrapped the mirror pieces tightly. After thinking for a moment, he pulled out another piece of paper. It was a piece of yellow papera talisman. Then Seol Young took a red brush and wrote down Invulnerability to Spirits to not let evil spirits enter, and he ced the talisman on it. It was a temporary measure, but it would work as a fine substitute. After stepping on the ground, he looked at Zaha, who was looking around after taking the mirror to dispose of it. And he asked. Did you bury the other mirrors somewhere else? Yes. Where? There, and there, there too He pointed all over. Seol Young felt shocked. Why are you this diligent? Right I have to check everything out. Since you provided the cause, will you follow and watch? He decided to follow. The man seemed to have some conscience, seeing that he was digging, and Seol Young watched him. He dug up the pce grounds, put something inside, and buried it. All of these were actions that could be considered bad, but he was quick! They went around the pce and looked at each item Zaha had buried, checked if it was fine, and buried it back in. There were dozens to check. Zaha brushed off his dirt-stained hands. Only one thing was damaged. The one right behind the hall. So, did something odd happen there? Zahas strange reaction from earlier came to mind. Who the hell was the woman that Yeom saw? Seol Young asked him, but he didnt answer. He continued to shake off the dirt from his clothes and hands. But When they were walking, they heard a noisea loud one. What? Without even talking to each other, they naturally headed to where they heard the sound. I am not lying! I am telling the truth! They heard a middle-aged official talking. Calm down. Great Soldier. The Governor has already sent out Hwarangs there too. The Golden Ring Troops were trying to appease him. The Great Soldier belonged to the Daily Administration in charge of the capital. Something seemed to have happened. That was why he had to beining. What is it? Zaha asked, and the Hwarangs who noticed him bowed their heads. It seems like something strange happened next door, where the soldiers are. Strange? Some ghost stories happened Seol Young was surprised. Ghost story? The Nirvana painting. The man trembled. Do you know it? Because of a painting by a genius painter, dozens of people got massacred in one night Of course, they knew. A hundred years ago, there was a genius painter in the city, a man from a humble family, but his talent was like that of a God. When he painted, things woulde to life. Even the ghosts would be fooled. Everyone was in a frenzy because they couldnt buy those paintings. Rich people would also travel to get them, bringing tons of grain and silk. But one day An order came from a high ce. And it wasnt just a simple request. I bought a new house this time. On the wall of thergest room, draw a picture of the purend. It is like being inside a huge picture. And the painter drew it with all the talent in him. But as he was making the painting, the painters only son died. The already odd painter turned stranger after this. He forgot about everything and clung to this painting, and as it was nearingpletion, he ran out of energy and died. Thest masterpiece. Thendlord invited some people to show it off. But a scary thing happenedter. Suddenly, the painting came to life and began to attack people. Each painting turned into a demon and killed people. Dozens of people, including thendlord who requested it and his family, were killed that night. Thend went crazy because they thought the painting was possessed. It is said that he caused the bloodshed by mixing his blood in the painting and offering his soul as a sacrifice. The problem is that the location of the painting is at my next-door neighbors house! The man said. Still, nothing happened in close to a hundred years so what is this? Well, a while ago, strange things started happening. As the story went, the painting on the wall attacked a person. This shocked everyone. How is that possible? Seol Young asked. We all know how the story ends, right? The vivid painting that man drew in each room has to be erasedpletely, right? Yes. The officials face was stained with fear. But it reappeared again! And that isnt all. The people who went to the house disappeared. As if they were sucked into the painting. Nirvana that hurts people. If those words were true, another horror story wasing true. Just like the warning. It was then There! A sharp voice. The people of the Great Heavenly Pavilion came, and the person who was taking the lead had an angry face. What did I say? Didnt I say something bad would happen again? It was the head of the Pavilion. Her eyes were fierce as they lingered on Zaha and Seol Young. I just came from the throne room. She said proudly. An official who came with her stepped ahead. Seol Young-rang. His Highness has given you a mission. As promised in front of the Governor, to prove your innocence, you will solve this strange incident yourself. If not, you will have to give up your life. Silence fell, making everyone stiff. Zahas eyes shone oddly. Did he think the time had finallye? Yes, I understand. Seol Young just replied calmly. Chapter 18: Nirvana Painting (1) Chapter 18: Nirvana Painting (1) Paper, brush, mirror. These were the tools usually used for summoning ghosts. In a way, they were simr to drawing tools. Since ancient times, it has been said that a painting has a soul of its own With that thought in mind, Seol Young left the Moon Pce. There was nothing special to prepare besides the tools he always used. It was crucial to move quickly because the incident had already happened. The problem was the one behind him. High Governor! Are you going to the site right now? It cannot be helped. I have to go and keep an eye on him. If Seol Young-rang fails because of that strange incident and there is no one to handle it, what will happen? Even if there is a possibility, it is a Hwarangs duty to give him a chance because the person himself feels this is unfair. The Governor and I have a n for getting things done, so dont worry and do your job. Yes, High Governor. It is quite reassuring to have youe forward like this. The conversation behind his backthat was what annoyed him. Even the crows began to crow loudly after they left the Moon Pce. Seol Young stood for a moment, and a voice came from behind. On high alert? No, not at all. I see you are confident. It seems that the painting that kills dozens of people will be solved as soon as we reach there. Not that So, did you think of a solution? As he walked, Zaha asked. Can you tell me how you are nning to solve it? The revived painting has to be destroyedpletely. And the people caught in the picture Seol Young went silent for a moment, thinking about what to do about that. Zaha asked again. What about the people captured in the painting? It must be simr to the reason why demons and evil spirits were kidnapping people. Demons need the qi in a human to get stronger. Then they are already dead. It has been days already. Even Seol Young, when he thought about it rationally, realized it. We have to find the bodies. No matter what. That was the solution. The weight of the work he had to do was huge. Seol Young kept his mouth shut and quickly walked down the streets of Sorabeol. Soon, they arrived on the scene. Red Flower House. It was the house of the officials neighbor, who reported the incident to the pce. It was a mansion with cherry trees. But the cherry blossoms were white. So why was it called the Red Flower House, then? When he reached the house, he could see why. Each tree bore bright red cherries. It looked as if the trees were covered in blood. Seol Young looked at it and then at Zaha. They should have named it Cherry House, but it must have sounded too obvious and not cool. So maybe they renamed it? Shh. Seol Young asked him to be silent and put his hand on the ground. And Zaha asked, What are you doing? He ignored it because he had no obligation to answer, and he pulled out a piece of paper to record. If this means nothing, then it is just an act of No! Seol Young said as if it were absurd. I am trying to see where the ruckus ising from. Why? Usually, in ces where the evil spirits do harm, Yin energy can be felt. But there was none of that here. Just like when a tiger appears, the animals in the forest vanish, making the mountain quiet. We can feel how powerful and evil the painting is. Aha. That is what you meant. Zaha nodded as he walked closer to the mansion wall. It was noisy inside. Non-humans are quiet, but humans, on the contrary, are noisy. Then he looked at Seol Young. What do we do? As soon as we move in, we will meet a troublesome opponent first. What are you talking about? The ghosts have vanished? Seol Young strode in. And at that moment, they met. Someone wasing out of the house. A Hwarang. In dark purple and ck robes. He was tall and confident, but on the other hand, he had this sensitive expression. It was Mu Won of the ck Tortoise Godly Troops. It is said that you meet your enemies on the narrowest bridge, and the atmosphere here is bad. Come to think of it, the Governor did say that he sent some Hwarangs first. He heard the story but didnt care much about it. There was this strange tension between both sides. I am relieved that the High Governor is here. It was a heavy step to take. Those werent words one says for themselves, but they are said by others! This man was called the High Governor, but he was shameless to the core. Zaha calmly asked, But Mu Won-rang, why is it noisy inside? Because the families of the missing have gathered, and we did try to calm them, but they For a moment, there was a bitter look on his face. Well, it is said that the Hwarangs, who came first, found some kind of evil spirit and sealed it. It appears to be the evil spirit in the painting that caused this. Um? Seol Young was shocked. An evil spirit in the painting? Mu Won continued. When the evil spirit was subdued, the paintings also stopped being active. We tried to break down the wall and take the people out, but somehow they wouldnt budge. It will take a long time, so I am heading back first. Right. The work back at the n is important. Yes. Then we will head in first. After Mu Won said his goodbyes to Zaha, he left, and Seol Young looked at him. As he passed through the gate, Mu Wons body shook slightly. He had trouble with his right leg. It would be difficult to notice unless one carefully observed it. When he turned his head, Zaha was staring at him with a curious face. I warned you, but you moved in first. I knew you didnt get along well with the Five ns, but I guess your rtionship with the ck Tortoise Troops is worse. What happened? That is something I dont have to answer. I wont mind those personal questions you are asking and will move ahead to take the mission seriously. I will work on the mission right away. But I am curious. Seol Young ignored his words and went in. He noticed the serious atmosphere. Honey! Answer me! Honey, can you hear me? I prayed to God for a thousand days, and the child that I got with much difficulty is trapped! Please let me find the body! Mother! You worked hard all your life. What will I do if you leave like this? The interior of the house was empty, with the furniture and decorations removed, a ck wall exposed, and people banging on the wall. Calm down. You will fall. Get me some water! Jong Pung, the second member of the ck Tortoise, could be seen. They were working hard to calm the families of the victims, but it didnt work. They were looking around and became puzzled when their eyes met Seol Youngs. An awkward silence passed. Work is work, nothing more. Seol Young was the one who greeted first. ck Tortoise second member. Seol Young-rang. Jong Pung greeted back. I heard you wereing. Yes. But is it true that the spirit was captured? You heard it. Jong Pung cautiously said. The Hwarang who came first found an evil spirit here. And he seemed to have an ugly appearance with a brush in hand. It was guessed that it was the spirit of the painter who drew the painting a hundred years ago and caught it right away. It is strange. Seol Young felt suspicious again. It takes great power to create a bloody coup that can kill dozens of people in one night. And with poweres a price. I would have had to give my intact soul for that. So how could the soul of a painter be here? While he was lost in thought, Jong Pung called thendlord. This is Seol Young-rang, who will be handling the case. Please tell him in detail what happened within. Yes, yes. The man nodded. Was it around a month ago? One day, some of the paintings began to appear on the walls of our house. I have no reason to lie, okay? These are not lies! He continued. When someone passes by in the middle of the night, the painting suddenlyes to life and tries to stop or harm them. And a hand reaches out to catch the person and throws water! And the swords that the soldiers were holding keep popping out! Seol Young asked, not understanding this. Are you saying you just put up with all of it? Well, there was a wedding happening in the house The owners face was worried. The eldest child was supposed to marry someone from the Royal Pces troops. I tried to keep it until my daughter got married, but this ended up happening. To prepare for the wedding, the seamstress, furniture maker, and various people came to visit at the same time, and while we got distracted Thendlord looked at the weeping people. It was a face of sadness. They were moving around, and they sneaked into therge room where the legend was located. Hearing the childrens scream, the families rushed in, but they also screamed, yelling, Please save me, the painting has caught us You heard that clearly? Yes. Of course. There was no one around when we arrived. We could only hear the screams from inside the walls asking for help. But then the sound died. No! The person who seemed to be the seamstress cried. They have not vanished! I heard itst night. It was the voice of the granddaughter from the house over there. She yelled for someone to help her! The others wept too. He said that since its been four days, we should give up hope. But what if they are alive? I want to know if they are alive or dead! Why are the walls not moving? My child, where the hell is my child stuck? It is my fault! All my fault! I should have left my child at home, but no, I had to bring my child here! The wailing, which had stopped for a while, started again. Some even tried to bang their heads against the wall. It was a sad sight. Seol Young stared at them nkly and suddenly realized Why is it so quiet? When he looked for Zaha, he was alone in the corner. He had anguid expression with his golden eyes. It strangely feels good. A ck haze rose from behind him. The dark energy in the house reacted to that. In one moment, when Seol Young took his eyes off of him, Zaha went crazy. Come out! When Seol Young said it coldly, everyone looked at them in surprise. He forgot that there were eyes watching. I think there is a ghost here. He quickly turned around and grabbed him. Zaha made excuses. I was just standing here because I was in a good mood. Yeah, I believe that. Grief, anger, remorse. This ce was flooded with negative emotions that people poured out. If these bad feelings umte here, the Yang qi in the house will be suppressed, and the Yin qi will rise. It is like giving more wings to the evil spirits, so this has to be cleaned up. Clean? Before dealing with the evil ones, we need to correct the Yin-Yang flow. If not, nothing will change. Seol Young looked at the people in despair. They have to be calmed down first. That is good to say Zaha expressed his doubts. Is that possible? What the other Hwarangs couldnt do even though they tried hard can be done now? It is because their method was wrong. In a situation like this, will they calm down because we ask them to? Seol Young said so and went to the people of the ck Tortoise. Jong Pung-rang, tell everyone to leave. I will calm them down. The man looked at him with a puzzled face. How? Everyone is frustrated, as if the sky has fallen on them, and they arent listening to us. Then how can Seol Young-rang do it? To which Seol Young said, There is a way. Chapter 19: Nirvana Painting (2) Chapter 19: Nirvana Painting (2) Everyone looked his way. What was he going to do? Everyone had a doubtful expression, especially Zaha. Seol Young just ignored them all. This Nirvana painting harms people. If it has been four days, there is a good chance that they have been harmed already. But I clearly heard the voice Whether it is the voice of a human or a ghost trying to possess people is something we will never know. This resulted in a chilling silence. Seol Young-rang, what are you doing? Zaha spoke up. Its like rubbing salt in wounds, no matter how you look at it. It isnt that. I am trying to help. These people are victims, and I hope it gets resolved. Seol Young looked at everyone in the room and said, But if you continue to do this, it will not do anything. The evil spirit will continue to get stronger. So lets make a deal. Deal? They all looked at him with shocked faces. I will let you know if your family is alive or dead, so everyone will have to calm down and ept the result. How is that? Everyone looked at him in shock. You will let us know if they are alive or dead? I dont even know if he is trapped because of the evil spirit. How can that be possible They had looks of disbelief. So you dont want to? Seol Young asked the people again. Are you going to make a deal or not? I will do it. It would be much better if we could know if they are alive or dead! Everyone spoke in unison. Seol Young sat on the floor and took a couple of things out. A mirror, a bottle, a small brush, and yellow paper. The people were surprised once again. Isnt that what shamans use? Everyone groaned. The two Hwarangs turned their heads away. They were expressing with their entire body that they did not want to be dragged into this. But more than that You cannot be surprised already. This is just the start. It was more annoying to have Zaha around, as he was enjoying the situation. Just ignore him. Seol Young didnt even look at him and picked up the brush. First of all, he wrote letters on the yellow paper. Rat. The first zodiac. After writing that, he pped his hands once, and the paper floated up. It flinched as it sniffed and looked around. Even though it was paper, it looked like a living rat. The people spoke. Is he using spells? Seol Young made several rats in an instant. They had seen this kind of summoning numerous times with one or two rats. But they have never heard of a dozen of them being used like this. And Seol Young blew a low, whistle-like sound, and the paper rats ran. This is the Twelve Zodiac Beasts Spell. Zaha was exining to the others. Seol Young didnt want to care, but he couldnt stay silent as he turned around and said, Twelve Zodiac Godly Spell. Zaha had changed Godly to Beast. In any case, he seemed to know what this was.. Fine. And so he asked the question. There are many spells out there, so why did you use that? An existence that can look into people and spiritsthat is God. Zaha nodded his head. I get it. Is that why you borrowed the power of God? The other Hwarangs exchanged looks. Even though the spell was something they should side with, this felt different. So, I asked them to check if there are any living people in the space beyond the painting. Seol Young exined to the people. If there are, I told them to secretly smear its sign into the persons life force. If there is one, the rats wille back glowing. Everyones eyes widened, and they all stayed silent at that moment. They didnt blink, and they stared at the spot where the rats had disappeared. After a while, the rats came back. But everything seemed the same. No matter how much they focused, not a single rat shone. Ah, as I thought The peoples faces were contorted. A grandmother who lost her granddaughter copsed to her knees. That was the voice of a ghost, then! Everyone was shocked as a heavy silence fell. Be quiet. Someone from the ck Tortoise mumbled a little. Seol Young was speechless. He just stared at the papers that had returned and raised his head. Zaha looked at them too, and his eyes were again filled with a golden aura, but soon he pretended he didnt see anything and looked away. He was being too obvious. Yet others didnt see it. The power of the painting was too much for them to notice it. Fine then Seol Young pulled out his sword. He ran his hand through the sharp de, and red blood dripped down. Ah! The people were shocked, even those from the ck Tortoise. The spirit sword stained with blood? Unless a Hwarang wanted to carry out a will or order against someone, the de should never be drenched in blood. This action was evil for them. But Seol Young didnt care. If he cut his own hand, he would be the one hurt, and the wound would heal quickly. That was why he used the Blue Rainbow Sword. At the smell of blood, the rats flocked to it. Seol Young put dots of blood on their heads. The yellowish spots turned red, and the rats now looked like ironds. Seol Young whistled again, and the rats moved. Soon, they returned. Here! The people shouted. This time there was a glowing rat, which meant sess in finding a living person and a chance to bring them back. The rats rushed to Seol Young. No, over there! With one p, the direction changed, and it ran to the family members. And it jumped to someone who might have a simr aura to the one trapped. Uh? Mother! Oh, my dear! My child is alive! There was a loud noise all over the ce because of this. It was the same as knowing that a familiar person would walk into the room even without having to look at it. Everyone felt the presence of their lost family members through the paper. Seol Young said to them, There are thirteen rats who say they met a living person That is all of them! The people shouted. They couldnt help but believe Seol Youngs words now. Everyone was already in tears. I thought it would be better if we could just find their bodies! The atmosphere turned brighter. Everybody is alive! How can that be? It is unusual. Zaha tilted his head, making Seol Young shocked. Then you want someone to die? No matter how much you decided to abandon your humanity, you cannot be this obvious. He did say it, but Seol Young thought it was strange too. He didnt expect them to be alive, at least not all of them, but it was also unusual to the point of being unnatural. There had to be something else here. He looked at the people againthe poor ones who barely made ends meet. Among these people, there were quite a few descendants of destroyed nations. If thendlords family were a ruthless one, they would have been kicked out long ago. In a world where the weak were food, this felt nice. Teacher said it is important to understand the hearts of weak people. All my brothers would have never passed this. Seol Young nodded to himself. This work was also in ordance with the teachings of his teacher. If this could be done, everyone could be safely rescued. It means that everyone is holding up well inside. We need to keep our minds strong and give them strength. Yes, I understand. The people answered in unison. Then, once again, they looked at Seol Young with a grateful gaze. Amazing At such a reaction, the Hwarangs present were shocked. It was fortunate that the families finally had some hope. But they still couldnt trust the spells and crafts he was doing. What if the results will change after this? More than anything, they were worried about his actions being watched like this. So, they exined it. Spells like witchcraft can quickly earn admiration, but do not be tempted to do it. The right path for Hwarangs to walk on is the spiritual one and to sh demons with the spirit sword. Yes. Seol Young heard it too, but he didnt care. The gloomy aura that had been running around the house hadpletely dissipated now. They could no longer give power to the evil spirits. Look at this. Didnt I say this? He regarded Zaha, who was in deep thought. And it was then Thud! A strong vibration could be felt inside the house, and the expression on Seol Youngs face vanished right then. This It was one problem after another. Unknowingly, his gaze turned to the Hwarangs, and they to him. This made it more awkward. ? Zaha was done thinking. He looked at both sides, and his eyes shone. It worked. Was that what that expression meant? Dozens of mouths opened with shocked faces as they passed. Xuan Tian Zen Martial Arts? Yes, High Governor. The Hwarangs awkwardly answered. The ck Tortoises also had a tortoise-like character. They didnt know how to hide their feelings like others. Still, they were the ones who did their best. We were called in first because the first Hwarang couldnt break down the wall. The four Hwarangs and three helpers were just trying their best to do this. Seol Young felt bad. But didnt he decide to put personal feelings aside for this mission? So he took the lead. Here we go. I am sure the people have calmed down, and now it is time to look into this mysterious incident that happened. Right. Zaha chimed in. Everyone saw it. The gold line around the huge room and the ce where people went missing. The third, fifth, seventh, and eighth members took their positions along with three officials. Soon, they drew their swords, let out a sharp cry, and stabbed the walls at the same time. Thud! There was a strong vibration in the ground, with seven points being hit. It was an overwhelming force, and they unleashed their swords, performing their divine powers. Upon seeing Seol Young, their faces changed. He bowed his head to hide the agitation he was feeling inside. High Governor. Zaha smiled and then turned to Seol Young. Ah,e to think of it, Seol Young-rang might not know this martial art. The atmosphere changed. If someone else had said it, he would have yelled back at them. High Governor has been away for eight years, so he might not know it. The ck Tortoise Troops were thinking this. I know. Seol Young replied. Among the four troops, the ck Tortoise was a symbol of patience and perseverance. And they ced more emphasis on building a solid foundation, which was probably why they showed slower progress than the other troops. However, with diligent training, they be stronger and exert mighty power. In terms of power itself, they surpassed the other troops. Among them, the ck Tortoise was known to be the best at the Xuan Tian Zen Martial Arts. Seven characters represented the seven points of the martial arts, and the seven stars that represent Xian Tian were revered as Gods: Fight, Ox, Woman, Hollow, Danger, Room, and Barrier. Concentrate the spiritual power at the tip of the sword and explode it simultaneously. If he did this in an instant, everything would topple. No matter how strong the barrier was, it would have to copse. But even that martial art is useless. Seol Young spoke without any emotion. The ck Tortoise Hwarangs were shocked. To their ears, Seol Youngs words were demeaning. Of course, he just had to use that in this situation. They couldnt help but recall what had happened in the past. And the fifth member, Beom Hyun, said, Then I hope Seol Young-rang teaches me a couple of tricks that he uses. Seol Young said nothing. He had to get this done. If he could break the barrier made by the evil spirit, things would be easier for them. If spiritual power didnt work here, he could try borrowing the power of spells. However, since he knew that the ck Tortoise Troops were here, if they saw it, they would make a fuss to kill him. But when was thest time he cared? This was a matter of human life, and he didnt have time to sugarcoat things. Seol Young stepped forward. He always had a cold expression, but dressed only in a white robe, he looked more like a devil. Everyone observed his movements, but he continued to ignore those gazes and stood in front of the wall and chanted. Humble and proud, cloudy and clear The supernatural powers awakened right then, and the aura that flowed through the sword merged with the spiritual energy and rose like a wave. Seol Young waved his sword. There was a clear sound of something being hit and plucked. Powerful spirits began toe out of the ce the sword touched, and it was like an iron ball. ! The faces of the Hwarangs changed. Some faces turned blue, and others red. He is using that! Insane man! Everyone red at Seol Young with vicious eyes. But he was aloof. Chapter 20: Nirvana Painting (3) Chapter 20: Nirvana Painting (3) A circr aura rose from Seol Youngs sword. Puak! It made a noise when it hit the wall right in the middle. When Seol Youngs spirit qibined with that of the spiritual power nearby, it gave out a tremendous power. The entire room trembled as if an earthquake had urred. But again, there was no response. Seol Young lowered his hand. My technique didnt work either. Is that so? I thought it would be good enough with thebination of the spirit qi and sorcery. Zaha spoke with a serious face. Wait up. Let me try it. And he immediately left the room. This was odd. His goal was to obtain Seol Youngs spiritual power. So helping him out would make no sense. He must be aware of it too, but Seol Young didnt say anything. Because of the expressions of the Hwarangs of the ck Tortoise. ! Their eyes were ring. Since they were in front of the High Governor, they didnt say or do anything, but their eyes were filled with hatred. They couldnt stand this any longer. Seol Young! What the hell did you just do? It was the fifth member, Beom Hyun, who shouted in anger, to which Seol Young responded. Sorcery. Why does that resemble our ck Tortoise Divine Troops martial arts? Are you trying to make fun of us right now? Fun? Seol Young snorted. I definitely didnt say anything, right? If I wanted to make fun of anyone, I would have done it with my mouth. Why would I do such a bothersome technique? And he continued. I am sorry, but I am not interested in your troops. I just tried the best solution for this situation. But! The technique of gathering the spirit qi and shooting it out like a ball can be found in the old books of sorcery too. Even if it looks simr to the one you trained in, it has nothing to do with it. I dont know why you constantlye after me. In the end, didnt your Thunder Ball already fail? The faces of all the Hwarangs present turned white in anger. You! They immediately rushed forward but froze. Before they knew it, Zaha was standing near the door. He nced at everyone, and he said to Seol Young, Come out. Seol Young went to him in silence, and he realized that Zaha had deliberately left them in the room. I dont think such things happened eight years ago. Have the Hwarang troops changed this much? Zaha mumbled as if this were something interesting, and he looked at Seol Young. I cannot help but ask now. What kind of grudge do you even have against the ck Tortoise Troops? Seol Young coldly said. Why are you constantly trying to dig into this issue? Why does this even matter? Why wouldnt I care? Zaha was rather confident with his words. I just watched a scene that showed me a new possibility. The ck Tortoise Divine Troops would have killed you here first, right? Wouldnt it be better to know the context before lighting up the fire? Seol Young raised his eyes in anger. We should head back soon. He tried to get back inside, but Zaha continued. If you tell me, I will give you important information about this house. You want me to believe you? You want me to die, so I cannot believe that you will just give me the right information. I dont have any evil intentions in sharing this information. Use it if you want to, or dont bother using it. You can tell the difference after hearing the information, right? Well, I guess so. I can always handle it. Seol Young was a bit surprised. You must know it since you broke the leg of a certain person. He did run into a couple of people from the ck Tortoise. If one didnt look closely, one wouldnt know the issue. So how did he figure it out so quickly, and how did he link it to what happened What? No. Seol Young replied coldly. I didnt break it. It was an ident. That is what someone who harms others on purpose would say. Because I really didnt! In the end, he went closer to Zaha and spoke. Seven years ago, when the disaster was happening The time when all the Hwarang troops tried to catch that Ghost Demon King? Ignoring how Zaha changed the term, he continued. At that time, they didnt have any grudges against me. But as the problem got bigger, I was involved, and Mu Won-rang led the Hwarang troops to end it. And they made up their mind to subjugate it? We were confused in front of the power they held. And when I came to my senses, they were in danger. But them being alive and well means that they managed to ovee the crisis, right? It was because of thest-minute skill I used. I was able to reflect the attack back. And the numerous Thunder Ball spells that the ck Tortoise used. When he closed his eyes, it felt as vivid as yesterday. The ck Tortoise Divine Troops bet everything on that attack. Hundreds of Thunder Balls filled with spiritual energy covered the sky. There was no way to retreat, and everyone had no doubt that this Ghost Demon King would be subdued. However, their attack was stopped mid-air and reflected back. Then a huge sound rang out. Their attacks had an incredible force. Even the cave they were hiding in had copsed. I didnt expect it to be that huge. Seol Young spoke in a firm tone. Mu Won-rang hurriedly saved the others that were present. And finally, he came out, but a rock fell, which is why his leg was injured. Ah. Zaha lightly clicked his tongue. The ck Tortoise Divine Troops are quite proud of their Thunder Lightning Shot. To be beaten like that by a group of spirits living in the mountains. They must have felt their pride fall to the ground. And that wasnt all. He nced at Seol Young. And to think that the Ghost Demon King, who defeated the entire troops, was just a thirteen-year-old child. They couldnt have handled the humiliation. Especially if it is someone like Mu Won Seol Young had nothing to say. Now I understand. I wondered why the infirmary couldnt treat his leg. Now that I know the entire scenario, its not that it couldnt be cured, but the man didnt get it treated, right? Yes. Seol Young agreed. Mu Won-rang abolished the usage of the Thunder Lightning Shot technique, so that no one could use it. Also, worried about the injury worsening, he only took medicine and never let anyone touch it. With the words, I will use it as a life long lesson, so the leg was not treated in the end. It is so much like him. Zaha was convinced, and he looked at Seol Young. But if you think about it, if the same thing happened to Baek Eon, Song Ok, or Hyo Wol, wouldnt you have gone to kill the opponent? No. I dont think so. Because if I kill the opponent, I will be scolded. I could at least break one of his legs pretending it was an ident, but So not running into each other is the best for us. Seol Young looked at Zaha. I have bad luck. So I constantly avoided meeting them until today, so forget about your empty dreams. He spoke coldly and turned. Zaha continued to follow him. When he returned to the scene, the Hwarangs were on their knees. The second member, Jeong Pung, bowed his head. We showed such an ugly sight to you. Please forgive us. He looked at Zaha. Enough, get up. Yes. Everyone got up and straightened their clothes. The awkward atmosphere dissipated, and Seol Young focused on his work. I need to send these men away from here. Because they had to capture an evil spirit, no one here could be careless, yet it looked as if the case was half solved with the Hwarangs present. But Seol Young knew the truth. This felt too much like the calm before the storm. And he asked the ck Tortoise Divine Troops. Where is the evil spirit that was said to have possessed this house? Here. Ji Hae, the seventh member, and Mo Cheon, the ninth member, brought in a spirit que. The spirit que was an instrument in the shape of a long que. It was used to seal souls inside of it. Once sealed, no power could be used from the inside. Mo Cheon exined. The Hwarangs who came first looked around and investigated the house, and they said that they caught the evil spirit. They said it was wandering around here looking for something, so they managed to catch it pretty quickly. What was it looking for? Seol Young touched the que. What is its identity? He put it on the ground, and after infusing spiritual power through the sword, the shape of the soul was revealed. What is this? It seemed like his thoughts were right. Human? Beast? It looked so horrific and twisted that it was impossible to judge what it was. After looking at the bizarre shape for a long time, they were able to make out what it was holding in its hand. It was an elongated thing that looked like a paintbrush. Mo Cheon said. Even though it looks like that, it apparently gave them a tough time. They had a difficult time sealing it, and the Hwarangs said it was like the painter Mo Cheon-rang, what does it look like? It looks like the painter. And the others? The painter. Everyone agreed. But Um Zaha was the only one who grumbled. As soon as he looked at him, it looked like he didnt know anything. As he was afraid that Seol Young would notice something strange, he pretended not to know. Seol Young lowered his voice and asked. You thought it was weird too, right? No? Dont do that. The painter devoted his soul to the painting until the end. So how can his soul still roam around? That was what you thought, right? Not really. You thought I wouldnt notice? In the first ce, this was all very strange from the start. Seol Young stepped forward. As he was suspicious of everything, he analyzed his thoughts. First, this is an old soul. It must have been dead for around a hundred years. And it also has the same energy as the evilness that fills this house. This was enough to say that this spirit was the painter, but he still felt odd about this. There is a way to clear things up when things go wrong like this. I will ask the spirit directly to find out more about it. Seol Young attached a thin string to the que and hung it in the air, and a bell was attached to the end. And he spoke to the soul. From now on, answer me. If the bell rings once, it is a yes, and twice means a no. He didnt need to do anyplicated procedures because it was easy to get the evil spirits to respond normally. It was an indirect means ofmunication, but it was useful in this situation. Even evil spirits cannot lie, as they have restrictions ced on them. Then lets start. In the silence that fell, Seol Young looked in front of him. All the Hwarangs couldnt take their eyes off the person who could help them in this situation. And Seol Young asked the Spirit que. Are you the painter? Chapter 21: Nirvana Painting (4) Chapter 21: Nirvana Painting (4) At Seol Youngs question, the spirit que trembled. Tring The bell rang once. It meant yes. Seol Young asked. Are you the painter who drew this? Tring The bell rang again. This was an unexpected result for Seol Young. No matter how good an evil spirit was, lying wasnt something they could do. Then this soul really belongs to the painter? If youmit another sin now, the karma you will get will be huge. If you do Seol Young looked at the soul. He wasnt sure yet. Should he destroy the spirit? He knew how to do it. The soul of the painter was already in a weakened state. With just one talisman, he could destroy it without leaving a trace. But at that moment, Zahas expression changed. Like he saw a ghost. Seol Young thought to himself. Even if the man did cross into the Demonic Path, he wondered if there were still some righteousness left inside He pointed out the strange parts really well. Seol Young lowered his hand, and Zaha asked. What? Stop pretending like you dont know. Seol Young continued. If we cleanse an evil spirit, it will resist us one hundred percent, no matter how weak it is. It will cause trouble so that it cant be cleansed. But this soul is so quiet. A bit too obedient, if you ask me. So you want to save an evil spirit? Are you insane? Who will like it the most if I act rashly? I will deal with that thing only after I find out more. Seol Young kept the spirit que and looked at the ck Tortoise Troops. You can head back now. We were nning to do that anyway. We have nothing to do here. Jeong Pung replied, and the servant of the house entered. The family said they would like to talk for a while. Everyone headed out. The sun already seemed to be going down. The entire ce looked red. Thendlords family was in the garden. The wife, the eldest daughter, who was supposed to get married, and the other sons and daughters gathered. The servants had packed the luggage. The night ising, so we are leaving right now. We have a rtive who lives close by. Thendlord kept looking up at the sky as he talked. He seemed to be too scared of theing night. The other family members looked the same. Jong Pung told them. We are leaving too. Lets go together. Really? Thank you so much! The family seemed happy as they walked out of the house. But after a while, they stopped and continued to look around. Zaha asked. What is it? Everyone looked back, and they had puzzled faces. The gate is gone. What? Seol Young hurried back, and they were right. The gate through which they entered earlier should be visible as they walk down the garden. But right now, it was nowhere in sight. It was just a wall. Seol Young looked at his feet. Before he realized it, a dark fog began to gather. ! Everyone was shocked. The Hwarangs drew their swords and channeled their spirit qi. Three different energies could be feltgold, blue, and purple. A ghost! The son of thendlord screamed as he pointed to one side. Shadows were rising over thendscape, which resembled a mountain due to the piled-up stones. Uhh The entire family and the servants turned white at this sight. They werent the usual ghosts. Their bodies, covered in blood, were terrifying. And they appeared to have been whipped mercilessly. Woong They approached with a low hum. They seemed to have sensed the energy of living humans, so they approached faster. Ack! People screamed. At the same time, there was a sound of wind being cut. It was the Hwarangs swinging their swords. The ghosts changed to a bluish-ck color as they vanished into the smoke. Isnt this an illusion? They were victims who had been massacred hundreds of years ago. The mess they left behind had changed into an illusion. These are the ghosts that kept appearing in the house! But we never saw so many of It is fine. You are safe with us. All the Hwarangs reassured the family but then Ack! A terrifying scream came from within the house and shocked everyone, as Beom Hyun shouted first. There seems to be people left inside! He was right. Only thendlords family came out. The families of the missing people were inside, waiting for their loved ones toe out. Seol Young looked at the ck Tortoise Divine Troops, and they looked at him. At this moment, they all thought the same thingsave the people. Everyone rushed inside. The moment they were about to run into the house Bang! The door closed. A dark aura began to cover any opening in the house. How dare it shut them out? Seol Young tried to open it with sorcery, but the ck aura clung to his hands. So he tried to use spiritual qi to shake it off. And he could see this terrible, evil energy rushing in one directionthe ce where Zaha was standing. In an instant, a thought popped into his mind. Seol Young spoke loudly for everyone to hear. High Governor! Be careful! Instead of shaking off the evil energy, Seol Young pushed it away. Huh! Zaha put on an absurd face. When all the evil energy was pushed in his direction, he had no choice but to swing his sword while the people were moving. A golden aura rose along with a strong wind. After collecting the ck energy that gathered Boom! It exploded. Everything turned white in an instant. A dazzling light shone through the cracks in the door with a shockwave. An order was heard. -All evil spirits, demons, and monsters must halt their actions right now and surrender. It seemed as if a hundred lions had roared at once. They were proud of the fact that they had subdued the evil beings head-on. Golden Luminous Ring. This was something the Hwarangs hadnt seen in a long time. This reminds me of the old days! Lets go! With their morale rising, they rushed forward. With the Golden Ring forming, the spirits that have gathered here should be weakened. But it didnt seem to work. The darkness was still lingering and sticking to the walls. Because of their anger, the blood of those who died a hundred years ago turned into these evil spirits. They were all united in hate and anger at life. They had no intention of surrendering to people. What is this? Ack! Get away! Mother! Kids! Screams could be heard from all directions. The dead were torn to pieces and moved everywhere. There was no other way. Seol Young swung his sword. A human head, an upper body with only a left arm, a lower body without an upper body Wriggling like bugs, the illusion was cut off at once. The Blue Rainbow Sword cleansed everything. Save the people! The body of the elderly woman he had just in turned to smoke. Get out of here! Seol Young pointed to the back. The seventh and ninth members of the ck Tortoise Divine Troops had made a camp for them. All the people began to head there. Then another scream came. W-What is this? The hallway was empty! Thud! Thud! But there was a strange sound. Seol Young ran quickly. The people were sitting down when they tried to stand up, shook with fear, and pointed to one side. T-There Dead bodies in white clothes were hanging outside the window. The bodies were all wearing white clothes. The limp bodies swayed like heavy weights and knocked on the windows. They must have been the people whomitted suicide out of fear a hundred years ago. They were already dead, but it felt like their wandering thoughts seemed to have brought them into this form. Their pained expressions could be seen through their long, loose hair. Move away from there! Seol Young was blocking the side so the people could move. Something crawled on all fours through the window, its red eyes shing like those of a wild dog. The Blue Rainbow Sword drew an arc. Wheik! The sword spirit ughtered these evil spirits with a clean sound, and all of them turned into gray smoke. If you go over there, there is a safe ce. They sent the people to a safe ce. The ghosts swarmed everywhere. There were burned bodies, bodies torn apart as if bitten by beasts, bodies as if a massive wheel had run over them, and bodies cut in half crawling. All of these people were killed by a painting. It looked like hell itself. The sight of everything moving around like this was deeply disturbing and terrifying. Seol Young was speechless, and it was then. Several objects flew into the middle of the group of evil spirits. A technique? It wasnt the first time hed seen these objects in action. He had seen this in the tombs before. The technique that suppressed the Demonic qi within Zahas Again, he couldnt clearly see what it was. But before he knew it, everything exploded with a roar. All the spirits vanished in the dazzling light. Seol Young frowned and looked back. Your skills are not normal. Zaha walked forward. Smoke was rising from the nted sword. It seemed like he had killed quite a lot of illusions. You helped. Seol Young spoke calmly. I heard that when one falls into the path of demons, theye back to normal at times. Wouldnt it be nice to get as many kills as you can this time? Did my actions have such a deep meaning? I had no idea how much you thought of me until now. When Seol Young was about to respond back, something wriggled in his handthe spirit que of the painter. Why is he doing this? Even earlier, when he was nning to destroy it, the que stayed still, and it just reacts now? He briefly forgot about Zaha and took it out. And when the que was brought out, it wriggled more strongly, and as if it ran out of energy, it went still. This Zaha clicked his tongue. Even the spirits hate you. Give it to me instead. What? Seol Young gripped the que. No. For what reason is this happening? The reason for the spirits to run rampant? Everything has a meaning. Seol Young said. That is what I learned in the world of the ghosts that I grew up in. In a way, the world of the ghosts and spirits makes a lot more sense than humans. Even if they run rampant, they have their own reasons. Whether they harm, touch, or do something, there is a cause behind it. People get hurt and die because they do not realize that. So he made a decision. After I save everyone, I will listen to the soul. Didnt you do that a couple of seconds before? This time, I will listen without using any bells or strings Zaha was like oh? Looks like he is finally going to do something reckless. That was what his face said, but Seol Young ignored it. He heard the people screaming again. The que moved very lightly. It was as if he was being urged. Chapter 22: Nirvana Painting (5) Chapter 22: Nirvana Painting (5) Seol Young set aside the que and ran to where he heard the scream. The hallway was full of spirits. Help Me! HELP ME! The people were panicking, shouting, and running, but the spirits were blocking their paths. Seol Young drew out his sword as he said, Go that way if you dont want to be killed by those things. There was no answer. Instead, the golden spirit qi shed in all directions with the sound of the spirits disappearing. he seems happy. People who have gone down the path of demons are like that. It was in their nature to constantly kill. So, was there any need to stop him? Seol Young continued to cut down the spirits. He and Zaha had already fought near the tombs once before. So he was already familiar with what he could do. When the ghosts attacked wildly, Zahas sword broke them apart. And when they attacked from unexpected directions, the Blue Rainbow Sword would wipe them out. The two of them broke through the horde of spirits. S-Save the people! The people who were gathering in the room were trembling, and the outside was full of spirits, too, so going out wasnt an option either. Seol Young and Zaha hurriedly took down the spirits first. If you go back there, there is a guardian circle. He pointed in the direction he wanted them to go. But one person in the crowd was going in the opposite direction. My sibling didnte out! The two men let the child go and opened the door. There was a mess inside. Woong There were various illusions of spirits running around, howling, and dancing. And in the middle, there was a six or seven-year-old girl. She appeared to be too terrified to even breathe. Wait! Seol Young hurriedly ran and cut the spirits down. He used the Blue Rainbow Sword to brighten up the ce. Eventually, there were no longer spirits, just smoke. Lets go! Seol Young helped her stand up, but she fell to her knees. She didnt seem to have the energy to stand up. I cannot Her eyes seemed void. She had just seen the worst thing a child could see, and she was afraid to move because she would have to see them if she did. She was drenched in fear. The child was skinny and small, so it would be easy to carry her. But I cannot do that. Seol Young shook his head. It would be difficult for him to carry her and fight the spirits and ghosts at the same time. The childs life would be in danger. You cannot falter now. Seol Young told the child. Why do you think the ghosts look scary, make odd noises, and constantly try to scare people? That is because they cannot win against you. The dead can never defeat the living. Be strong in your heart and never copse. Zaha, who was pushing the ghosts to the side, nced in their direction. Are you trying to give her confidence or scare her? With that cold face Then should I say it again with a smile? You know how to smile? As they were talking, they both went, Oh? The child got up and began to walk on her own two feet. See? She doesnt care what my face looks like. A brave child. Seol Young felt at ease now. He could get the child out, but then he remembered something. What is your name? Gwan Sol. The child answered bluntly, and Zaha looked at him. Seol Young asked, What is with that look? with his eyes. You said if I wanted to be nice, I should ask their name first, right? That is what you said. I just didnt remember it sooner They walked quickly. More spirits were gathering. Beyond them, they could see a purple glow from the ck Tortoise Troops. They brought the child to safety and headed there. Kik! The Hwarangs were shouting. Seventh! Watch your back! Get out of the way! Both of you! I will handle it! They were also doing their best to cut down the spirits with their swords. Their attacks were strong. They were taking down two to three spirits at a time. It was nice to see others get the tasks done. High Governor! Everyone was in the circle formation to defeat these evil spirits. The news of their arrival caught the attention of the people inside the Guardian Circle. Father! You are safe! Then your brother? Over there! The people were happy to reunite with their families. Seol Young asked, Is anyone else missing? No. Thank you so much! The Hwarangs could finally breathe a sigh of relief. On one side, the ghosts struck by Seol Youngs talismans vanished. It looked like hundreds of holes had formed in the bodies of the evil spirits. This felt odd. Just how did those people die like Ji Hae, the seventh Hwarang, mumbled. I have seen many sorts of deaths. There were a lot of terrible ones I could not even imagine Right. How can such cruel things happen in this house Mo Cheon, the ninth Hwarang, was shocked, too. But, hyungs, did the painting kill dozens of people before? We have already killed around a hundred of them, so what is all of this? Hundred? We are already hitting two hundred. It is my first time witnessing something this bizarre. Beom Hyun shook his head too. I dont understand why the spirits started acting crazy all of a sudden. Anyway, it is certain that they are going after innocent people. We need to get them out of here. The third member, Ji Oh, took the lead. But it didnt take long before he stopped. There should have been a sliding door leading down the hall to the front yard, from which everyone had entered. But the sliding door was gone. It seemed like a lot of what had existed before had vanished, and there was just fog. The entire ce ahead was covered in a bluish fog. Death Gate? Several of the Hwarangs asked at the same time. Why would it appear so suddenly? Has the entire mansion been taken over? Then we just need to find the Life Gate. Wait. Seol Young blocked Ji Hae, who was speaking. Something feels odd. Why do the ghosts keep appearing? If their intention is to cover our eyes and ears by doing this, it might be better for us not to head that way. Everyone went stiff. But they couldnt trust Seol Youngs words either. They looked at the people who were all anxious. If Seol Young-rang has the duty to solve these supernatural cmities, then it is our duty to save and protect the people here. Ji Oh, the third member, looked at the other Hwarangs. Everyone realizes that, right? If we stay here and move toward the Death Gate, we will all die. But if we go to the Life Gate, we will all live. From what I know, we have to go to the Life Gate in order to stay alive. Yes. When they said they would do that, Seol Young no longer had a say. Wasnt that their intention? Then we will leave first. The Hwarangs spoke to Zaha. At that time, the spirit que in Seol Youngs sleeve vibrated again. Ah, right. He thought of talking to it once he saved the people. Seol Young put the que on the floor and summoned the soul of the painter. The soul felt restless. His hands and feet were shaking as if he were trying to say something. But his presence was so weak that his voice couldnt be heard. At that time, Zaha came back and said, Now that everyone is saved, shall we talk with the ghost? Why do you seem so happy? It should be obvious. Is the soul of the painter who drew such a thing still normal? Please, if you do something reckless ande into contact with an evil spirit or die going crazy That wont happen, dont worry. Seol Young pulled out the pouch he always carried on him. Even if the opponent is an evil spirit, with these, I can block them for a while. And what are those? Talismans. Seol Young made up his mind and trusted his intuition. He had already listened to the painter earlier. Holding the pouch tightly, he summoned the soul, and at that moment, unknown emotions flooded him. Dangerous! His consciousness was screaming at him. At the same time, something passed before his eyes. This? Seol Young removed his hand, surprised, and without saying anything, he turned and ran. What is it? What did you see? Zaha followed him. There! Where they are going now! He could see the Hwarangs ahead. They were walking in search of the gate while protecting the people. But in the end .there was no door. Seol Young shouted, Stop! Dont go! Everyone looked back at him with faces that said he was crazy. At that moment, an incredible force rose ahead. Things that looked like they were part of the house vanished, and in their ce was a huge wall. A vivid picture appeared, shining brightly. This shocked everyone. The painting of paradise, which was thought to be immovable because the soul of the painter was tied to it, defied everyones expectations and appeared in front of them. The hundred-year-old painting made by a genius came to life. Flowers were blooming, and birds were flying. There were animals walking, and little kids were ying musical instruments and dancing around. In the middle of it was a dazzling halo on the back of a head. Numerous hands spread gracefully along the light. The huge Buddha was engulfed in light. No, it was the picture of Avalokiteshvara. But it couldnt be. A Buddha shouldnt smile like this. Does the smile have to be very subtle and calm when people are being trampled on? And with such a face, it stretches out its arms to the people? Move! Seol Young shouted. But it was toote. No one thought that this painting woulde to life. Ack! Its numerous arms grabbed the people and tried to put them in its mouth. No! The Hwarangs tried to pull them out. At the same time, several arms from the other side using long des moved, but the Hwarangs failed to avoid them. Swish! Blood sttered with a ghastly sound. But it wasnt their blood. Beom Hyun and Mo Cheon looked back in shock. The several arms of Avalokiteshvara holding the long des were cut off. Seol Young ran and cut them down. He knew something bad would happen in advance, so he was on guard. But he couldntpletely block every attack. He managed to cut down nine arms, but thest one shed Seol Youngs left arm. His white robe turned red. ! Beom Hyun and Mo Cheon were too surprised to even scream. Chapter 23: Nirvana Painting (6) Chapter 23: Nirvana Painting (6) Seol Young decided to stop the bleeding. But the moment he touched the wound, he felt something strange from it. ? He wanted to take a closer look, but it wasnt the right time. After quickly wrapping it up, he looked up. The Hwarangs from the ck Tortoise Divine Troops were looking at him inplete shock. Why were they looking at him like that? Seol Young had a cold gaze. Was it because he helped them? There was nothing else he could do in that situation. He immediately held his sword to pierce the core of the Avalokiteshvara. A horrid scream rang out as it was hit. But the power of the Blue Rainbow Sword wasnt enough. Seol Young shouted at the Hwarangs, Use your swords right now! Everyone was shocked, so they couldnt react immediately. What are you doing? Do you want to be eaten by the painting? Zaha sighed. Ah yes. All the Hwarangs came to their senses and drew their swords. All of them radiated purple energy and moved. The paintings mouth fell open. The scream intensified and echoed in all directions. And they felt it at that moment. When the core of the evil energy took control, the entire space trembled. Help! There are people trapped here! A voice was heard from somewhere deep in this space, and there was a banging sound too. Mom! The families were in disarray and were trying to find their children. No! Seol Young stopped them. We havent subdued the painting yet. I just stopped it for a while, but we cant hold on for much longer. You need to get out of here immediately. But my kid is in there! I will make sure to rescue them. For now, move. Dont you see? We cant let it harm any more people! At that time Swish! Something moved swiftly through the wind and flew at them with great force. It was Mo Cheons sword. The painting deflected it, and Mo Cheon picked up his sword and ran. We do not have time! He turned around, dragged the people, and persuaded them. We need to move now! It is dangerous to stay here! Right. Lets get out of here together. They were also persuaded by Ji Oh and Beom Hyun, and everyone moved quickly to get everyone out. In the meantime, Hu Myung, the eighth Hwarang, and Ji Hae, the seventh, moved as well. So fast. Seol Young tried to escape. There was no time to feel the pain. Soon, he could finally see the door. People were waiting outside, and thendlords family was also there, being protected. When they ran out, they ran after them. You are safe! But what happened? The painting appeared! What? They were all shocked, and only then did they notice Seol Youngs wounds. Seol Young spoke without hesitation. Jeong Pung! We have subdued it for now, so we need to leave quickly. At that moment, Beom Hyun and Ji Oh moved. The des of their swords were trembling. We dont have time to talk now! I heard that protecting the people is your mission. He was right. Lets go! Jeong Pung turned. The gate that had vanished had finally appeared. And they evacuated the people right away. Everyone run. Seol Young turned around at that voice and looked at Zaha. Thankful, right? If he had put his sword into the painting, then he surely would have felt it Anyway, there was no time to fight, so he just took out a bundle of talismans and hurriedly headed into the house. Then a sign of something lighter than wind followed. Zaha also came along. The moment they entered, the Blue Rainbow was trembling. It seemed like it was struggling to make them stay out. Seol Young instilled qi into his sword and looked up. Woong He could feel something shaking. There was evil energy moving around. The painting, which had be immobile, was now back to life. Countless tree branches began to spread around the walls, moving around like whips, and they all came crashing down. Seol Young swung his sword to block them. Srrnnng! The moment his sword collided with them, his wrists shook. The branches were as hard as steel but as flexible as snakes. They wrapped themselves around his sword. And at the same time, all the petals opened up and flew toward them like needles. This was dangerous. Seol Young threw away the talisman. The Killing Ghost talismans flew around and spread out like a circle. Yet the small petals managed to prate through the energy shield and be embedded in the talisman. And as they clumped together, the talisman exploded. A bundle of talismans exploded. Why were they so strong? He wondered about it. But it wasnt too hard to cut them. Meanwhile, a pair of phoenix birds were attacking Zaha. Every time they pped their wings, mes rose, and even Seol Young could feel the heat. So interesting. Zaha frowned. Is it trying to hurt me too? I love hearing that. Seol Young said while swinging his sword. Even if I die, I will be able to close my eyes feeling good. He could have said more, but he wasnt in a situation where he could freely speak. The power of the painting was too much. The birds attacking, the branchesing out like steel, and petals as sharp as needles ying Ghost! In the end, Seol Young used a sorcery trick to melt away the flowers from the branches. At that time, a huge lotus flower in Avalokiteshvaras hand opened up slightly, and then smoke came out. Hundreds of seeds from within rained down on him. He finally found out why the corpses of the ghosts had so many holes in them. It was because of these seeds. Seol Young swung his sword to block them. When he turned his body, his left shoulder throbbed, and blood gushed out again. It made no sense to continue attacking now, so Seol Young stepped back. Zaha also retreated right away. The two of them went back to the garden. Such strong killing intent. Zaha looked a bit amazed at the house. Hatred, anger, and stubbornness to kill a genius painter who drew something so shocking. To be precise, he didnt paint it. Seol Young corrected his words. It was more like stuffing it. All of the emotions areing out of the painters soul. He undid the cloth wrapped around his wound. I came into contact with it, and I was convinced. Everyone has been wrong until now. The disaster that urred that night wasnt caused by a demon. It was a premeditated massacre. Is that so? Why? Zaha just brushed off the stains on his sword. The stains seemed to be from the paint. But it didnt look like that. Was it a mixture of paint and blood? Actually, I have something I am more curious about. Why do that? Your expression after being hit by that fake monster was bad. I am checking it now. He took the bandage off and put his finger on his wound. And he read the evil qi that remained there. As I thought. What he felt right then was correct. Seol Young said, Two things are different. What two? A soul filled with rage and hatred and intent on killing. That is the soul of the person who made this painting. But this is different. Seol Young took out the que and showed it to Zaha. Zaha frowned. The person who drew the painting and the one who is sealed here are different? I am sure. Isnt it possible that its ego split away from the soul? The good side and bad side? No. Cant you tell the difference? They feel so different. But didnt the soul that was imprisoned inside im that it was the one who painted this? There are two odd things about this. First, it is unable to absorb the qi of people despite capturing them for several days. Second, there are two painters. There is obviously a mysterious part of this case that no one knows about. Seol Young wrapped the wound with a new cloth and swallowed the pill Baek Eon gave him. The pain went away immediately, yet it was strongly ingrained in his mind. A painter who died one hundred years ago. How do we find Seol Young bit his lip, and Zaha stared at him. That is why I said you couldnt do this. ? I knew it was impossible, yet I thought you could do it, but it doesnt seem like you can find out about it. What? He pointed to the inside of the house, and Seol Young asked, What is there? A shrine. A shrine? A space to soothe the spirits. Think about it, Seol Young-rang. A painter copsed and died afterpleting the painting in this house, right? I did hear that. Thendlord at that time must have been shocked. He must have hated something like that happening in such an expensive house. So he must have built a shrine or something to appease the dead. Wouldnt there be something like that here? Like a keepsake. But there was no shrine. There is. How can you be so sure? Because I saw it myself. Do you remember when I said I would let the ck Tortoise Divine Troops out? Seol Young was speechless. So this wasnt an excuse, but something real? Anyway, I am someone who keeps my word. I said I would tell you something about this house if you told me a part of your past. There was no way to know if his information was right or not. All he could do was judge it for himself. Those were his words. Lets check out the facts first. Seol Young looked inside the house and focused all of his spiritual energy into his eyes. He could feel something. The aura of the dead was shining. Meanwhile, the aura of the shrine was so weak that it was so hard to notice it, but it was there. And he looked at Zaha. Thank you for giving me such information. Well. You cannot just get in because I told you, right? You told me that with those intentions? Why? I thought you were being kind. Seol Young turned away from him. He had to find a way. It was the biggest obstacle for him now. What is this ghosts point in life? He recalled what the people told him. How did it work? And as he thought, his eyes wandered around and stopped near the tree in the garden. Something popped into his mind. There. An evil smile formed on Seol Youngs face, and Zaha frowned. Uh? You made a mistake. Seol Young said. You thought I wouldnt be able to get in and gave me such good information, but there is a way to get in. Chapter 24: Nirvana Painting (7) Chapter 24: Nirvana Painting (7) Zaha didnt seem to believe him. A lie. Then watch carefully. I will show you. Seol Young turned around. Quite an odd way to escape Seol Young ignored his words and headed for the garden. After a while. Tring! There was a faint sound of bells when Seol Young came back, and arge number of people were following behind him. Their faces were rather blurred. And regardless of sex or age, everyone looked the same. It was a horrifying sight considering their current situation, and Zaha asked, What is this? Seol Young replied with a snort, Huh? I dug up the bodies that were buried in the garden. Zaha frowned at his reply. Seol Young spoke coldly, Why? Despite being a Great Demon, you think a corpse is scary? Zaha didnt respond, but he held out his hand. He pulled something out of the nape of the man standing behind Seol Young. It was a bamboo leaf. Swish. The person turned into a small piece of paper and fell. Seol Young-rang! You make such amusing jokes!! Zaha snickered. The corpses arent the problem. The problem is their faces! Even the king of the underworld would find it creepy if you dug up bodies with such spooky faces. As he was talking, he turned the bamboo leaf over. This is how the Michu King of Si used to make soldiers in the past. Are you nning to use bamboo leaves as your shield? And he mumbled. Quite good. It was annoying to hear this, but Seol Young felt proud as he was admired for the first time. The soul and blood of the painter fed the painting when it was first made. It needs the qi of the living to keep moving. But I dont know why it hasnt been able to absorb the people it has caught yet. This means that it must be starving right now. Zaha nodded his head. So are you thinking about throwing them as bait? Right. It would be a good bait for normal people without spiritual energy. But Im going to be honest. These arent people but dolls. Lets talk about it after weve tried it out. Seol Young waved the bell. Whisper The bizarre group of people began to open their mouths and speak. Zahas eyes shone. Some were leaning over, some stood at an angle, and some were twirling their hair. They moved naturally, and those who didnt move naturally didnt move at all. When they were together, it seemed like they were truly alive. Zaha stared at him as if he was bewitched. He forgot to make fun of me. For the first time Seol Young became more proud of his technique. It was a technique he was proud of. To deceive a ghost, you need to be a ghost. He went ahead and exined. The essence of this technique lies in the four characters Ever Changing Everything in Nature. They can be noisy, but they can also be quiet. They can move, but they can also stay still. The unpredictable nature of change is what makes something natural. If he didnt understand this as well, then There was a hint in those words. Zaha finally took his eyes off the dolls and asked with what looked like a smile on his face. Who taught you that? The ghosts. Seol Young stopped talking and focused. Whisper As time went on, the dolls moved more smoothly. Ever. Changing. Everything. In Nature. Seol Young focused on the four letters, and the puppets moved more smoothly as a result. The creepy feeling they were giving off was gone, and now, despite having spooky faces, they no longer seemed awkward. And something strange happened. Shh The door, which had been shut until then, opened, and they were greeted by a bright atmosphere. And Zaha began to walk inside as if it were a natural thing to do. Seol Young, however Wait. He said. Will you stop me? I wont stop you, but I also cannot just let you in. The energy inside is too much. If a foreign qi mixes with it, the painting might notice, and it will ruin the effort I He handed him a small pouch. And Zaha asked, What is this? A talisman. It will conceal your qi for a while, so hold it tightly. ? His golden eyes widened. Its strange. This sudden kindness Kindness? Seol Young replied. Its not like you will help even aftering inside, right? Rather, you areing to keep an eye on what I do inside. Seol Young went inside, leading the dolls. The painting had taken over the house. It could now spread through the walls and extend its hands everywhere. When the prey had entered its space, the spirits screamed in joy. Numerous arms gracefully stretched out and snatched the numerous dolls. And while this was happening, the two men headed into the house. Seol Young ran and looked back for some reason. Could he possibly guess why the painting was unable to absorb the spiritual energy from the people? He thought hard about it, but he couldnt think of anything. The Avalokiteshvara grabbed the dolls and put them into its mouth without hesitation, then realized they were all fake. The Avalokiteshvara roared in anger. It was loud enough to make their heads hurt, then something swelled up inside its stomach. I should cover my ears! The golden crown above its head trembled, and its hair ran wild in rage. Its two eyes were slit long and were filled with white mes. The fact that these people were fake was driving it into madness. It was furious that it couldnt absorb their spiritual energy. The results were terrifying. The dolls were being ughtered. The dolls were burned ck by the fire it made. The huge group of men and women was being crushed. They were burned, whipped, and trampled to death. Even if they are just dolls, this is It made him feel bad about the deaths that had happened. Does it have to be this cruel? Because of the paintings anger, even the talismans he used were losing their power. He barely found the shrine and ran towards it. There was a small space that could only fit four to five people. Before he could even close the door, arrows were already flying. Kwag! Zaha managed to shut the door, and all the whip-like things that were crawling inside were cut off. It will be dangerous here too. Still, we need to make the most of our time. Seol Young put a talisman on the door and wrapped severalyers of defense over it. Only then did the noise outside fade away. We dont have time. Seol Young turned to the shrine. The letters on the wall were so old that they had faded, and one could barely make out the four letters written. Nirvana Rebirth. Below was an altar with lit candles and burning incense. A bundle was ced in the middle, which turned yellow over the years. This is it. Seol Youn approached it. The fact that it was kept well and wasnt damaged shows that it was something that belonged to the painter and was important to him. Zaha looked around. There is nothing else besides this. That means we cannot get out alive if we dont find anything here. It is fine. I am sure we can find something. What happened a hundred years ago? Seol Young unpacked the bundle on the altar. They were papers and paints. They were in good condition since no one seemed to have touched them for a long time. A white quilt paper. Zaha took a close look at the items. The brushes are of good quality. If someone said this belonged to a royal painter, Id believe them. Because they say he was famous for quite a long time. Seol Young unfolded the wad of paper. A white quilt paper, also known as Si paper, was so good that even foreigners who visited tried to get some. Artists were known to be able to freely draw on them. It was a habit. And he looked at the paper. Freshness, flowers, birds, hunting. Despite being unfinished, they all seemed to be moving in the paper. Having such an outstanding talent and giving up his soul for this, Nirvana deserved to be this powerful. Seol Young took the painting to his hand and started to feel it. But he couldnt feel anything. Was it blocked? Or was it too old to tell its story? Or maybe they were just normal paintings? Just in case, he touched each paper separately and thought they would show him something. But he couldnt see anything. Zaha asked as if waiting. Does it appear to be going as nned? Wait. There was another bundle. Seeing that it was wrapped separately, it felt like a keepsake. This looks like another painting The moment he tried to unite it, sparks flew as if something were blocking it. As I thought. Seol Youngs expression changed. This is the real deal. He drew his sword and tried to cut it, but only sparks flew. Seol Young raised the spirit qi in his Blue Rainbow Sword and cut the bundle. Pat! More sparks flew. ck energy suddenly rose and attacked Seol Young. His hand reflexively moved to defend against it. The ck energy shrank back, but the seal was still firm. He had to open it. Seol Young raised his spirit qi and tried using a stronger talisman but to no avail. The seal on the bundle seemed strong. Wrong. Zaha said, and Seol Young felt it too. The evil energy outside the shrine turned more violent, as if Seol Youngs attempt had provoked it. The door continued to rattle, with ck smoke flowing through the cracks. This will put us in danger. Zaha looked at the gaps. Seol Young-rang, why dont you stop being stubborn and just admit it? From the start, this wasnt meant to work. Do not get too greedy and return to your n. Havent you done everything? Still, it will be enough to just get us out of here. Of course, you will have to give up on solving this case. You will fail to aplish the kings order, but it is still better to be alive. Or maybe you can even run away Seol Young looked at Zaha without saying anything. He was right. This spirit was unusually strong. Head-to-head fights were never a good idea, especially when there was no solution, so he had to consider escaping. But he couldnt. When I told the Governor that I would solve the strange incidents happening on my own, I had the determination and stubbornness to get it done. They werent some light-hearted words. Seol Young said calmly. No matter whoes, this case will not be solved. All thirteen people are alive, but there is no way to get them out of the painting. Then everyone will die for real. So I need to find a way. I havee this far, so I will not give up. No matter what people say to him, he will not be shaken. He was sure and determined. They say the dead dont talk, but they actually do. Who wants to know the story of the dead if they tell it like a riddle? But once it is solved, it would be easy to know the story. And again, he looked down at the talisman. The ck energy was slowly creeping in and bing thicker. There was no time. It seemed like he should give up on this bundle for now. Lets check this out some other time. The opponent was pushing in, so Seol Young couldnt divert his attention away from it. I cannot be nervous now. This was a critical situation, and his eyes and ears would get blocked if he got nervous. He tried to hold hisposure and looked carefully to see what he was missing, and then his eyes stopped on something. Seol Young stared at the painting. Um? He hurriedlyid out all the talismans and things on the ground. And there was one strange thing. Chapter 25: Nirvana Painting (8) Chapter 25: Nirvana Painting (8) As Seol Youngid out the things on the floor and stared at them, Zaha waited. But after waiting for a long time, he asked, Are you alive? He waved his hand in front of Seol Young, who looked at him. I found it. Found what? The odd part. He lowered his gaze. He said with his eyes fixed and studying the thingsid out on the floor, A loophole. Loophole? There is a loophole in this painting. Everything is perfect except this one spot. What now? What are you even saying? Zaha asked in a sluggish manner. It was originally like that. If you draw every part perfectly, it will look awkward. Even though it seems vague, it is actually the part where the painter put in the most work. It is a technique used to conceal the truth by leaving a false sign. Seol Young had an uncultured upbringing and grew up in the wild. He didnt know about things like manners, discipline, or poetry. He enjoyed the songs of the street musicians and preferred anything from the street over what the nobles liked. But that wasnt all. Does that part have to be the same in each painting? Even the same spot too? What? Zahas expression changed slightly. Seol Young pointed to the painting. Here. Here. Here. Here. They are all the same. Ah. They all have the same loopholes in the same spot. It was true. The hunting. The painting showed the image of people being happy and animals fleeing in fear. Everyones expressions and their hair blowing in the wind looked lively. But one person in the left corner seemed different. He was alone and odd-looking. His face was lowered, and his movements were stiff. His proportions didnt match a human body. Seol Young was pointing to that person. Look. Can you see that this is the only one that was roughly drawn? Yes, but Zaha agreed. On the other hand, the horse this man rides looks quite good, right? Why would the painter put so much effort into painting the horses? The more he looked at it, the weirder it got. The painting of nature too. In the middle of the painting, everyone looked like they were alive, and only the boy in the left corner didnt seem to be drawn seriously. His face was distorted. He was half the size of others, and his hands were drawn small. But his clothes are drawn well. This is quite The peaches in his hands are the same. What was he thinking? Making the peaches look brighter than the face The other paintings too. There was a poorly drawn bird in the left corner of one painting with flowers and birds. Also, a peak was drawn poorly in the left corner of andscape painting. The loopholes were unnoticeable until now. Thanks to the skills of the genius painter, they were all perfectly harmonized in the paintings. As Zaha said, it seemed like they were deliberately hidden. If I hadnt looked closely, I wouldnt have known about this at all. Surprisingly, the location of the loophole is the same for all Seol Young was lost in his thoughts. What could that mean? If this was intentional, what was the painter trying to convey through these loopholes? If not, then If not, what? Zaha said, Isnt it possible that he did it in his own way? To harmonize the painting with the other parts. A fix? Those words stuck in his head. Every odd thing always has a meaning. Once again, that thought popped into his mind. Why are you not saying anything? Are you thinking hard about it? Zaha asked. Seol Young didnt answer and secretly moved his hand. This wasnt something he could do openly in front of other people. But given the difficult situation, he had to do it. I hope the call is answered. There were tiny sparks along his fingertips. At first, it looked like a fireflys light. He tried to hide it as much as possible, but Zaha didnt miss it. What is that? Just sorcery Seol Young answered vaguely. The sparking lights moved to the papers and gathered at the strange spots. And something turned over Nice. He was convinced that his guess was right. After carefully collecting the sparks, Seol Young said, The painting will appear. ? Zahas face looked as if he had heard it wrong. The painting? Appearing as an illusion? Seol Young knew why his reaction was like this. The painters paintings were raging with malice, anger, and hatred toward the living, and the dolls Seol Young made only angered the spirit more. And now, if something went wrong, they would die. But Seol Young was sure. There must be a strange part. We can solve this riddle once we see it in person. It is not that I am trying to win by fighting against the painting. I just want to observe it for just a moment He stopped talking. Why am I talking as if I need to persuade him? He stopped and looked at his sword. Even after shing countless spirits, his Blue Rainbow was still looking sharp. From its agile and cold form, he could feel the same force that a tiger would have. Seol Young swept the sword with his fingers. Blue Rainbow, you have been living and dying with me for a long time. I am sorry to keep putting you through hard work, but please do this one more time for me. He divided his spiritual energy into three parts, and seven marks were ced on the sword, making intricate patterns appear on the swords body. Zaha said, Looks like you really want this to happen. He didnt respond. I will do my best if I am going to die from the painting, I will gather all my strength and block my blood points. Seol Young thought so and went out of the shrine. The dark energy that was gathering slowly moved toward his feet. Beyond this, the painting was giving off a bright light. This was the world of the painting. In front of this evil, which grew stronger, anything would be crushed. He had never met such a strong opponent. But The words he said to the child, whose legs went weak with fear, were the same ones he told himself. I will lose the moment I be afraid. Avalokiteshvara was ready to attack. Seol Young calmly drew his sword. AHHHHHH! A voice resounded, and several hands moved toward him. It had such a mighty force. It seemed like he would be killed by it. It felt like he was going to be pulled in and swallowed whole. A strange joy appeared on his enemys face. But then His sword shone with a bright light, and various forms began to materialize. It was as if Seol Youngs sword was drawing a picture. Lines, curves, arcs, and faces were being created. At first nce, it was like a mand that had no end. Actually, that was his source of inspiration. In essence, it was a circle holding spiritual energy. But this wasnt enough. He believed that it could only trulypete with the painting if it could move. Seol Youngs thoughts were right. The circle that was drawn by the Blue Rainbow spread and devoured the body of the opponent. And it gave him more time. During this time, he could observe the painting and escape. This was the spot. I need to hurry up! Seol Young used his spiritual eyes and looked at the strange part on the left side. So, he looked at the bottom, the men and women running, and the mountain peak. The spot where a person was staying still and alone. Seol Young stared at it. The colors were too bright. Because he had spiritual eyes, which were more sensitive, everything hurt his eyes, and he couldnt easily distinguish the shapes. A little more Seol Young approached the painting. sh! With the sound of something being cut, the shape of a circle made by his sword shattered. Ah Seol Young sighed unknowingly. If things went ording to n, it should havested longer, but he was wrong. Maybe he should have poured more spiritual energy into the circle. Because of his instinct to avoid death, he left himself with enough spiritual energy to live. He thought he had alreadye this far But now, his path seemed dark. Was this all? Was he bound to fail from the start? Was it too much work? Did he take on more than he could handle? He had gone nk. An eerie aura rose from behind him, and something faster than the wind flew ahead. Ack! The painting, which was running wild, screamed. There was a terrible sound, and Seol Young looked up in surprise. In the middle of Avalokiteshvaras forehead, a sword was stuck. It was Zahas sword. ? Seol Young looked back in shock. he helped? Zaha was outside the shrine. His eyes were emotionless. He didnt look like someone who had just thrust a sword into the forehead of a massive demon. Everyone did this once except for me. He casually continued. So I wanted to give it a try. Chapter 26: Nirvana Painting (9) Chapter 26: Nirvana Painting (9) In the middle of the painting, which came to life, a bright light shone from the sword. The light was quite strong. It was more like a majestic force that spread out everywhere, suppressing the evil spirits and ghosts in the area. And it held this shocking presence as if it was looking down on anything evil. Ahhh In the painting, Avalokiteshvara, the beautiful men and women, and even the animals groaned. They all wriggled to get away from the light, but they couldnt move. Zaha calmly watched this. His hair was flying, and his clothes were fluttering. Behind him, his dark energy shook. He appeared to be standing alone on the edge of a cliff, far away, and just one step could crumble everything. What is this? Seol Young was confused. Seol Young wondered if this was how the ck Tortoise Divine Troops felt when they fought against him. Shock. He couldnt understand. If Zaha had left him alone, Seol Young probably wouldnt have survived. Why attack it himself when his aim was to drain Seol Young of his spiritual energy? All because he wanted to test his strength against a painting? Because of the bright light, even Seol Young couldnt look at what was happening to the painting. And as he was squinting his eyes, he said, Is it really that hard to control your impulse? You ended up saving me because of this. What is that supposed to mean? Zaha said, Seol Young-rang, what would change just because I stabbed it once? It just increases the amount of time you suffer. And he smiled as if he were looking down on him. It couldnt get any nastier than this. No! You made a mistake. In the midst of this crisis, he gained some time for a miracle. Seol Young looked at the painting, and he opened his spiritual eyes. He fixed his gaze on the lower left part. He didnt miss this single chance. As I thought He was right. Seol Young pointed to that spot and shouted, Over there! It was under the five colored clouds, which were torn up. Avalokiteshvara was screaming in pain, and the men too. It was always there on one side. The one who was alone and still. The person who was tightly hugging a pipa. A sloppily drawn picture. A distorted two-headed man who blended in with the handsome men and beautiful women. The figure could now be distinguished. He could clearly see how borately the painter drew this parthow he carefully drew the clothes of this person, the pipa that was being held, and the hands. Why Seol Young stretched out his hand. The talisman floated in the air at his fingertips. They contained spiritual qi. A hidden talisman. A talisman that allowed normal people to see ghosts. It was a beginners talisman that required the least amount of spiritual qi to create. And people who were born with innate spiritual qi, like Seol Young, could see ghosts with the naked eye, so he didnt need it. But everything had its own use. Afterpleting the talisman, Seol Young turned it upside down. It didnt appear to do anything special and only made the spirits shine brightly. And the talisman worked instantly. The vivid colors that covered the sloppy figure were taken out. The silk clothes that had a natural luster and wrinkles all over them vanished. And the pipa, which was more realistic in the painting, also disappeared. When everything was finally removed, the paintings true form was revealed. Look at that. I found it. Seol Young pointed to the shape in that spot. A shape that couldnt be figured out as human or animal. It twisted and crumbled. Um? Zaha frowned. That looks familiar. Right. Seol Young put his hand into his sleeve and took out a que. Inside was the evil spirit that was captured and sealed by the Hwarangs, who came first. The evil spirit, who admitted itself to be the painter. And he summoned it back. It was exactly the same as the one found in the painting. And he finally found it. This is a sketch. Seol Young said. Who would draw a sketch onto a painting? Someone who knew about Everything was a sketch? Zaha looked back at the sloppily-drawn things. And the painter covered it by decorating it? Yes. Seol Young turned his head. I got itpletely wrong at first. It wasnt because of bad karma. This soul has been like this right from the start. Who are you? Why are you in this state? He looked at the faint soul in front of him. We are lucky to find something. Zaha said. So what? We dont really have time. He tilted his head and pointed towards the painting. Right. The light around the Dead yer Sword was fading. He said he only pierced the painting because he wanted to try doing it, and there seemed to be a limit to what the sword could do. The men and women who were screaming and struggling began to go silent, and their eyes began to turn white. The things on the edge of the painting began to regain their strength. We barely found an important clue, but. this is I feel bad. Of course, this is a good thing for me. I will make sure to get your spiritual power and use it well. No. Seol Young gritted his teeth and gripped the que. This made things clear. The soul that was sealed within the que was not an evil spirit. For some reason, it borrowed the look of that roughly-drawn figure in the painting. The original, roughly-drawn picture was already in the painting, and it was stained with evil energy. Then Helping it should be fine. Seol Young raised his sword. He cut off the string that was around the que, and the spirit was released. At that moment, it seemed that the painting, which hade to life, had slowed down. Nice. Seol Young was confident that he was going in the right direction. Come on. Without hesitation, he grabbed the hand of the spirit, which was freed from the spirit que. The beginning is always the same. The most intense emotion gets imprinted on the soul. Feelings of death, fear, pain It is fine. Seol Young was not shaken. His body was already used to ghosts at the age of 6. He was already kind of immune to the fear and pain that he was feeling now. Rejecting them wouldnt work. It had to be like opening the door for the emotions toe but not being swayed by them. If it werent for the evil spirits, there wouldnt be anything bothering them. Right. It is alright. Seol Young repeatedly encouraged the weak spirit. Show your true face! He ordered it. The spirit was startled. It immediately shook off the fear and pain of death as it stretched out. Its true identity was a child. It was a normal child that one could see passing around a street or vige, wearing yellow pants and an open jacket. He looked to be around 5-6 years of age. And his dark eyes looked bright and kind. Seol Young looked right into his eyes and asked, Did you draw that picture? The child shook his head, and Zaha, who was watching from the side, asked a question, Did you make that picture there? The child nodded. Are you the painter? He nodded again. A child with ess to paint. A child with a paintbrush. The childs identity was rather obvious, so Seol Young asked, Your father is also a painter? Nod. The child was nodding strongly now. This child cannot speak? It could be so. But maybe it was because he was weak that he couldnt speak. The spirit of the child looked exhausted from the start. The spirit was flickering as if it would vanish at any moment. It must be because he was wandering for such a long time. Because Seol Young was infusing spiritual qi into him right now, he was at least in his true form, but he would fade again. It seemed unreasonable to waste energy and talk right now. And the child was too young, so he wouldnt even be able to speak clearly and exin. I need the truth. Seol Young held the hand of the child. Ghosts loved him. And this child too. He smiled without shaking off the human child, and so he asked, Will you show me what happened to you? And he held the childs hand a little tighter as his spiritual power flowed, and the spirit of the child began to glow. Energy must have surged through the childs body, and the fading parts looked clearer. The child was wide-eyed as he spoke. [Wow!] He was shocked. It must have been both odd and shocking to see his weak body feel fine again. He spread his arms wide like wings as he ran somewhere. Zaha asked, Where is he going? Obviously, he will show us what happened to him. Seol Young followed the child, and an amazing thing happened. With each step the child took, the space around them changed. They were no longer in a mansion taken over by the haunted painting. It was the ce within the childs memory. Arge room was in front of them, and a man was drawing alone. The childs father. The genius painter. The truth from a hundred years ago was revealing itself. Chapter 27: Nirvana Painting (10) Chapter 27: Nirvana Painting (10) The painter worked diligently with the brush. What he was currently working on was andscape painting. Mountain peaks endlessly lined up on arge piece of paper. The ridgeline was curved like a dragons back and wriggled as if it woulde to life. Each stroke of the brush held the soul of the painter. It was a great masterpiece that even a blind person would admire. A genius whom even ghosts would acknowledge Seol Young looked at the face of the painter. He had sharp eyes and a crease between his eyebrows. Was it because he was a genius? His face appeared to be so sensitive, yet difficult to form an impression on. Maybe that was why the people around him were tiptoeing, worried that they would break his flow and concentration. They were even careful when removing the tables. In this space where even breathing loudly seemed like a sin Tak! The footsteps of a child could be heard. The painter raised his head, and at that moment, a smile appeared on his face. He suddenly seemed like apletely different person. He looked like a father, not a painter. Father! The child sat next to him without hesitation and rummaged through the paintbrush bag, pulling out a small brush. Then he picked up a piece of paper and began to draw right next to his father. The child stroked his brush across the paper. It went this way, then that way, and all over it. He got too preupied. When he came to his senses, he noticed that he had touched the corner of his fathers painting. [T-That!] The people were shocked, and the child was too. His eyes widened, and he went stiff like a stone. He raised his head to see if the painter noticed it. The painter noticed the rough painting. But [Hahahaha!] He burst intoughter. It looked cute, the fact that his child was this immersed in painting [You brat! You came into your fathers workce!] The painter looked at the roughly-drawn painting and appeared to be measuring things here and there as if he had a good n in mind, then picked up the brush to paint on it again. He didnt cover it up. Rather, he preserved it right there. Because of how natural it was, it went well with the painting around it and didnt seem out of ce at all. The child was shocked. [Wow!] He seemed happy that his painting wasnt covered up. The father and son looked at each other, smiling. They look happy. Zaha said about the child, but Seol Young said, He cannot hear you. I know. And they watched the child run around andugh. Then the scenes changed. In the pouring rain, the father and son were walking under an umbre across a bridge over a pond full of lotus flowers. Then the father was hiding among the crops of the fields, observing a crane with its wings wide open, and his son was lying beside him, watching. Then the father and son were looking up at a monk, sping their hands. And the gigantic, thousand-armed statue was smiling down on them. Suddenly, a clear voice came over the memories. [Wonderful. Wonderful.] The voice was that of a middle-aged man. [I bought a new house. On the wall of thergest room, draw a painting that looks like Nirvana. Like a big painting on the wall.] The painter held his sons hand as he arrived at the mansion. It was the Red Flower Mansion from a hundred years ago. The painter drew on the nk wall. Everything the painter saw with his son was put into the painting. All the happy memories of the father and son were put into the scenery of Nirvanathe lotus pond and the Buddha avatar, which they prayed to. It was a true masterpiece. The child looked at the painting with excited eyes. And he came to his senses as he approached it. As if he had to participate in making this painting, he quickly drew on it. With his own hand, he drew another person behind the nice men and women, who were singing for the Buddha. Eventually, the end wasing. [I am a painter.] The child stood in front of Seol Young. [This is the painting I drew.] He proudly pointed to the painting. And then Everything turned ck. The two men, who were watching, stepped back. They escaped to a safe ce so they wouldnt be buried in this world. The child died. A wailing sound could be heard from the darkness. It was a painful cry that sounded like his chest was being torn apart. The sons spirit tugged at the hand of the painter, but he didnt react. [I am fine. I am really fine, Father.] No matter how much he said that, his father couldnt see or hear him. He suffered a lot as he coughed up blood and hit his head against the wall. He would even try to hang himself. Seol Young found it strange to see this happen. He did hear that losing a child was like having your organs ripped apart inside your body. But this sight felt more extreme. It felt like the fathers emotions were running wild. In the end, the painter went mad. He took a knife and cut his own hand. He mixed blood into the paint and painted it over and over again until the blood in his body dried up, and nothing woulde out. [No! Father! No!] The son continued to shout and dissuade him, but nothing happened. The painter had run out of energy and copsed, and his soul left his body. [Father!] The son stretched out his hand to his father, but the painters soul was sucked into the painting. And then came the massacre. The child was terrified and didnt know what to do. He just ran around and found one ce. The picture he drew. In the terrifying paradise, it was the only ce that was silent. The space of the child. The childs soul was hidden in that space. He closed his eyes, covered his ears, and waited for everything to pass. And he fell asleep. A long time had passed. New people kepting in. They talked about the painting, but the painting that ughtered countless people had vanished. But then, it awakened one day. In the darkness, Avalokiteshvara opened its eyes, and the handsome men, fairies, and animals began to sing strange songs. ! The child who hid in the painting also opened his eyes. And with a roaring voice, some children snuck into the room. [Ah.] The kids were delighted as they jumped around. It had been too long. And then they realized [You cannote here!] But it was toote. The painting, which had been hiding in the darkness, suddenly appeared. Good men and women hit the bells and yed the drums, with animals howling and Avalokiteshvara stretching out its hands to the children in joy. [NO!] The child tried to jump off the wall, but the painting his father made didnt let him go out. And he had to go back to his sloppy painting. [Do not catch them!] The child hoped that his father would no longer do bad things. He was trembling because he was afraid of the painting, but his love for his father was too great. With both hands, he bravely grabbed the arm of Avalokiteshvara. At that moment The beast went rampant and turned quiet. It was as if it had taken a step back. People were on the floor. And the child appeared in front of them and said, It is fine. it is fine. The voice came from the heart. The child looked at the two people with him and said, This is a painting my father drew, so it will not hurt me. And he held out his hand. Come on, I will take you to a safe ce. There is something you have to see there. Seol Young looked down at the child. I see. Now he could finally see. It was you. You were protecting the painting from harming people. The reason why the numerous kids were alive despite being in the painting for several days. It was all because of this little child. Now it is time for them to go back. Seol Young bent over and held the childs hand. Can you tell me where they are? Nod. The child turned round and round. The painting was ahead of them. The color spread out, making Seol Youngs eyes throb. It is fine. The child said it again. He bravely took the lead with a brush. The thorny vines flew like whips, and the painting came to life. A group of beasts bared their teeth and attacked. But Everything went still in front of the child. The men backed away, and the outstretched arms of Avalokiteshvara did too. As the child said, the painting wouldnt attack him. The heart of his father was still there. then it could be done. Seol Young raised his sword and shed all the evil spirits without another thought. The beasts, the thousand hands, humans He could now kill all of the beings with powerful energy that he had never been able to kill before. Everything vanished wherever his sword touched. How can this be? Zaha mumbled. His sword wasnt able to do it before. It was the same for him. If they followed the child, then they could do anything here This was the answer. I told you. All we needed to do was solve the riddle. Seol Young said. All the men fell down. Avalokiteshvaras thousand hands were cut into a dozen pieces as they disappeared. As they removed the evil beings in the painting one by one, the child got stronger. A little more. The child still had a weak soul. And saving so many kids all this time must have taken a toll on his small body with little spiritual energy. The childs appearance began to fade again. As Seol Young infused more spiritual energy into him, he managed to keep the soul from flickering. But in the end, things changed when Seol Young had almost no spiritual energy left to give the child. The child stopped in front of the wall in the corner. No Zaha lowered his sword and looked doubtful. A strong wind rose, and the wall came crashing down on its own. They could hear voices. there were people. They were sitting and hugging each other in the dark, leaning against each other with tired faces. Then they seemed startled by the sound of the wall breaking. Did ite all the way here to catch us? It was startling. N-No? The childs soul. Seol Young and Zaha were behind him, and their eyes widened. Were they humans or ghosts? Everyone had the same look. Seol Young took the jade que to prove himself as a Hwarang. I am here to save you. You can leave now. Yes! Everyone jumped up as if they were all full of energy and shouted with bright faces. We are saved! We can live! Chapter 28: Nirvana Painting (11) Chapter 28: Nirvana Painting (11) Everyone was rendered speechless after being confined in a dark space for several days. But someone who would save them hade. They got up, thinking if it was real or not. Their eyes welled up with tears as they realized they could survive. Thank you! You are my savior! Thank you! They stood up and bowed to the Hwarangs. They were holding hands as they walked slowly and moved out. Everyone greeted the spirit of the child. Thank you. Thank you. I will never forget the grace youve shown! Zaha asked, You knew he was a ghost? The people smiled and said, Yes! Well, this might seem like a fake story. This child is the one who brought us here. He secretly stole food from somewhere and gave it to us. I was worried that he suddenly disappeared, but thank God he is safe! At first, I was surprised because he looked like a goblin He is not a goblin. He is a child like us. The little boy greeted the child. Hello! [Hello!] The child also said it back. A voice people wouldnt normally hear. After saying their greetings to everyone and leading them close to the exit, the spirit became weak and eventually turned transparent. Phew. Someone sighed. And in the next moment, there was nothing there. A very faint light, simr to a firefly, floated around, but even that disappeared quickly. Zaha asked, Where is he? Gone. Seol Young replied. Even if he struggled for a long time, he still wasnt immune to the process. The ce was cleansed as the soul, which was connected to the heartfelt emotions, vanished. A cold wind blew through it. And then there was a brief moment of silence. Is it the end? Zaha mumbled. The people who were trapped in the painting were saved. The evil pictures that harmed people have been removed, and the souls rted to the incident are now erased. Isnt this over then? Right, it is over. Seol Young said, In the end, I was right. The strange incident was dealt with, and I didnt die. The n has gone awry for you. Now lets get out. But Zaha remained still. I said it is now over. So what is with your expression? To which he questioned. If it is over, then it is over. But is the real issue resolved? Dont you still have something to do? Seol Young sighed. Right. There is one thing left. What? The reason why the painter drew the Nirvana painting wasnt because of the evilness growing in his heart. It was an intentional massacre with a clear intent to kill. Right. We saw through the childs memories. The painter grieved the loss of his son and, understandably, he is sad, but no Remorse. Zaha nodded. His attitude of beating his chest, banging his head on the wall, and attempting to hang himself could be considered a strong reproach to himself. He was ming himself. Why did he do that? Seol Young mumbled. The dead dont talk, but there are things they can show others. Only when we can figure it out will this case truly be solved. But Seol Young was silent. There is no way to find the truth of what happened a hundred years ago. Then try talking to the soul. Zaha said. And the two men headed to the shrine. The relics left by the painter were there. First, they tried to open the sealed bundle. There were no more sparks now. But still, it didnt budge. Something was still protecting it. Zaha titled his head. What? Every supernatural cmity has a reason. There has to be one for this as well. Seol Young put it down. He didnt force it open and just touched the other items, but he couldnt feel anything. He couldnt even read spiritual energy from them. Just what is this? The more he learned about things, the more curious he got, and Seol Young, who was exhausted, sat down. Then he looked up at Zaha. You care about everything. Why arent you leaving yet? Because you are obsessed with some things, even I am feeling curious about them. He nced outside and said, If that is the case, there is a way. ? Look there. He walked to the center of the shrine, took his sword out of its sheath, and put it on the ground. Then he slowly stretched out his hand. A ck fog began to rise. It was as dark as ink and spread out in all directions, and the screams of souls could be heard. Seol Young was shocked. Demonic qi. He drew out a very concentrated demonic qi. What are you?! He tried to stop him, but the dark fog turned into darkness. Then he saw a painter sitting alone. A certain noble was talking. Seriously. To think that your one and only son would get sick and die so suddenly. The voice was familiar. It was the owner of the house and the person whomissioned the painting. Even though we took care of you with the utmost sincerity at home, it seems like we were stillcking. I am afraid to even look at you. No. The painter lowered his head. He wasnt a strong child from the start. This can even be regarded as a blessing. The owner walked out. And the painter was motionless as he slowly moved to look at the keepsake of his son. The pain he felt wasparable to having his body torn apart from the inside. But he was an artist. I need to finish my work. At least for him He suppressed the sadness he was feeling and picked up the brush. He forgot about everything else and focused on finishing this painting. The sun had set, the lights werent turned on, and he only relied on the moonlight to paint. Then he heard a voice outside. It was the sound of people passing by, thinking no one was around. What? For real? Shh! Never say anything about it. If this gets into the ears of the painter, everything will be a mess. So it wasnt that he died from an illness but the second young master Right! He thought a beggar came in and touched the precious painting, so he got angry and beat the child to death The painter was startled and jumped up. Wh what was that? A vivid scene unfolded before the two men. A few days ago. Now, all we need to do is finish it. I cannot take care of my son as I need to work on it all day, so I will leave him at the house of someone I know. Give me five days to finish it. Five days? The owner was impatient. He wanted to show the painting to the world right away. You dont have to do that. We will take care of your child here. It is better for both of you to stay in one house than send the child far away. You just focus on the painting. The owner took the child, and contrary to his words, the child was neglected. The child was bored and sneaked out. He went to his room to find his father, but. Yah! Why are you here? Your father is in a hurry to get the new painting done! Donte! As far as I can see, the color hasnt The maid went out. The child looked at the painting in the empty room. His fathers paintings were the most beautiful. He felt proud. Ahem. I am a painter. The child walked with his hands behind his back. And this is my painting. He pointed to his rough painting and exined it to the people looking at him. It was then It is fine! You can go in! They said that the people are out! The outside was noisy, and the second young master came in with his friends to find a shabby-looking kid touching the precious painting. How dare you put your filthy hands on it?! He kicked the poor child several times, and his friends, who wereughing, stopped. Does he look dead? There was amotion, and the owner rushed in. What are you doing? This is the son of the painter! Uh? Everyone was shocked. If he finds out about this, he will ruin the painting. Keep this matter hidden. They wiped the blood marks from the childs face, dusted his clothes, andid him down on a futon as they called the doctor and gave him money. Suddenly, his body started to show signs of fever, and he closed his eyes before we could give him the medicine That was what he was told. The painter, who learned of this from the servants, screamed. Ahhhh! The screams became increasingly distant as the ck fog lifted and the shrine appeared in front of their eyes. Seol Young stood there. With this, thest question is solved. Zaha said. I was shocked at first. He primarily thought that the painting he was so focused onpleting was the cause of his sons death. But then he realized the real cause of his sons death and decided to take revenge on the house. Even so, rich people cannot be given the right justice, so It was when he said that Tak. The string around the bundle, which was difficult to cut through, broke on its own. The cloth opened, revealing what was inside. With his soul being eaten away by the painting, what he cherished until then It wasnt a painting of his own. But the clumsy painting of his son and the small brush he used. Seol Young saw it. Without another word, he picked them up and put them right next to the painters bundle of items. So that the father and son could be together, at least with their paintings. Chapter 29: Nirvana Painting (12) Chapter 29: Nirvana Painting (12) In the main hall of the Hwarangs. The Governor and the heads of the troops were gathered, along with some officials of the Great Heavenly Pavillion. Jin Rim opened his mouth. In the house of the merchant living in the city, there was a mysterious incident in which the painting that disappeared a long time ago suddenly appeared and kidnapped thirteen civilians. This seemed to be one of the supernatural cmities that were foreseen. Everyone looked at the Great Heavenly Pavillion members. And so Seol Young Hwarang had volunteered to solve the problem on the site and went there. And as everyone knows, the evil painting was subdued, and the civilians were safely rescued. Jin Rim looked at Seol Young. Seol Young-rang, what was the reason for this mysterious incident? Seol Young-rang responded after bowing to the Governor. It was because of the grudge of the painter who lost his son in an unfair manner in the past. The soul of the painter had been extinguished, and the painting hadpletely disappeared from the world after that. It will never happen again. What does the High Governor think about it? Jin Rim asked Zaha. I heard that you visited the site and made sure everything happened correctly. High Governor, is Seol Young-rang telling the truth? Seol Young looked at Zaha, and their eyes met. So what If he doesnt admit it? Seol Young was confident because there were many witnesses that day. All of them were carefully watching Seol Youngs actions. Everything he said is the truth. Whatever it was, Zaha spoke the truth. Jin Rim looked at Seol Young again. If the High Governor is the one who acknowledged it, I have nothing more to say. Seol Young-rang, is there anything more you want to say about this incident? Seol Young raised his head. This time, Zaha looked at him. If I wasnt there, could you have even cleared it? That was what his eyes were saying. But Seol Young ignored him. It was difficult, but with the help of the heavens, I was able to solve it safely. If I had been an idiot and ruined the ce, I would have never been able to get it done. This is why I have no fear. The heavens will continue to hold my hand. Seol Youngs face looked cold, and his expression was dignified. Seol Young didnt actually think it was solved because of the heavens. He just said that so that the officials would listen to him. The officials thought his words were arrogant, but they couldnt find any faults in them. I get it. The Great Heavenly Pavillions leader nodded. I will inform His Highness about this. She gracefully got up and left the ce, with her officials following behind her. Everyone looked at them leave without saying anything, and after they felt their presence vanish, Jin Rim said, Fortunately, this event was solved well. But its better to be cautious. Everyone, be careful and stay alert. If something unusual happens, notify the High Governor or me immediately. Or Seol Young-rang too. Yes. Several Hwarangs nodded and withdrew. Seol Young got out of the way and momentarily passed the ck Tortoise Divine Troops. Beom Hyun and Mo Cheon, who were about to be hacked to pieces by the painting, had slightly awkward expressions. They just nodded and walked past him. Once everyone left, the three Hwarangs of the White Tiger Spirit Troops entered. You did well. For real. Baek Eon said softly. Seol Young, who had finished the report emotionlessly, was calm andpassionate with the three Hwarangs. It must have been hard. Right. Right. Song Ok and Hyo Wol held him by the side. We were told you were hurt? Just a light scratch. Thanks to the pill that the Great-rang gave me, it healed quickly. Rather, what happened to the task you had taken? It was resolved cleanly. Hyo Wol said with a smile. Some people saw what happened, and most would fight against the White Tiger Spirit Troops. The same was true for the other sects near Mt. Seondo, the evil cults. They were asking the White Tiger Spirit Troops not to persecute them. I think they thought so because they only saw three of us. Fools. We are always four. Hyo Wol smiled at Song Oks words. It isnt even a huge thing. Second-rang was already pretty pissed, so they ended up messing with us at the wrong time. Even after destroying them, our anger wouldnt subside, so we even pulled out the trees. And all of the rocks that were supporting the cave with roots copsed and blocked them. That is good. Seol Youg smiled for the first time in a long time. How fun it would have been if he were there too. It made him sad as he thought about it. Baek Eon looked at him as if he understood what he was feeling. Seriously. He suddenly spoke in a humble tone. Seol Young-rang, thank you for working hard for our troops and finding the hermitage and getting us pure water. In return, I would like to invite you to our brothers simple drinking party in the evening three days from now. Ah, right! Seol Young-rang! You need toe! I am not sure what your preferences are, but I am sure you are a good drinker. Come have a couple of drinks with me. Everyone burst intoughter at Hyo Wols nave words. Seol Young straightened himself and said, I will gratefully ept the request of Baek Eon-rang. Thank you. Song Ok tapped him on the shoulder. Well, the four of us bought a liquor jar from the silk winery. Since all of the difficult tasks have beenpleted, it is only fitting that we celebrate with the right stuff. Seol Young nodded. And he thought to himself. It was true that things hade to an end. But there was still one more thing to do before it could be said that everything was settled. Something no one else would care about. The moon was reflected in a small window. The moonlight illuminated the golden roofs of Sorabeol City, which has a long history dating back to ancient times. It shone into a rooman empty room with nothing but a small closet and a cushion with beads on it. Seol Young put down his brush. This was a meditation room near the temple. This was where monks who traveled a long distance would stay. The kind-hearted monks had given Seol Young a room. He did startle them when he first appeared wearing the white robe, but they were now quite ustomed to each other. All Seol Young did was quietly use talismans and read books, and this was something everyone liked. They got along well because they worked together to lift heavy things and catch cats that ran away with fish in their mouths. It was a manageable ce. Seol Young looked outside at the moon for a while. He took out the talismans he had just finished working on and came out. After walking through the dark streets, he arrived. The Red Flower Mansion. Golden ropes were wrapped around the whole group of mansions, where there were lots of cherry trees. Seol Young looked around, and after confirming that no one was around, he gently lifted the golden rope and went inside. The mansion was quiet, as if someone had died. The well-kept garden was now broken here and there. The moonlight fell silently around the area, giving it the appearance of ruins. Seol Young looked around. Where was he going? A foot facing the house, beyond the thick trees. With that thought in mind, he walked through the strangely shaped rocks in the garden. But as soon as he entered A ck shadow moved from the trees. Seol Young was surprised that he hadnt felt anything up until now and immediately grabbed the hilt of his sword. Zaha. Why was he here? He tried to run but Seol Young-rang, what is this? As he was motionless, the man continued. The case has ended, yet you sneak into the scene. What is the purpose of this? Some other reason? That Why are you not answering me? As expected, the prophecy of the Great Heavenly Pavillion seems to be right. You are the idiot who is going to cause the fall of the nation. Seol Young was shocked. No. I havee to finish something. Finish what? Did you not see with your own eyes that everything had ended? Didnt we solve all the remaining questions you had? And what more can be left in here? Zaha was brutally questioning him, making Seol Young feel cold, but this was true. He had also seen the full process, and everyone knew it. So even if he exined himself, who would believe him? The souls have perished, and no one would understand him. They would think that he got caught by the High Governor as he tried to cover up some wrongdoings. And this is why ridiculous excuses are worthless. If he does use Seol Young, then he cant escape from this. In a brief moment, he had 50,000 thoughts cross his mind. But Suddenly, he grinned. Did I scare you? I know why you came. You havee to hold a ritual of peace. Seol Young was surprised. How I saw you near the tombs. Zaha replied. You released the shattered tomb spirits at once and held a memorial for them. Saying you felt bad. You did the same with the stone beasts too, so there is no way you will leave the painter and his sons souls to be in any more pain. That must be the reason why you came here. Seol Young was taken aback by Zahas words. Just because of that guess, you came here and secretly waited for me? Thinking about how he used him earlier, he felt angry. He was taken aback, thinking he would put himself in an awkward position in front of others. But to see right through him, he wanted to make a life-and-death decision for this man. But wasnt that the kind of reaction Zaha would expect? Seol Young quietly chanted patience in his mind. And said. You are sly. Zaha looked around and asked, Me? Is there someone else here? Seol Young replied. A person who does anything to intimidate others by finding their weakness. What would one call such a person? He turned cold. Chapter 30: Nirvana Painting (13) Chapter 30: Nirvana Painting (13) The moonlight was shining brightly in the spot that he had noticed earlier. Seol Young went there and removed the leaves and branches that had gathered. He made it as t and clean as he could. And Zaha lurked around as if it were casual for him to see all of this. Even though Seol Young spoke to him harshly, he didnt seem to care. Just ignore him. Seol Young knelt and sat down. He took out two talismans from his robe. Talisman for the Dead. The one that prayed for the rebirth of the dead in a good environment. He cleaned up the energy in that area and used the talismans with sincerity. While raising the first talisman, Seol Young said, The first soul was a very talented painter. He made many people happy by drawing beautiful pictures. Then, in the end, he ended upmitting a sin and taking many lives, but He raised another talisman. The second soul saved several lives. It was for the sake of his father. Please atone for his sin with this. He said this earnestly as he prayed, keeping both talismans side by side. Lord, please have pity on the two souls and guide the father and son to be reborn together in a good ce for them to continue their rtionship. He bowed for a long time and got up. Zaha, who watched this without saying anything, said, Even if I see it through to the end, it is the same thing that I dont get. Both souls have been extinguished, and there is nothing left of them or their past that can be found again. Even if you do this, doesnt it mean that nothing will happen? Yes. Seol Young shrugged. But I still have to do it. Why? Because the heavens and earth taught me that. If there is death, then there is rebirth. And Re of rebirth means to calm down. It is a process to soothe the soul and put it to sleep. Even if there is nothing there? Even if there is nothing there. Seol Young said. He picked up the two talismans he had ced on the floor and soon burned them. The two talismans turned into a blue mass of light and soon burned brightly as they spread everywhere. Please be reborn. Seol Young mumbled and looked at the sky. The moon he saw from the room was shining, and his mind feltplicated. There are cruel people in this world who kill others for no reason. There are greedy people who simply deceive others to get what they want, and there are those who fight until the end. A person who does his best to live a good life even after death and musters up the courage to go forward despite not having enough strength. People like that are the ones who do miracles. What if they unknowingly annihted the soul of the child right after seeing him? If that were the case, Seol Young wouldnt have known about the story behind the grudge until the end. Thank you. After bowing to the moon, he turned around. There was onest thing to do before leaving this ce. Seol Young headed for the house. ? Zaha, who was looking at the moon, turned his head and looked at him. What? Just one more look before we head back. Seol Young said. You saw the memories of the child, right? The painting had been sleeping so deeply for so long and suddenly woke up. It was no coincidence that someone came and woke it up. As if someone gave it a whiff of its prey. And they had to find out who it was. He went inside and checked every corner of the empty house, but he couldnt feel anything. Not a single trace of spiritual energy was left inside. It felt clean, and before he knew it, Zaha was there. Anything? As he was watching as if this wasnt his duty and pretending he wasnt interested, Seol Young had a thought. Actually, he is too invested in this. He wasnt just faking it. He was genuinely interested. Lets see. Seol Young intentionally mumbled. Weird. I thought it would be here. And he nced at Zaha. Actually, at that time, I saw a strong evil spirit in the childs memory. I thought that spirit awakened the painting. Really? I saw the same memory, but I didnt see anything special. I was connected to the child, so it made itself visible to me alone. Seol Young spoke with a serious face. Kind of a woman. I could only see the image of her back, but For a short moment, Zahas face looked as if he believed him, and he asked, The back was how? Seol Young didnt answer and looked straight at him. With a faint smile, he said, It is a lie. What? I made it up. I saw nothing. Seol Young said without batting his eyes. When the servant of the hall told the story about a certain woman outside the gates, your reaction was unusual. That is why I tried lying once. In order to get my revenge What? Zaha red at Seol Young. You lied to me? Seol Young-rang, do you have a death wish? Are you so tired of life that you seem to be ying with death? He snorted and continued. You are so exhausting. Just one supernatural cmity has been solved, and your courage seems to have hit the sky, but know that you were just lucky. Luck is also a form of skill. You would have never solved it without me. That is also my skill because you coveted me for my spiritual power and made you follow me. You can say that I called for you. Is that so? Zaha had a look as if saying it was absurd. He did say that, but Seol Young was thinking about it too. What if Zaha had fought seriously with the painting and destroyed it? The entire situation would have ended right then. When he thought about it, it felt strange, so he said, Even when I die, my spiritual power will not be taken away. Id rather destroy it all with my own hands. I will make sure that it never falls into the hands of a demon. And he looked at Zaha with cold eyes. So throw away the thought of trying to obtain my spiritual power. Go back to where you came from and do not appear again. Then I will let this go. I will make it possible for you to remain a respected man to everyone until the end. So as not to tarnish your honorable name. Zaha looked up andughed as if it were the funniest thing hed ever heard. Then, lets meet next time. As he said that, he turned around. Seol Young didnt even have time to say anything because, in the blink of an eye, the man moved farther away. Wait. He went after him, but he couldnt find him anywhere. He was nowhere near the streets or the mansion. This made him frown. Zaha didnt seem like the type to give up just because of a threat. Was he saying that he needed to gain more power then? Despite being this strong Seriously. The sight of light shining from the Dead yer sword was vivid in Seol Youngs eyes. It was as strong as the power of God. Even if he was on the evil path, the power he gained was still the same. Does this mean that the two forces do not collide in his body? What did he do for two opposing energies to stay in his body? Again, the opponent felt way too strong. He didnt even imagine what would happen if his spiritual energy was absorbed by Zaha. If hees at me, I will not just stand still. The only thing the demon didnt know was that Seol Young was looking forward to it. In the ck and White Hall, where the game of go was yed, and among the many rooms, Seol Young went inside where the top-ranked people gathered. He sat across from the one he hadmissionedst time. The opponent said, I was waiting Did you find out? No. The voice of the man couldnt be identified as that of a man or a woman, or as that of a monster or a beast. We couldnt find out what you described, but But? We found an object having simr power. A hand crossed the veil. A small package wrapped in cloth was ced on the table. Seol Young tried to open it, but it was just a lump. All the colors were mixed inside, and it looked quite old. What is this? It looks like an egg. I dont know. And it was found in? You know, you shouldnt ask. The person said. This has been around for a very long time and has been passed through the hands of many monks and demons. All things that clung to it lost their original shape. And the person added. Anyway, it is not wooden. You got it wrong. You wasted two days of our time just because you called it wooden. When did I say wooden? I said it looked like a wooden tablet. Seol Young took out the small sealing pouch with a red string from his sleeve. The piece of wood, which looked like a wooden tablet, was in this pouch. An egg-like object was put into it as a test, and it reacted. Incantation letters floated on the cloth, and the metal attached to it snapped into ce. It is of the same type. Bigger and more powerful. Said the man. Now, what will you do? Strictly speaking, the request is a failure. I tried all our connections, but no one could identify what it was. I just wanted you to know that we can get you something useful. Will you close the deal? Or will you decide to cancel it? Seol Young looked at this lump. I will take it. He wasnt in a position to give up on it. Didnt he use it well once before? If I can purify this and uncover its identity. Seol Young left that ce and went outside. He went back to his dorm and took out a talisman. It was five times the size of amon talisman. And the size of the talisman changes the amount of spiritual power required. If the paper were five times the size, it would have twenty times the spiritual power. Seol Young put all his energy into making a huge one. He wrapped the unknown object in the talisman and put it into the sealing bag, which shone softly. And he put this pouch into the bag he had brought from the White Tiger Spirit Troops. This made the items spiritual power vanish. I have this, at least. His heart felt a little relieved. Then he heard a call from outside. Seol Young-rang. A voice of a middle-aged woman. When he opened the door and went out, it was someone he had encountered so many times. The errand boy came and went. To give this. She handed out a letter. Thank you. Seol Young opened the letter. The neat handwriting caught his eye. He could sense the character of the writer from this. Hundred words. Seol Youngs face brightened. He was happy without even having to read the content. You havent forgotten your promise. Chapter 31: Nirvana Painting (14) Chapter 31: Nirvana Painting (14) On the way back to the city, there was a ce called the Three Foxes Building. It was well-known for its fragrant alcohol and quick serving of delicious food. The Three Foxes Building got its name because three foxes were said to be hidden within the kitchen. The seats on one side of the bar were already buzzing since the evening. The White Tiger Spirit Troops four Hwarangs gathered together after a long time. The swords of Baek Eon, Immortal God, Song Ok, New me, Hyo Wol, Wind and Thunder, and Seol Young, Blue Rainbow, had gathered. Only the Blue Rainbow didnt have a Yin-Yang que, yet they felt harmonized. It was a happy time for both the people and the swords. Now, have this drink, Seol Young-rang! Want some chicken? Its my first time here, so I dont know the taste. Song Ok and Hyo Wol scrambled to offer Seol Young drinks and snacks. We havent forgotten about the other people here. It was as if they were conscious of others eavesdropping on their conversation. But after drinking alcohol to some extent, they stopped acting like before. Yah! Look here! Song Ok picked up arge bottle and set it on the table. This is called Hama alcohol. I had difficulty getting it from the winery, so I am opening it now. The Hama alcohol was famous for being strong. It got its name because the toads living on the moon apparently get drunk on it. Should we deal with this first, then start our drinking earnestly? When he tried to drink from the bottle, Hyo Wol freaked out. Second hyung! Wait! Calm down! It looks like you are already drunk! Drunk? Me? What are you even saying? I am way off. Then memorize the phrases of the Baopuzi. Present is the nature. You said it correctly, which means you are not yet drunk. Thats what I told you! Song Ok said so and emptied the bottle in one breath. He had one peculiar taste, and it was said that whenever he got drunk, he would turn lucid. His eyesight would improve, his ears could hear better, and his memory would improve as well. When he was young, he memorized things to avoid getting scolded, but now he could memorize things that would otherwise be forgotten. The words he learned woulde out on their own, and he could not control them either. It was a sight to see, but this didnt happen often. It was because Song Ok was a heavy drinker. Seol Young learned to drink from him. I am fine. He poured thest drink from the bottle into the ss with a calm expression. As he learned to drink from his second hyung, he came to resemble the amount of alcohol he drank too, but their drinking habits were quite different. When Seol Young gets drunk, he loses his memory of what he didter. ording to those around him, he turns calm at some point. ording to Hyo Wol, He wouldnt care even when someone touches him. They said that he would sit still and close his eyes to fall asleep in the same position, but he never remembered any of it. Take it slow. We cannot carry you back to your room. Baek Eon advised him. I think I am still fine, but from the looks of it, I think my limit will be just ten sses for now. I will count well and drink. He didnt even drink alcohol. He was busy slicing the fish that had just been served and putting it in the bowls of his three hyungs. The reason Baek Eon didnt drink was not that he didnt want to get drunk. But because he couldnt take it. Shortly after taking over the position of leader, there was a time when they had to fight with a group of wild bandits outside the Moon Pce. At that time, Baek Eon had drunk threerge wine jars by himself. Even though his face hadnt changed, nor did his words slide, he managed to take down the bandits. It is meaningless if I dont get drunk. So he didnt drink. On the other hand, Hyo Wol was the problem because he had a low alcohol tolerance. Great-rang and Second-rang, am I the only one feeling hot?? Seol Young, are you not feeling hot? He was already drunk from smelling the alcohol the two were exchanging. And his words kept repeating over and over again. I cannot be the only one hot Everyone burst intoughter when he finally hit his head on the table. They talked about this and that, and the topic naturally moved in one direction. But what happened that time? Hyo Wol asked while fanning his face. The contents of the letter you sent us were so serious, I thought some nine-headed demon was after you. Ahh Seol Young responded. Song Ok wore an expression as if he wanted to know too. I am just d the misunderstanding has been resolved. Actually, we can only roughly imagine it, but since the Governor said not to talk about Right. Fortunately, it didnt end up wrong Well I still feel like I need to have a talk with him once. No! Seol Young jumped up. Great-rang! Dont! Never! Do not meet! I will have to meet him sometime. I will go! He shouted urgently. All he thought about was protecting his hyungs from that devil at all costs. The three of them looked at Seol Young with strange looks on their faces. As Baek Eon said, Right. It might be better to share a few more words about him directly. I guess I should have told you more about him. It must have been awkward to be with someone higher than the Governor to appear so suddenly and then tell you to do this and that. Baek Eon spoke softly. I will tell you the stories one by one. Is there anything about the man you are curious about? No Seol Young, who was trying to stop them, paused. As he listened to Baek Eons words, he thought of something. The moment he appeared at the ancient tombs, he suppressed the evil spirits with strange magical tools. He moved so swiftly and secretly that even Seol Young couldnt figure out what they were. He barely saw a thin golden line. In preparation for the rematch, wouldnt it be better to know in advance what he had? Seol Young thought and asked, Actually, there is something I am curious about. Oh? Baek Eon looked happy. It was a face that said, this is good. What is it? That does he use other weapons? Weapon? Baek Eon asked, and the other two also tilted their heads. Did you see him use any technique? I dont remember. I remember him saying that they are troublesome to carry around. So he did that after taking the path of evil? Baek Eon asked, Did you see him use them? N-No. I must have been mistaken. Seol Young changed the topic. And as he looked at the ss, another thought came to his mind. And Baek Eon asked, Anything more you are curious about? Yes. Okay. Go on. That he has a sister, right? Za Yun-rang? Yes. The one whom I visited and congratted in the past. You remember. But does she have a bad rtionship with the High Governor? For a moment, Baek Eons face was shaken. Seol Young was a bit shocked by it. Zahas emotionless eyes felt odd to him, so he asked, but the man didnt respond. I was being too much. No. Its good to know. Because you are the only one in the entire Hwarang troops who is unaware of this. Baek Eons face was normal now. But it doesnt seem like something I need to tell you, though. Wouldnt it be better to hear it directly from her? Uh? I think meeting once would do you good. I am sure you and her should meet once, and I am sure she will like it when she sees you. Yes. She will find you very fun. Yes. Yes. There is no way she wouldnt like you. Seol Young was puzzled at their words. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were Hwarangs. But there was one problem. It was that all three of them firmly believed that when other people met their youngest, they would all like him. Seol Young changed the topic. I want to hear more about your cave stories and what you solved recently. I should have been When Song Ok started his story, they were back to being noisy. How many have we drunk by now? Seven cups. Seol Young and Song Ok were giving and receiving The door of the bar opened, and a certain Hwarang entered. Seol Youngs eyes met his, and he immediately went back. Song Ok asked, Who is that? Mo Cheon. Seol Young said, making Song Ok snort. Mo Cheon, isnt that the youngest in the ck Tortoise? You took a knife for him, and he doesnt even say thank you. Man, I am so dumbfounded. I dont really want to take sides, but it might be because he was shocked Hyo Wol said. Anyway, should we be careful now? Doesnt the fact that Mo Cheon-rang is here means that the ck Tortoise men are also lurking around? Right. It wasnt that they shouldnt drink together, but they didnt want others to see them, at least now in such messy times. Do we have to go to Mo Cheon-rang and talk to him? Or maybe just greet him? Baek Eon asked for water, and Song Ok and Seol Young moved. Both of them were still in good condition. Still, Seol Young got up from his seat and prepared. I am going to get some fresh air. He thought that death would be a lot better than showing himself disheveled in front of the other Hwarangs. Seol Young went out and walked around, looking at the moon. He was far from being drunk. But at some point, he felt dizzy. What is this? He reached out and tried to grab onto a railing, but there was just empty space. ? Seol Young looked shocked. At some point, he was no longer near the bar but in a different space. A tall building loomed ahead. And someone turned around from there. A woman. She didnt even look like a human at first nce. Maybe? Seol Young pulled himself together. Chapter 32: Nirvana Painting (15) Chapter 32: Nirvana Painting (15) Under the nted moonlight, the back of the woman was half-lit and half-dark. Her hair was long enough to reach her waist, and red beads decorated the hairpin that hung over her hair that didnt shake. It could be said that she just stood there, not moving. Who was she? The scary ghost that the woman named Yeom witnessed? The one they saw before entering the ritual hall? Seol Young took a step closer to get a good look at her. But then His legs trembled, and the entirendscape began to shake. Seol Young felt dizzy. The whole scene was shaking, making him feel dizzy again, and this made him realize something. He came to a ce he shouldnt havee. He peeked at something he shouldnt have, and so, this was his only chance. I need to get a little closer look! Seol Young raised his spiritual power, but the form of the woman was already fading. He couldnt miss this chance. At least he had to find out where the woman was even standing. That unlit building. What was it? Who was it? Seol Young looked at the background instead of the woman. He focused his whole mind on it and stared at it very intently. For a brief second, he could see the shaking building clearly. A majestic octagonal shrine. It was the sacred well of Si, the Water Veins. At that moment, the world he was in pushed him back, making it harder for him to withstand it. The sensation of directions had changed, and he struggled to keep his bnce as he finally caught onto something. It was the railings of the bar, and Seol Young opened his eyes. Before he knew it, he was back at the bar. Fourth! Song Ok ran and grabbed him. Flustered, he said, I was wondering why you didnte inside! Are you not feeling well? No. Song Ok was a strong person. And with his calm voice, his dizziness vanished. Water Veins. Seol Young thought as he came to his senses. There is something there. One side of his chest felt cold, but he didnt say anything because that would make things worse. Hyo Wol clicked his tongue. Even if we have drunk this much, there is no way he could get drunk at this level. Maybe he overdid it. He could be exhausted too. Maybe getting up right now is better. Lets walk back together. Baek Eon rose from his spot, gently grabbed Seol Young, and led him. Seol Young could only sigh. He didnt want to tell them what he saw. He wanted them to stay as far away from there as possible and handle the evil things for them. How can I tell them not to go to the Water Veins for the meantime? As he continued to think, the three walked together. Seol Youngs worries were suddenly resolved. Ah! The men walking from the other side saw them and stopped. The ck Tortoise men. Among them were people who came to the house where the painting incident happened. When they met Seol Youngs eyes, they had awkward looks on their faces. But they soon bowed their heads. Baek Eon-rang, Song Ok-rang, Hyo Wol-rang and Seol Young-rang. Greetings. I apologize, but have you seen our ninth member, Mo Cheon-rang? We saw him earlier Hyo Wol hurriedly covered Song Oks mouth. The smell of alcohol? The men said again, Have you seen him? He went to change money but then disappeared. May I know which direction he went to? We dont know that much. Baek Eon spoke simply. Did youe here following him? At thiste hour? Actually, we are here to buy paper. The one in front said. Our Great-rang, Mu Won-rang, went to the Moon Pce untilte, and we heard that the ancestral rites that were interrupted due to the incident during the ritual are being resumed. Ritual? Baek Eon asked, a bit shocked. Yes, Baek Eon-rang. Since the matter was resolved, the Great Heavenly Pavillion requested to hold the ritual as soon as possible to calm the hazy energy flow within the capital. The four of them looked at each other. It was possible to make such a request. But since it wasing from the same hall that used their youngest, it didnt feel good to them. I see. Baek Eon nodded. But what does the ritual have to do with paper? To copy the dance notation. The men said. Because the Governor decided to hold a Sword Dance ceremony this time. Again, they nced at each other. Sword Dance ceremony Only then did they understand. Baek Eon nodded at the men. I understand. Thank you for letting me know. Go ahead and find your ninth member. Yes. Baek Eon-rang. The ck Tortoise Hwarangs greeted them and left, and when they were gone, Hyo Wol smiled. So they rushed to buy paper? They truly resemble turtles. They cannot do anything quickly. If they dont want to fall behind other troops, they should at least start practicing more. Song Ok nodded. The Sword Dance wasnt a simple ceremony. The entire Hwarang troops needed to gather in a sacred ce and demonstrate the sword technique with their old seniors. It was a ceremony that showed the spirit of the Hwarangs. It was bothersome and time-consuming to prepare. Even so, they could make a guess. Why did their Governor decide to hold this ceremony? It must mean that he will not allow anything like thest time to happen again. Everyone nodded at Hyo Wols words. Last time, while the women were preparing, a disaster happened. But at least with the Sword Dance now, such a thing wouldnt happen again. Everyone would gather and prepare with a spirit sword in their hands. It seems like a deration that this time the ritual will happen safely. Song Ok stroked his chin. Certainly, the preparations for the Sword Dance are cumbersome. But we dont have to be worried. After saying that, he nced across and said. Baek Eon liked old-fashioned things, so he knew things like the Sword Dance. He memorized most things to the point where he could do them on the spot. And for the White Tigers, this was like having a key in their hands. When the ritual was decided as the Sword Dance, everyone felt rxed Wait. Wasnt that a story of the past? The faces of Song Ok and Hyo Wol trembled. With just the three of us, it might note out well, right? That is why we must thoroughly prepare. Baek Eon said while looking at Seol Young. I know what role we have to y in this ritual. And how about you? Ah, I know I have to leave. Seol Young answered. Due to the preparations for the Sword Dance, everyone would gather at the main area and practice. There would be no one preventing him from going to the Water Veins. And it was a good thing. You will drop out of the Sword Dance? Governor Jin Rim asked with a serious face. Originally, if there is a ritual, all of the troops have to participate, but if you have a reason, it isnt like you cannot leave. So what is the reason? It was difficult to exin. It was also because the Governor would dismiss his reason if he said he was going after something, but Seol Young nced across the room. He was looking at some papers with Zaha. He didnt seem too interested in their conversation. He hoped that this would continue, and Seol Young said, Actually, I looked into somethingst night. Looked into something? Yes. Sometimes it is simr to a dream in which one identally glimpses the movements of a spirit or demon. Is that so? Jin Rim asked as if it were nothing. And what did you see? A spirit of a certain form, which seems to y a significant role in many of the supernatural cmities Zaha raised his head with a Look at him? kind of look and asked, Could this spirit be a demon? yes. And you saw its back? yes. Jin Rim looked at the two. Because of his simple and straightforward nature, it seemed like he was wondering if there was something that only the two shared. I see. His face turned serious. And you n to track it down on your own? Yes, Governor. I saw the ce where the spirit was, so I want to head there and investigate. Seol Young replied politely. Rather than waiting for the news of something strange happening again, I think going after it before something happens is better. Right. The Governor nodded. That makes sense. If thats the case, I will remove you from the festival, so go and investigate and High Governor Ah. Yes. Yes. I will go and take a good look. He left the papers and got up. And as soon as Zaha came out, his facepletely changed. Seol Young-rang, dont you know that its not fun to pull the same prank twice? It isnt that Not a joke? So do you just hate participating in the ritual? No If thats not the case, then why the hell would you lie to the Governor? If you are going to behave like this, I have no choice but to report you for acting like a child. Thest time was a lie, but Seol Young said. It is real this time. I saw the back of a woman with long hair and a beaded hairpin. Half the women within the capital are like that. And the men too The location is important. I could barely make things out, but the woman was in front of the Water Veins. There has to be something there. Well Zaha still didnt believe Seol Young. I guess it was a bit sudden. So you didnt get drunk or have some wrong medicine with hallucinogen effects? Seol Young was shocked. Even if he did do some recreational activities, how many years has he been in this job? He could tell the difference between an illusion and reality. It was real. Something strange happened or would happen in the Water Veins. You cane with me to check and see if I am wrong or right. He coldly said. Actually, he was nning on going alone, but this man just pissed him off. Seol Young thought. e and see. Chapter 33: Lion Dance (1) Chapter 33: Lion Dance (1) The Sorabeol Mountains. Once upon a time, during the time of the 18th king of Si, a mysterious thing happened there. Clouds rose far away like the shape of a pavilion, and a strong scent lingered for a long time. The good spirits areing down and having fun! Thisnd must be blessed! Please do not cut down the trees here. On the Kings orders, that ce was called the Godly Forest. A forest where the Gods could roam. And they let it remain like that. The five great ns, which symbolized the sun, blue dragon, white tiger, ck tortoise, and red vermillion, all headed there. It was to practice the Sword Dance, which was taught since the times of the ancient Hwarangs. Meanwhile, Seol Young went to the waterways. It was a sacred ce in Si. Come to think of it, why the waterways? There were two people in front of this well, which was made by the ancestors of Si. Among them, the man dressed in ck said, I forgot about it for a while. But we shouldnt havee here. Right. Those who have deviated from the path of righteousness and fallen into sorcery and the demonic path must not pollute the sacred well. Not that. Look at the people, Seol Young-rang. The people around them were looking at them and whispering. Come to think of it, the well was where people who wanted to have a child woulde and pray. And it wasnt a ce where Hwarangs who werent married coulde and visit. But those would be the Hwarangs who were well-behaved. If I cared so much about the eyes of the people, I wouldnt have gone down the demonic path at all. Seol Young pointed this out. Regardless of what Zaha said, he walked around the shrine near the well and took a closer look. Was there anything strange here, or was there any part that seemed overly active When he pinched the floor and rubbed the soil with his fingers, the children walking by gave him a strange look. Zaha told them, This person didnt want to participate in the ancestral rites, so he is doing this. Seol Young jumped up. It might not be the well. But there is something around here. So? There is a way. Seol Young took the lead. I have no choice but to ask around. Can that be called as a way He tried to ask him a question, but Seol Young just moved forward. The two men headed to the street below, and Seol Young grabbed some random people and asked, Did anything strange happen around here? Something like a scary story actually happening in real life or a ghost of some story appearing Well. The people seem shocked. He looked everywhere, but nothing came up. Rather, it only drew attention. A man in fluttering white clothes was going around, searching for ghosts in stories appearing in real life, with no expression on his face. Isnt he the ghost? Now people were thinking that Seol Young was the ghost. It would be quicker to make a ghost story here. Zaha pointed it out. Seol Young-rang, the entire day will pass by like this. Do you really not have an ulterior motive? After dragging me around like this, I am now waiting for the I am tired, lets head back dialogue. No. You have to follow me until the end. Isnt that how you can confirm if I am right about this? You can give up on those thoughts and continue to suffer here with me. Zahaughed. Seol Young looked confused. What part of my words was funny? The follow part. I guess youre used to my presence always following you now, huh? I hate to say it out, but He didnt even pay attention to what Zaha said and kept going. Zaha, however, whispered something to the ying kids nearby, and they gave him a sad look. Seeing that, Seol Young was angry, but he couldnt get rid of them by force or power, so shouldnt he just endure it? But getting angry here would be like falling into Zahas trap. And he was hiding his clenched fist under his sleeve. He was the one who made the kids cry with the demons he released. Seol Young pulled on his swords sheath, intending to hit Zaha with it. You want to hit me, but you cannot do it, so you are going to use that? More people gathered, and everyone watched with wide eyes as this happened. At that time Oh! It is true! Others came running. Hwarangs who catch ghosts, please help us! Please catch that evil ghost! Seol Young stopped. And he withdrew his hand as if he had never intended to hit anyone, and he turned to the people. Did you just say evil ghost? Yes. It has to be the work of a ghost. Even though there is absolutely no reason for a fire to start, the mes go up every night. Several of the houses have been damaged, and we think it is a Shiki. Shiki? Originally, it was the name of a certain young man. After seeing the queens face during her procession, the young man fell in love with her. Seeing the gold bracelet that she had given out of pity, the mans heart red up. And the mes were known to have burned his body and turned him into a ghost. And wherever he went, mes would break out. And that story about a Shiki came true? Seol Young looked back. Arent I right? Supernatural cmities have been happening around here. Well? Zaha looked a bit awkward. Why dont we check it out first? The two followed the people to the scene. In order to get a good look at the ghost, they went with the person who asked for help. When darkness began to fall, fire erupted from the house on the west, and someone screamed. An evil ghost! What the people said was true. A fire had suddenly broken out in the middle of the yard. There was neither a me nor any firewood. The fire just burned on its own. And in the blink of an eye, it vanished. Immediately after, another house was in mes. Fire! Fires broke out in several locations in a short period of time. This was the trick of an evil ghost. First, it created a fire to cause fear. In the east and west, the ghost made fun of people by moving in strange patterns. The evil ghost was running rampant everywhere. Looking at the fires, Zaha said, You will have to run hard to catch that. That is not necessary. Seol Young looked around. He found what he was looking for on the outside wall of a nearby ce that looked like a warehouse. There was something leaning next to some agricultural equipment. It was a hunting bow. Seol Young immediately jumped over the roofs and went to that house. He caught the man who was fixing the bow, and he told him that he was someone who could chase the evil spirit away. Can I borrow that bow for a moment? Ah! Yes! But there are no arrows No need. Seol Young took the bow and jumped onto the roof again. Standing there, he aimed at the fire ghost rampaging around and drew a talisman in the air, using it as an arrow. It was a suppression talisman that could put out the fire. And when he pulled on the string, the talisman flew like a bow. It looked like it was shot in the air, but no. He read the ghosts movement and shot ahead of it. A fire ghost appeared in the middle of the arrows path. The ghost couldnt avoid it and was hit urately. Kuaaak! The ghost screamed and rolled on the ground. The roaring mes began to vanish little by little, and the souls shape was now visible. Zaha looked up. Is it a man or a woman? The two got off the roof and went to where the ghost was. ACK! The ghost rolled on the ground and continued to scream. The mes had scattered everywhere due to the ghosts raging emotions. Seol Young tried to read its emotions, but they all felt too noisy. This ghost was a gambler. He was a gambling addict who got into debt and beat his wife and children as he constantly threatened them to give him money. The wife, furious at his actions, decided to abandon him for a new husband. And he went to the house she was staying in and set it on fire. The wife, children, and her new husband got out, but this man, who had been drunk, couldnt escape on time and was burned to death. This is pathetic! Seol Young was shocked and kicked the fire ghost. If you didnt have the money, you shouldnt have gambled. Why would you gamble yourself into debt? Why beat your wife and kids and set the house on fire? You deserved it. People gathered. Every time Seol Young said, This thing! and How can you? they all felt bad. The evil ghost seemed angry. It was a vengeful one. The entire soul of the ghost was full of evil. Others should burn like me. The evil ghost had such an obsession brewing inside of him. With just this thought, the ghost managed to shake off the talisman and jump up. Wheik! A huge fire broke out. The ghost was like a madman who couldnt realize the dangerous situation he was in. There were cases where a person who had learned to use a sword could not beat a madman with a kitchen knife. This case was the same. The ghost jumped up, wide-eyed. There were mes all over the ce, and the heat was rising. Ah! People began to back away with screams. They looked at Seol Young and shouted, Be careful! Seol Young gave the ghost a cold look. I was going to kill you gracefully if you showed any sign of remorse With his other hand, which didnt hold the bow, he drew the end of the string. It was directly aimed at the forehead of the ghost. ACK! The ghost fell again. Seol Young stepped onto his head this time and said to the people, Dead ghosts cannot ovee and hurt the living. You must all think of that when you meet any ghost. Ghosts are those who have died, and they are those who have left this world. Humans are one step above ghosts in this harsh world because they are alive. And in that way, they can hold the reins. These guys are already losers. Seol Young believed in that, whatever the truth behind the ghost was. He had been through the rough side of the world with this attitude up until now. KUAAAK! The ghost struggled and screamed, trying to keep the mes going. But now it was like wet firewood. It wouldnt catch on fire. During its desperate act of getting away, the talisman that was urately stuck on its forehead began to dig deeper. Zaha arrived, and Seol Young pointed to the ashes with his chin. See that? I didnt have to run around to catch it. Right. That is good. But He nced at the ashes and said, Wasnt it a Shiki? You ran so confidently, but in the end, it wasnt one of the supernatural cmities that were predicted by the Great Heavenly Pavilion. And he smiled. Seol Young clenched his hands. Crack! The bow broke. Chapter 34: Lion Dance (2) Chapter 34: Lion Dance (2) Ah. Seol Young was a little taken aback. Among those who surrounded them, he looked at the person who lent him the bow and went straight for him and said, I apologize. For what? It was something I was about to throw out away, and you used it to catch a ghost, so it worked out. No. Here, this Seol Young took out the coins from the money pouch his hyungs had given to him and gave them to the man. ? Zaha stared at him with a puzzled expression. Seol Young ignored him and asked the people, Is there anything else strange besides this? Strange? Well, lets see An old man spoke cautiously. It feels like there have been more water ghosts by the river these days. Look at this. Seol Young sent Zaha a look as if saying that. As I thought? Zaha walked around. The ck water near the river reflected the moonlight. And it was quiet. But As a test, he threw a piece of paper into the water, and. Ssh! Ssh! Dozens of arms came out. They looked bizarre, as if they were entangled snakes. Seol Young had grabbed one of them and pulled it out. He inspected it, but it seemed normal. It was like there was nothing strange about it. A normal water ghost. I dont think it is anything but an ordinary water ghost. Zaha pointed out, but Seol Young didnt care. We have to catch them all. All? Wouldnt it be better to bring in the Blue Dragon Troops? Well, I guess so. Seol Young squatted near the water and unwrapped the cloth around his wrist as he rolled the sleeves to his elbow and put his arm in the water. A water ghost immediately grabbed his hand, and he pulled it out. When he put his hand back in, something grabbed it again, and he pulled it out again. Zaha looked at him, puzzled. What is wrong with them? I dont know. Seol Young replied. When they see my hand, they seem to want to grab onto it, without another thought they As he spoke, he continued to grab them and pull them out. When they were out of the water, he threw them to the ground. The water ghosts struggled as one after another was thrown on top of each of them, and Zaha mumbled, watching them disappear. The White Tiger Spirit Troops have been the best among all the Troops in recent years, and I have a rough idea why. Right. It wasnt that Seol Youn gained notoriety among the ghosts for no reason. After a while. The river became clear. That was wonderful, Seol Young-rang! Zaha, who had been watching this, shouted. The water ghosts are all dried up. And the ce looks a lot better now that the Yin in the air is gone, right? And he nced around. But This also has nothing to do with the premonition that the pavilion had given though, right? Seol Young didnt respond. Before he knew it, the sun was rising, and a blue-gray hue was spreading from the edge of the sky. Seol Young-rang, why dont you finally admit it? Im not sure how you could be so certain about this when you didnt evenmunicate your intentions for all of this. I seriously do not understand it. You do not know much about this world. You have nevermunicated with the souls or summoned beings, so it is natural that you do not understand this. But there really is something here. I am sure of it. They soon got out of the riverside and headed to the streets, and the smoke was rising. The smoke was a symbol of people getting ready for the morning. Weird. I surely. Seol Young was walking around and bumped into someone at a store where the fire was put out. He quickly caught the person who was about to stumble. I apologize. No! He stopped and turned to see Zaha staring at him. He had a puzzled expression, and Seol Young turned around. What? Does something feel strange? You. You are the strange one. Zaha asked with a frown on his face. In such cases, what do we do? What if you were walking on the streets, got into another fight, and stabbed another Hwarang from a different troop? What good would it do to know about that? Want to pick a fight now? What if, in response to your annoyance, you knock down and destroy a stall as a result of a fight? That will never happen! I would just apologize if so. No wonder. They all looked at me like I was a madman when I broke down the wall of the tavern. Zaha mumbled. It is good to think about the damage you would do to another persons property. Rather, it is quite ideal. But a person who lives with that kind of thinking who broke down some tombs and is now leading others to a ce where a ghost is When the story of his past came up, Seol Youngs face turned cold. Did you know? He turned and heard a voice from behind. That you asked for the White Tiger Spirit Troops? Seol Young flinched at those words. It is always better to speak for ourselves than have someone else do it for us. He said, I didnt pay much attention to that at first, but I came to reflect on it. How can I not reflect back? I bowed my head in person whom I had to apologize to because Teacher took me in. Aha. Zaha nodded as he understood. I guessed as much. Since you caused a lot of damage in different ces, the White Tiger Troops couldnt have simply epted you. And no matter how famous your teacher is, just an apology from you wouldnt have been enough either. Right. The house was blown away due to it. House? My parents house. While Teacher was looking for me, I took care of the house, but then I had to sell it because there were too many ces I had topensate for the damages I did. Then this means you dont have a house? Where do you sleep? Do you think I am crazy to let you know? Never It was then. Someone grabbed the arm of Seol Young from behind, making him look back. ? An old woman. A woman he had just met for the first time was ring at him. She didnt say anything and continued to look at him. Pinch. The fingers of the old woman began to dig into his arm, but Seol Young didnt feel any pain. It was his first time seeing someone with such an angry expression. What is it? Zaha asked. It was at that moment that some people were running towards them. Mother! One of them hastily grabbed the old woman. You cannot just do that to anyone! This person is a Hwarang! They help us catch the ghosts! Look at that! Their dress shows how different they are! As the people who approached them exined to her, they tried to make the old woman let go of Seol Youngs arm, but she continued to re at him with some unknown resentment. Seol Young asked her children, What is it? Sorry. You see, our mother has been going through some psychological problems The one who looked like the eldest son spoke to him. Well, it might be because my younger brother was killed by a Hwarang What? Seol Young gave Zaha a quick nce. Finally got it. It was that kind of look, and Zaha seemed to say. No. Looking at those eyes, he turned to the people. As if. There must have been a mistake. Hurting a civilian is a direct vition of the teachings in the Hwarangs We know that too. Her children bowed their heads, looking equally embarrassed. But we saw him with our own eyes. He was obviously a Hwarang. His clothes were also the same, and his sword had a mark of a Hwarang too. Although the situation was a bit strange And he tugged his ear, making Seol Young ask, Strange, you say, in what way? The children took turns talking. When my younger brother was very young, he came into contact with a certain elder and became a monk. When the temple closed, he returned home, and there he made a living by carving out statues of the Buddha. Several guests would visit my brother because of that. Then one day, a Hwarang came over to visit in the middle of the night. At first, everyone was surprised to see him standing outside the fence. When we asked him what was wrong and if he wanted to say anything, he didnt answer, and he just passed by us and went into my younger brothers room. It was odd, but all we could do at that time was think about what had happened and not act. As I said, there were a lot of guests who came to visit my brother, as he had been with the temple for a long time. Some would ask him to carve out small Buddha statues to gift their parents and such. We thought their talks inside were getting long. But even if it was long, it felt like the room was too quiet. Thinking it was strange, I headed to his room, opened the door, and the entire room was covered in blood. The Hwarang was nowhere to be found, and only the dead body of my younger brother was there. Seol Young raised an eyebrow at this. The Hwarang didnte out then? Yes. We were all sitting in the yard and talking. We didnt see him. And it wasnt like he could sneak out when there were so many people in the house. Couldnt he have sneaked out through the window? At Zahas question, they shook their heads. There are no holes in the room, let alone a huge window. After killing him, couldnt he have gone into hiding somewhere in the house, then used themotion to sneak out? Even at Seol Youngs words, they shook their heads. Our house is very small. There is no ce to hide unless one is a rat. The man just disappeared. And it was like he sank into the ground. That couldnt happen. Of all the five troops the Hwarangs have, there are no troops with the skill to fly to the sky or sink to the ground. Seol Young agreed with Zahas words. There was something strange about this. Do you remember what this Hwarang looked like? Yes. All the family members responded. Rather than forgetting, it is a face that is difficult to forget once seen. Before finding out that he is a beast who had murdered my younger brother, he seemed like a good person, you know? That was what I thought. I know that all the Hwarangs are great, but this man felt different, so different that we could instinctively feel it. You can immediately recognize these kinds of things at times. His clothes? Seol Young asked again. Among the Hwarang troops, there are different colors we have on our robes depending on the troop we belong to. In particr, the overall Jade green. The womans children answered, and Seol Young wanted to confirm by asking, Are you sure it is jade green and not blue? Yes. We all saw the same color. My younger brother works long hours, so we tend to leave the lights on. It was clearly jade green. The Hwarang troops had blue for the Blue Dragons, white and ck for the White Tigers, gold for the Golden Rings, purple for the ck Tortoises, and red for the Red Vermillions. In other words, this wasnt the clothing of the ns. Then Seol Young fell into deep thought. As he listened to these people, he could think of something, but it was just a feeling. There was no evidence to corroborate it. But this is a serious thing. He nced at Zaha, and their eyes met. Right He shrugged. Seol Young-rang, I am d that what you imed has been proven. Seol Young stayed silent. This was not a happy situation. Even the Great Demon might be aware of the seriousness of this incident. A Hwarang visited a citizens home and killed him inside. This meant that something bad was about to happen. Chapter 35: Lion Dance (3) Chapter 35: Lion Dance (3) As expected. A Hwarang killed a civilian? An ordinary man who didnt even sin? The Moon Pce was in a mess. As the information passed from one person to another, the rumors became more detailed. A certain Hwarang went to someones home and stabbed an innocent person to death. His family isining about injustice. They say that they can even point out the Hwarang who did it and they are earnestly pleading. Stories like this spread. And the Hwarangs, who valued honor, couldnt stay still at this. The Governor was angry. It is impossible. Every move of the Hwarangs has been transparent until now, so how can one sneak out and do such a thing? If that is true, I will cut myself down! He immediately epted the familys request. Coincidentally, everyone in the troops is preparing for the Sword Dance. So call for the family who had their child murdered and let them point the person out. As a result, an unexpected confrontation was going to break out in the sacred forest. The old mother and her sons pulled a cart and went to the forest. The card was loaded with a corpse, which was covered in mats. The Minister of Justice, who was in charge of the inspection, also attended, and there were many onlookers. Look at that. Didnt they say that there was a Hwarang who did something wrong? The officials of the Great Heavenly Pavilion were all gathered. It was held in the name of looking into the possibility of the premonition they had received. Did a Hwarang kill a civilian? Or was it a false usation nned by someone? Everyone was busy expressing their opinion. Seeing this, Seol Young thought to himself, It is fortunate that I found out in advance. When he looked at Zaha, he and the Governor were talking. Anyway, he was the supreme leader of the Hwarangs, so he had to act like he was doing something. Also, the sooner Seol Young gets entangled in a mess, the better it is for Zaha. So, for now, he was deliberately cooperating. Seol Young looked away. On the other side, the White Tiger Spirit Troops were standing together. Their eyes met. Do not worry. I will make sure to reveal the identity of the killer. Seol Young had such a look, and amidst all of these, an administration official said, Governor Jin Rim, the head of the Hwarangs, has epted the request of the victims family and summoned all the Hwarangs here. Now let us know who the murderer is. Yes. The bereaved family came forward. They looked at each of the five troops that had gathered there. They all looked very carefully at the Hwarangs. Everyone was made to stand in a line for the family to get a clear look. After a while, they said, None of these people here. Did you look at the current Governor, the High Governor, and the former Hwarang, too? Yes. None of the three, either. The Ministry of Justice turned to the Governor. Is it true that every one of the Hwarangs has gathered here? Yes. No one has been left out. But ording to the family, there must have been some Hwarang who went and killed their sibling, right? They definitely said that the Hwarangs sword had a mark too. Someone has to be lying That was when Seol Young stepped forward. I will try to find out which Hwarang it is. All the whispers stopped at once, and all eyes turned to Seol Young. Through this confrontation, it was revealed that no one here was the culprit. He just had to stay still, so why do this now? Was it really possible to figure it out? In the deafening silence, Zaha and Jin Rim looked at each other. Are you going to use that method again? Yes. Can that really bring out the killer? I will try. Jin Rim looked at everyone. Not all of the Hwarang troops will agree with that technique. But right now, there is no other way, and Seol Young-rang had indeed saved a lot of people trapped in the paintingst time, so it is worth trying. Yes, Governor. Seol Young approached the family. The mother of the dead young man was silent. She was just looking at everyone with eyes of resentment. Seol Young went up to her and said, I will reveal the truth and let your sons soul have a nice end. She didnt answer. But she didnt scream either. She just stared at Seol Young. Ill take that as your permission. Seol Young walked to the cart. Dark red hands were drooping, and he knelt down as he held them. The entire ce was turning noisy. Noisy. Only speak up if you have a better alternative. Zaha said. They must have guessed that Seol Young would summon an evil spirit. Even if he didnt order it, the atmosphere yed an important role, so everyone went silent. Seol Young looked at the hands of the dead body. The dead young mans soul had left. But there must be something left in the body, so he closed his eyes and began to wait. Memories of the dead man flowed into him. Maha prajnaparamita sutra He heard the voice of someone chanting, and Seol Young looked down. The hands of the young man were carving out a piece of wood, and judging from the voice and the movements of this illusion, the person seemed well. ck. The door opened up, making the young man raise his head in surprise. Someone suddenly entered the room, and all the lit candles in the room were flickering in unison. In the swaying shadows, someone was heading toward him. A Hwarang in a jade robe. He had such a beautiful appearance, and there was nothing strange in his expression. If his pupils hadnt moved slowly and looked to the other side, then he would have mistaken this person for a painting. Who are you The young man asked, a bit confused, and the next moment A ck light shone, and red blood gushed out. Thud. The young mans body copsed with a dull sound, and in the blurred vision, the inside of the room was shownthere was no one there. as I thought. Seol Young opened his eyes. Thanking the deceased for showing this memory, Seol Young slowly let go of his hand. That Hwarang was not a living person but a ghost. When Seol Young heard the story from the family themselves, he had this lingering thought, but there was no evidence to support it. The people were whispering again, and the official said, Then it can be said that this is not an issue for those gathered here. But how can you prove what you just said? He was ready to tackle their questions. Seol Young took out a piece of yellow paper in silence, lightly sprinkled red cinnabar powder on it, and then applied spiritual power before the traces of the memory of the corpse vanished. The power moved on its own. And it looked like it had gathered and begun to form into a shape, making the family of the victim scream. Thats him! The Hwarang who killed my brother! Several of the Hwarangs were shocked. It was because the portrait drawn by Seol Youngs power was not an unfamiliar one. Sa Daham? Isnt that Young Lord Sa Daham? He was someone famous among the Hwarangs and after showing it to everyone, Seol Young thought, It was him. Right. I get it now. Zaha nodded his head. The victims family said that it was a Hwarang dressed in jade. ording to legends, Young Lord Sa Daham liked wearing blue bamboo clothes. The two colors were quite simr, too, even if they had different names. The bereaved family pointed with their chins, and the color of the robes secret was revealed. Given the circumstances, they couldnt help but believe Seol Youngs words. But this raised a bigger question. Young Lord Sa Daham is an honorable hero of the Hwarangs! Why would his spiritmit murder? Could there have been a reason for him to go to a civilians house and kill him? No one could understand it. The same was true for the victims family. Young Lord Sa Daham? I have heard of him from the old stories. We have never touched his shrine or relics. We dont really have any rtionship with him. They were all equally shocked. Yes. Seol Young agreed with them. ording to what we have seen, it was the first time that the murdered man saw Young Lord Sa Daham. He was killed immediately without knowing why he even visited him. He thought back on the scene he saw. The young man who died had no spiritual power. And that was why he didnt feel anything special when the ghost appeared in front of him. But this was no ordinary ghost. The spirit is quite strong. Seol Young said to Jin Rim. I cannot be certain since this is a vision I saw through the soul of another person, but it seemed like it held a lot of power. Governor, this looks like a supernatural cmity. It will not end just with this. You mean the spirit will harm another person? Yes. Jin Rims face turned serious. Well, it is clear now. Zaha said. Since this case involves a ghost killing a person, the Ministry of Justice can no longer get involved, and this matter will be resolved by the Hwarangs. And he looked at Seol Young. This incident will not end with this, so what do you n to do? The most important thing is to stop it before another victim surfaces. And will that be possible? We have to make it possible. Seol Young turned to the victims family. This incident was so unclear that even the person concerned didnt know the cause of his death. However, since the spirit came to harm a person, there must have been something that happened. We are really not guilty of anything. We dont even have anything to do with that Hwarang. Calm down. We dont mean to interrogate you. I just want to hear the story. After calming them down, he asked what had been bothering him earlier. The victim had one difference from the rest of the family. It was the fact that he studied in a temple. Yes. Yes. The family responded incoherently. The elder of that temple passed. In addition to my younger brother, there were two other monks who moved away. No. One of them is said to have died from an illness. Right, right. One of the three died from an illness, one returned home in a state of despair, and only one of them stayed back. Thest friend must be the monk staying in the temple Seol Youngs eyes shone. Then wouldnt the spirit be visiting that ce next? Where is this temple? The brothers looked a bit embarrassed. It seemed difficult for them to remember considering that their brother had just died. My younger brother said he would visit it once he was free from work, but he said it was a temple in Sorabeol Since there are so many temples, the name is He was trying to remember something, but their mother, who had been silent until then, suddenly said, In Hyesa. She said it very clearly. Chapter 36: Lion Dance (4) Chapter 36: Lion Dance (4) In Hyesa was a small temple near Mt. Myung Hwal. Since there were just a few monks there, they were quickly able to find the young monk, and his given name was Do Cheol. Do Cheol was a monster in a legend, so maybe it was meant to be his name. In addition, his chubby cheeks and big body made people think of that monster whenever they saw him. However, he had a different personality from his appearance. Uh? Do Jeong was murdered? Upon hearing the news of his old friend, the monk was so shocked that he dropped his rosary beads. His eyes, which looked as innocent as a cow, were watery, and he hurriedly picked up the rosary. Amitabha. Amitabha. It seems like just yesterday we were studying Buddhism together, and Do In died of illness, and now Do Jeong suffered a terrible fate. What kind of a heinous person did that? A Hwarang. Seol Youngs response was met with silence. ! The monks face turned blue, and his hand holding the rosary became weak. So we came to the right ce. Zahas eyes shone at his reaction. Did the monk see it too? The Hwarang in jade clothes? J-Jade! Do Cheol nearly screamed, and Seol Young was ready to catch the rosary, which seemed to fall at any moment. But this time, the monk stood tall, and he felt lost hearing the word jade. The heart is a lot more delicate than a ss marble. Zaha evaluated, and Seol Young agreed with him. Amitabha Amitabha After chanting the Buddha chant, Do Cheol finally spoke. I had a dream three days ago. Usually, I dont dream, but on that day, for some reason, I saw a Hwarang. He was standing under an old tree, staring at me. I thought it was strange, but then I soon forgot about it. This gave them a glimpse of how simply this man lived. But on the next evening, a Hwarang was standing right behind the people who came to pay their respects, and as expected, he was staring at me with an expressionless face, and the next evening, you know what happened? Did the distance get closer? How did you know? It was yesterday. As soon as I opened my eyes, I looked around and checked. I was so relieved that I couldnt see the Hwarang, so I forgot about it. Do Cheol quenched his thirst with some tea and continued. But when I woke up after the evening service, there were some distinct footprints on the floor bed. It meant that someone stood there and watched me for a long time. The moment I realized it, I screamed out, running Did you see the face of the Hwarang? Right! He was right behind me, and I almost fainted. I made up my mind that even if I were scolded for acting out despite being a monk, I would speak to the head monk. But today, nothing had happened until now, so I thought that if I saw something Do Cheols face was filled with fear again. That Hwarang killed Do Jeong! And then he came to see me! Why? What resentment does he have? I dont know. Seol Young shook his head. That ghost is Sa Daham, a very famous Hwarang who died a long time ago. There must be a story behind it, but there are so many legends regarding him that we cannot guess what this is about. He looked at the monk and asked, I heard that an old man took in the three of you as monks, so what did you hear from him? I dont know. Do Cheol was a bit taken aback. For me to be thest one left, I am the stupidest of the three. I even forgot almost everything I was taught as a child. I will try to think hard about I cannot believe my own mind was what his expression said. Anyway, you need to be alert from now on, monk. Seol Young decided that it was critical to make him cautious. Your life is at stake now, monk. Zaha said. The first time was a dream, the second time was in reality, and the third time he appeared behind your back, and at this rate, doesnt it mean he ising to kill you? Seol Young nodded without saying anything. He didnt show any expression in front of Do Cheol, but his heart sank as he listened to the story. If they hadnt rushed here, the monk would have been in big trouble. So its tonight, right? Zaha frowned. It is starting. His golden eyes felt strange to look atlike those of an animal that had been messing around for far too long and had decided to hunt for real. He is more daunting than the Hwarang spirit. What should this be phrased as? Should it be called avoiding the wolf only to know a tiger is waiting? Seol Young thought for a moment as he opened his mouth. I have something to say, so listen to Zahas expression seemed to say, huh? Then, Seol Young looked up. That I should go? Right from the start, I had to endure the boredom of following you around! I would even speak of your efforts to the Governor so that there would be no hurdles in your work! You man, do you have any conscience?! Who told you to go? Seol Young hated him for that. You dont really go because you are told to go, right? No matter how much I say that I will not give up my spiritual energy, you will not listen. Why bother talking about it? Then what is it about? The monk. Seik Young spoke softly. That monk doesnt know your real face. He probably seems to think of you as someone who came to save him. Isnt it pitiful? Even though he is so innocent, he is about to die with a single sh from an evil spirit. Well Sa Daham is known to be strong, and there might be a situation where I cannot protect the monk. When that happens, can you protect him? I do realize that I shouldnt be asking you this. However, if you still have at least a few memories remaining when you fought against spirits and protected people Well. Zaha spoke with a sullen face. I guess I will be busy as I am. Something snapped in Seol Youngs mind. He hated bowing his head to someone, especially if it was to someone who gave up his humanity. Still, he bowed and pushed down his pride for the sake of the innocent monk. As expected, this is pointless. The door swung open, and the monk, Do Cheol, hid behind it as he looked at them. It seemed like he was curious about something, and Seol Young called him. This is good. Come out. Uh? You should think as if this person doesnt exist. So find a way to live. Seol Young took the monk outside the temple. First, you need to understand the situation here. The spirit wille to us if we stay in a certain ce. In this ce, we can set up a trap. Seol Young untied the stones in his belt and buried them in equal intervals at the entrance of the room where Do Cheol was. A trap? No. Seol Young went into the room. He sat down and took out twelve talismans that he had made in advance. They were talismans that would rip apart if a ghost walked past them. Seol Young ced all of the talismans, one by one, in a round circle. He was sweating profusely from concentrating as he worked meticulously to capture a powerful ghost. Eventually, he had finished preparing the talismans and concealed them. Do Cheol continued to watch him. No wonder! I heard that ghosts can see what I am doing in my dreams so clearly! Do you have a mysterious talent or something? Then the Hwarang over there. Do not look at that person! Seol Young grabbed Do Cheol and made him sit. The room began to turn dark. A loud sound could be heard from outside in the midst of silence, enough to hear the sound of a needle dropping. The monks of the temple were reciting mantras. They had heard about the situation, so Seol Young knew that the monks were doing this for a cause. Seol Young was grateful for the support of the monks and prepared his sword. Listen to me The voice of the monks grew louder and louder. He was memorizing each word heart by heart. A mantra against demons. It contained the power to subdue evil spirits. The holy power of Buddha rose like a tower and surrounded them on all sides. Come to think of it. Seol Young looked at the side. He had ignored him since their conversation earlier. The mantras against demons were not good for those with demonic energy. Usually, the pain was enough to make them want to puke blood. He has a strong energy, so he wont take much damage But Zaha surely seemed ufortable. Depending on the wavelength of the mantra, his golden aura seemed unsteady. After seeing that, Seol Young went back to ignoring him, but he was reminded of something when he saw that golden aura. So, he asked, Why dont you use it? Use what? Zaha pretended not to know. What do you think? The golden light Monk. He ignored Seol Youngs words and looked at Do Cheol. Nice. Because I am a good person, if things get dangerous,e behind me. Um? Seol Young doubted his ears. Did this devil change his mind? It cannot be that, so He sent him a doubtful look. It was then Rustle! A sharp burst of sound resounded everywhere. The stones buried in the ground seemed to be broken. Do Cheol screamed, What do I do? Everything seems broken! We buried them so that they would break. Those stones couldnt block anything. They yed the role of an rm when the ghost would start to move. As I thought, it is fast. Seol Young immediately raised his spiritual power to the maximum, and his blue sword burned brightly. At the same time, someone strode into the room. A Hwarang in a jade-colored robe. The evil aura rising from his body was too thick and vivid. He could see that everything around him was turning ck. It was as if this man hadmitted a terrible massacre. How did Sa Daham turn into such an evil spirit? Seol Young tried to look back on what he could remember about the man. But everything was dark. It was as if the man was blocking anything regarding him froming out. It was the same as when he handled the painting. The strong tenacity of the spirits. Sa Dahams eyes shed and turned to Do Cheol. He didnt even look around. It was like he could spot the monk, and Seol Young swung his sword. Pat. Seol Youngs talisman technique activated when Sa Daham walked past them, and Seol Young urately hit Sa Dahams body. But what is this? The sharp de from the center of the talismans he swung was bright, but Sa Daham simply pushed it back and countered it. It cannot be! It was fast Chachacha .and three to four of the talismans were knocked down. Sa Dahams sword was moving so fast that even Seol Youngs Blue Rainbow couldnt handle it. The de almost touched his neck. Was this possible? Seol Young couldnt believe it, despite seeing it with his own eyes. How could he get pierced like this? At that moment Ack! Do Cheol made sure to run, and with his huge buddy, he hid behind Zaha. What? You said I should hide behind you if I were in danger! The room was already a mess. Sa Daham was only interested in Do Cheol. He pushed Seol Young back and immediately swung his sword. As if Zaha didnt even matter, he was ready to cut through Zaha and get Do Cheol. Do you not see the people here? Zaha looked angry. After blocking the sword, a doubt crossed his eyes. ? Sa Daham wasnt a Sword Spirit but a Sword God. All of his attacks were swift and constantly changing, making them impossible to predict. Zaha was also only able to block them from time to time. Ack! Do Cheol screamed. He had to move because Zaha and the spirit were constantly moving, and now Sa Dahams sword was pointed at him. I am going to die from this! Zaha quickly pulled back his sword and managed to evade the attack, so his robe was cut instead. The hem of his robe fluttered. For a moment, Seol Young had an idea. Monk! Come here! Pulling him beside him, he cut the other talismans. Sa Daham was focused on Do Cheol alone. As the circle activated, his range of concentration was shaken. It was very short, but it was enough to cast the right trick. Seol Young began to recite a mantra while protecting Do Cheol. heed the call! At that moment, Sa Dahams sword pierced the end of the circle. A gigantic being with great power appeared. Its entire body was made of muscles, and it held a sword with both hands. Seol Young didnt miss the chance and pushed Sa Daham with all his might toward the exact center of the circle. Bang! The two talismans exploded. In an instant, his vision turned white. Everything would finally end. Seol Young was sure. He clearly saw the spirits ck form getting caught up in the middle of the circle. But. Before the sh faded, a shadow went out of the circle. Nonsense! Seol Young was shocked. Sa Dahams body was engulfed in white fire. It meant that the circle worked fine. But he was able to get out of the circle. He managed to get his spiritual body out of it before being caught in the explosion. This meant His movement is a lot faster than when the spell activated? In the blink of an eye, Sa Dahams sword moved toward Do Cheols head. Kuaaak! Do Cheol screamed and covered his head. Chapter 37: Lion Dance (5) Chapter 37: Lion Dance (5) At thest minute, Seol Young had to improvise. There was a bundle that was kept separately from the talismans he used, and he immediately took one out and threw it. And the talisman stuck to Do Cheols body. At that moment, Sa Dahams sword stopped in mid-air. He was about to slit the monks throat but then stopped as if the path was wrong. It was because of the talisman. Seol Young barely came to his senses, and his first emotion was anger. Breaking the sorcery spell and holding the sword to the monks throat, facing too many crises in a short moment, and the spirit escaping from the trap he had worked so hard. The resentment was welling up inside of him. What was he? What were these recent evil spirits? Why were they this strong? Before learning the sword, Seol Young used his hands to overpower, force, and suppress things in order to catch them. It was a habit from childhood. He was able to hit Sa Daham, but his attacks were too slow. Seol Young was unable to catch up to his speed, and he was constantly pushed back. But what was this weird harmony? Seol Young felt a sharp pain in his hand. ? Sa Daham was very vicious. Even when his spiritual body was on fire, he tried to grab Seol Young. Puak. A sound was heard! And with this sound, the Dead yer sword was lodged in his chest. If it were a normal evil spirit, it would have been subdued right then, but Sa Daham was on a whole different level. His spirit form was distorted, but he didnt disappear. AHHHH! He screamed and ran away. His cry slowly trailed off before disappearing. Do Cheol slumped to his knees. W-What is this It looked like the soul of the monk was about to leave his body with what he had witnessed. His face was white, and his robe was all torn like a man caught in a typhoon. Seol Young wasnt in bad condition, but he was distracted, and it was his first timeing across something this dizzying. It made him think of Zaha again. In any case, if this man had chosen not to intervene, Do Cheol would almost certainly have been killed. But why did he help? Did Seol Youngs words have an effect on him? Was there even a tiny piece of conscience left in his dried-up heart? It was when he was about to thank Zaha You almost got taken down by Sa Daham. He spoke first. I thought all my hard work had gone in vain. You should have been more careful. After all, there was a spiritual power hoarder sign above his head. The words of gratitude went down Seol Youngs throat. Seol Young sighed. This was no rash act, just a bit too risky. Just as a good butcher slices his knife into the space between the bones so his de doesnt get damaged, an evil spirit can be subdued without getting in direct contact with it. But you missed the hit, let alone subdue it. Because it couldnt be helped. Seol Young raised his hand, and Do Cheol gasped. I-It is bleeding! The gentle-hearted monk hurriedly searched for something with a worried expression. Right, there were huge scars from his palm to his fingers. They were very sharp wounds. Only then did Zahas expression change. It sure is so strange. I am sure you grabbed the body of Sa Daham, but then the scars appeared on your hand? It is not umon in this world to have a different appearance and a different identity. Seol Young said this while wrapping his wounds with the towel that Do Cheol gave him. I was able to notice it only when I made contact. The reason why the opponent was able to unleash such strong sword techniques and movements. It is not Sa Dahams spirit. Then what is it? The body is the sword. We just fought with the sword. This was the secret. Seol Young had never heard of a sword being slow. And he couldnt hold onto the opponent either. And that was because the opponent was a sword. No matter how fast a persons sword technique was, it couldnt be faster than the sword itself. No matter how many changes were made to the technique, it couldnt surpass the movement of a sword. And the sword moved by itself. This was the state of true unity with the weapon, where an item and a soul be one. Besides, judging from the appearance of Sa Daham, there is a high chance that it was the sword he used. It cannot Do Cheol mumbled, looking nk. And then he said, Ah! and hit his bald head, making Seol Young look surprised. Monk? I remember! This dull head could barely recall it! Do Cheol shouted. There is this story I heard from the old monk when I was young. He said that it was a story he had heard in his childhood. There was a legend in our temple. Not In Hyesa, but at the temple that the three of us went to. Temple Jang Ansa, which is now closed. He spoke, seemingly excited. Once upon a time, among the monks, there was one monk named Yo Sung. Do you know what Yo Sung actually means? A monk who pretends to study dharma but secretly does evil things. This specific monk was trying to get his hands on forbidden power. Seol Young nced at Zaha. Looks like someone I know. Zaha pretended to be innocent. So this fake monk hurt his fellow monks without the other monks realizing it, and if he was able to kill all of them, he could make the perfect n for doing the taboo and gain tremendous power. As the memories kept rushing in, Do Cheol talked softly. The monks found out about this and asked a certain Hwarang for help. The Hwarang challenged the fake monk to a fight. The fake monk was being stubborn and fought back, and eventually died from his stubbornness as he got stabbed in several ces. The soul that escaped his body was trapped in the sword of the Hwarang, but it was so frightening that it couldnt be let out. When he heard that story, something came to his mind. Zaha said, That is the legend around Sa Daham. The temples name wasnt handed down in the stories, so it was this? It is a story that I know. I remember hearing about it. Seol Young also agreed. He finally found a link to the ghost story. At least some part of the mystery was solved. Right. Now that I think about it, it seems that the name of the Hwarang had three distinctive sounds. Sa Daham. Do Cheol said. The Hwarang shattered his most cherished sword so that the evil spirit of that fake monk wouldnt hurt anyone any longer. He pulled out the root of the problem. This was a simr incident to the painting. For some unknown reason, something that had once disappeared has now been resurrected with great power. And so the murder happened. Seol Young was finally able to see the big picture. Now that the temple is closed, the monks therethe young ones and the old moved. And the three youngest monks were left. Among them, one died of illness, and monk Do Jeon was killed by the sword. If monk Do Cheol is killed, it canplete the number of killings that the soul wanted. That is why it is adamant on trying to get them killed. It seemed like the path was finally visible. He was so sly that it would have been difficult to find out if we hadnte into direct contact with him. I found a very important secret by sacrificing my hand. The weakness of the evil monk. Seol Young was confident. If someone takes the form of Sa Daham and appears in front of him and uses the sword techniques of Sa Daham too, then he would be bound to be agitated. So Hwarang Seol Young can do it? Do Cheol asked. He seemed to haveplete trust in Seol Young. But I have a question. A disguise might not be important, but what about the sword technique? Didnt Hwarang Sa Daham die a long time ago? That cannot be that difficult. Sa Daham passed away, but the sword techniques he used during his lifetime are passed down in the form of the Sword Dance. Our Seol Young, who was being careless, changed his expression. Baek Eon rang, the head of the White Tigers, is well versed in all kinds of strong sword techniques. If I ask him about teaching me Sa Dahams sword technique, he will dly teach me. Aha! Thank God. Do Cheol understood and looked relieved. Zaha looked at him from the other side. It was a really? kind of expression. Seol Young looked at him. What? Why? He shrugged his shoulders and got up to open the door, and walked away. After walking some distance across the ce, he stopped and looked around as if measuring the distance. He picked up an iron pitchfork with a long handle for vegetable farming and tossed it. The pitchfork, with a distinct killing force, swung straight at Seol Young. Do Cheol, who saw it, went back to sitting down as if making no sound. Srng! A metallic sound rang out. Seol Young raised his sword and struck it. The iron pitchfork flew off with great force and crashed into a pile of greens. Around this much? Zaha said. When the opponent is attacking with such speed and strength, you have to block it and use Sa Dahams sword technique to have a chance. We just need to practice. Seol Young responded. But then his right hand holding the hilt of the sword throbbed. He could feel the lukewarm blood on the other side of the cloth. Seol Young untied the cloth. He struck so hard to sh down the iron rakes that the wounds reopened. ck blood gushed out. Do Cheolsplexion turned pale again. Amitabha I will go and get some medicine to apply to the wounds. It is fine. Seol Young shook his head. Any medicine was useless. These were not wounds that could be healed. The only cure was to kill the spirit. Until then, there was no way out. He looked at Zaha. He would know that very well. That was probably why he had a strange smile on his face. Because he knew. Seol Young received a new towel from Do Cheol to wrap his hand with and stop the bleeding. Then he took out the pill that Baek Eon had given him and swallowed it. Anyway, I cannot cause any more trouble in the temple, so I will leave. It will be nice if the monkes with us. For the time being, you must stay where I am and avoid the evil spirits. Ah! Yes! Do Cheol silently followed him. He straightened his messy robe, and the talismans swayed. It was the talisman that Seol Young had attached to Do Cheol when the spirit almost split his head. It could be called a lifesaver. Ouch Do Cheol quickly attached the talisman back to his body. What is this talisman anyway? Seems rather powerful. Ah, that Seol Young slightly averted his gaze. What is it? Zaha was also curious. Lets talk as we move. And Seol Young walked first. Chapter 38: Lion Dance (6) Chapter 38: Lion Dance (6) Sacred Forest. Before the ritual, several Hwarangs had gathered there. However, no one from the White Tiger Spirit Troops was present. They were in a lonely corner of the forest. I am having difficulty carrying out the orders of the king, so I would like to ask Baek Eon-rang to teach me for a moment. Seol Young bowed his head to him. Baek Eon nodded. I heard the story. I will teach Seol Young-rang the basic movements of the Beautiful-rang Dance. Beautiful-rang means a beautiful and excellent Hwarang. Among the many Sword Dances handed down in the Hwarang troops, this dance was modeled after Sa Dahams sword technique. Baek Eon immediately picked up the sword and began to lead. The basis of the dance was made up of six movements. Although simple, it was not a weak power. It was a sword technique that made the wielder stronger the more he dealt with the enemy. And as the six movements were repeated, the sword technique would flow like water. Depending on how the enemy attacks, the order could be changed. However, Sa Daham always ended with a strong stab at the end. There was no special name for this movement. Later on, the generations after him wrote and sang praises for Sa Daham, giving him the title One Attack Straight Stab. It was meant to denote the Big Dipper. Put your arms up here right. Stab. Twice in a row. Right. Good job. Being taught like this by Baek Eon made Seol Young feel like he was back in his childhood without feeling any pain and just concentrated on learning. Eventually, he finished teaching him the six movements. Seol Young left them and went to the middle of an empty ce. Then, High Governor. Zaha dragged arge sack. And when the top opened, a pile of long swords came out. What was this? Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol stared at each other, not knowing why. The moment Zaha picked up a sword and threw it at Seol Young with all his might, it appeared like it would have cut him. The three were surprised. He is trying to kill me Whoever saw it could tell that he was full of killing intent. He was only thinking of cutting him. You were purposely trying to kill me! With a nging sound, Seol Youngs sword dropped. Slow. Zaha said and immediately threw it again. Another attack came in one after another, not giving Seol Young a chance to catch his breath. Seol Young continued to handle the sword, only to be thrown to the ground. Slow. Slow. Slow. The same process kept being repeated. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol couldnt understand. If something like that flew towards me and I didnt die, wouldnt it be considered a good save? Why do you keep saying it is slow? What more do I have to do? After repeating it for a long time, Zaha lowered his hand first. This is a mess. Yes, High Governor. Seol Young turned around. Baek Eon-rang, please guide me again. Ah. Baek Eon put aside his doubts and listened to the swordsman. The six basic movements of the dance, which he taught earlier, were once again shown in detail. Is this part difficult? You have to strike a good bnce. Adjust your strength while thinking about your following actions. He took care of Seol Young for a long time, so he knew which part was the problem. The teacher was sincere, and the learner was focused, so he was able to learn it almost perfectly in a short time. After repeating the Sword Dances three techniques, Seol Young gathered thest bit of his strength and stabbed the middle part of an old tree. The Blue Rainbow pierced the tree at once. Wonderful. Baek Eon praised him. Thank you, Baek Eon-rang, but it is an exaggeration. No. I have nothing more to teach you. Baek Eon took out a thin booklet from his sleeve. Under the title Beautiful-rang Dance, there was a portrait of Sa Daham standing arrogantly. Here is a detailed description of the movements, so you can refer to them here. Thank you. Seol Young epted it, and Zaha approached them. How can Baek Eon-rang be this kind? As expected, you have a personality that suits the Hwarangs. No. This is to fulfill the kings order Baek Eon-rang! You need to head back fast! Seol Young stopped talking and tugged at his sleeve. His body was blocking the gap between the two. Hurry! Song Ok-rang and Hyo Wol-rang should head back too. The three greeted Zaha, and after a moment, they all looked back as if they had a sudden thought. The quick-witted third-rang. Do you know what is happening? Song Ok asked Hyo Wol, who shook his head. This is serious. His hands are already wounded. Fortunately, he didnt seem seriously wounded The cut looked like it was three inches long. Seol Young wrapped his hands in a ck cloth to hide them, but they knew. They havent been together for seven years without a reason. If it is like in the past, he would have stepped ahead and shown us his wounds. If a spirit got him injured like that, Baek Eon-rang would be upset, so he didnt show it. What? It must be because the two of you always swoon over him. They walked away, talking back and forth. The expression he had continues to bother me. How lonely must it be to move alone? Maybe it is time for him to know. That he is not alone but is under watch. At those words, Baek Eon nodded. There may be a chance. After the three of them disappeared, Seol Young put his hands down. Maybe it was because he was trying hard not to show it, but now his entire arm was in pain. However, there was no time to rx. He picked up the sword and looked at Zaha. Should we continue? But then he noticed someone standing behind a pine tree. A man was snooping around, trying to hide hisrge size. Monk Do Cheol? Do Cheol came out from behind the tree with an awkward smile and a few talismans in his arms. This. Zaha smiled like it was absurd. Right. Right. Didnt you have to read Buddhist chants so the evil spirits could not get close to you? With a shy face, Do Cheol said, Amitabha. Why did you give it to me without letting me refuse? The talisman he was holding. Right before Do Cheols throat was cut by the sword of the spirit, Seol Young saved the monks life by attaching the talisman to him. A soul was sealed within the talisman, and thanks to the energy of the ghost sealed inside of it, the energy within Do Cheol was concealed to avoid the eyes of the evil spirit. The problem was that the spirit was a well-known seamstress during her lifetime. Many people had requested that Do Cheol sew for them while he was on his way here. Unconsciously, people mistook him for a female seamstress. This is what I Do Cheol stroked hisrge shiny head a couple of times. I thought I came out for no reason, but I came because I feltpelled to tell you this right away. He was speaking so seriously that he looked so scared. Seol Young hardened his expression. What happened? I dreamed again. Do Cheol carefully said. In my dream, I was a soldier. An official had urged me, and I had to contact my mother and tell her where I was right then. I immediately ran without another thought towards the In Hyesa Temple. In the dream, Do Cheol was still in the temple, and hearing this made the official angry. He wasnt at the temple, so why was he lying? I struggled for a long time, and a scary monster appeared and scolded me, and a heavenly maiden persuaded me and begged me too. I was being asked to say where I was, and I kept answering that I was in the In Hyesa Temple. Should it be considered that they managed to benefit from his honest personality? Seol Young mumbled, Good job. Because I really believed that. And as I was about to open my eyes and continued to repeat those words, I noticed that those officials, monsters, the maiden, and everyone else were now dressed in green jade color Seol Youngs face turned serious. It seems that he has already recovered. Even though he was caught in the trap and his spiritual body was burned, he was still fine. It was truly monstrous. Do Cheol looked down at the thing he was sewing. The talisman is very powerful Hwarang Seol Young. The evil spirits are unable to find my location. He said, but he sighed. But what if I do something wrong and fall for their tricks? What if they find out where I am staying? Amitabha. What should I do when such an evil spirit appears? Monk, you need to head back in. I will be back before dinner. Yes. I will. Ah, if you see another Hwarang, shaman, or also a Taoist, avoid them. They might get rid of the talisman. Ah! I understand. Do Cheol was startled as he put his palms together and walked away. Seol Young looked at his back for a while, then raised his sword. He started training again, but before long, his palm felt damp. Wait. Seol Young put down his sword and sat down by a tree. He unwrapped the cloth, and the wounds on his palm were open, with ck blood oozing out. Zaha looked at it as if saying, look at the wound. Seol Young said, Now that I think about it, there is no other way. Instead of finding out who it is and how weak I am, I moved ahead, and I am paying the price for it now. Dont be stubborn. Admit it. He threw the long sword to the ground. So far, yes, it has been fine. But this time, it doesnt seem like a possibility. There seems to be more damage on my hand. And he nced down. Why are you cursing me with your eyes? Are you saying I am wrong? Right, I am cursing. Seol Young spoke back in a serious tone. He hated to admit it, but he was too hasty this time. And if he continued to train now, maybe he would be able to learn the sword technique, but would he be able to surpass the living demonic sword? Zaha smiled. Finally, your wish has been granted. It is said that by obtaining the power of God, Demon, and spirit, you will rise to the position of an independent being in the heavens and the world Ha! Seriously! He sounds like a seven-year-old! Seol Young was sitting there with a cold face, and he mumbled. But what happens next is the problem. If Do In, Do Jeon, and Do Cheon all die, the technique of the sword, and the ritual he is making will beplete, and he will gain more power. What if that fake monk attacks me? Zaha said, swinging the sword. We need to find a way for you to live then. ? He was looking for something. Zaha turned back, lifted the bag of swords, and pushed them down. Seol Youngs eyes widened. Thest thing that came from the bag was surely a treasured sword. A sword hilt decorated with green jade. An antique blue sheath having an appearance that was not unfamiliar. This was because this sword was always present in the portraits of Sa Daham. They couldnt find it until now, but it was also in the martial arts book that Baek Eon had given him. The sword that Sa Daham used? Seol Young jumped up. Surely Sa Daham had a nice sword. And it was obtained after destroying the sword which sealed the fake monk. The sword of the true Sa Daham, who showed extreme power until death. Seol Young forgot how depressed he was until then and approached it. How the hell did you get this? Money. A simple answer. Seol Young was speechless for a moment. The truth of life. Chapter 39: Lion Dance (7) Chapter 39: Lion Dance (7) As one could see, the sword was real. The spirit of the Hwarang was strong and bright, and it rose from the entire body of the sword. It was definitely in conflict with the evil spirit. With this, he will not be able to run wild like that. Zaha said, looking at the sword of Sa Daham. Seol Young suggested. Sell it to me. Dont want to. I will pay any amount. How much can a homeless man even pay? As if Zaha were saying not to dream of it, he then put away the sword. Well, what could he expect from this man? Seol Young sat down. He didnt want to y into Zahas n, so he sat there, resting his chin. And Zaha said, But I can let you borrow it. Seol Young looked at him. However, there are a few conditions. Again. I am not giving you my spiritual energy. He looked up, and judging by the look on his face, Zaha didnt seem to be lying. Then what? It is easier for me if you cannd as many hits on the spirit as you can before you die Zaha said while looking at Seol Young. You dont have much strength now. I know. Seol Young was calm. So I am trying to make up for it by using those items. But arent you stillcking in strength? That hand is the biggest problem. Zaha raised Sa Dahams sword and showed it to him. It cost me a house to get this. You will not be able to even put up a proper fight, so lending this to you is a waste. I wonder if we can find a way to fight on equal footing. You will lend it if I can find a way? Yes. Would he? Was he telling Seol Young to find an answer to a situation with no answers? Or was he just bullying him? Seol Young thought so, but he couldnt give up on the sword, which held an amazing amount of pure qi. Seol Young looked at his hand. If he went to the Moon Pces infirmary, would they have medicine that could heal such wounds? But if he got caught, he would die. Should he summon a demons hand and use it? Then it would be hard to disguise himself as Sa Daham, and it wouldnt work. That said, he could not even practice the sword only with his left hand, as it felt too restrictive. Restrictive. Those words touched his heart. As if a bundle of some thread was being pulled out, the thoughts continued one after another. Like he was caught up in thoughts. It cant be that theres only one way to heal such wounds, right? He was so preupied with mastering the sword technique that he didnt think about it. There are two ways to make things even when the veil is tilted on both sides. Found it. Zaha didnt seem that confident in his words. For real? Yes. Seol Young began to exin. How do I make things even again when Im at a disadvantage and my opponent has the upper hand? If I cannot go up to his level, then I will bring him down to my level. If I have restrictions on me, then I will ce one on my opponent too. Seol Young exined while drawing an image on the ground with a tree branch. What method could he even use to ce restrictions on an evil spirit? Zaha listened without asking anything, and after he finished exining, he said, Nice. And he threw Sa Dahams sword. Seol Young caught it. But he was shocked at how easily he handed it over. He exined his n, but he knew that Zaha wasnt too confident in his skills, so he didnt think that he would give the sword right away. Holding it felt strange now. Up until recently, he couldnt figure out what to do. But now that he had thought of an answer, a strong weapon fell into his hands. We need to change the situation so we can be equal when we fight. It was as if this devil here reminded him of that. He wouldnt have listened if Zaha had told him, so he let Seol Young be aware of this by drawing his attention using the sword. But why? Seol Young was confused. No matter how he looked at it, wasnt it better if he couldy a trap for Seol Young and steal his spiritual power? Or after he came to the capital and was around so many Hwarangs, did the humanity he had cast aside start to return? As of now, it is impossible to know anything about him. What is it? Zaha asked. What you said is just a n. If we cannot convince that monk, it is a waste. He pointed out the w with a grumpy face. Are you sure you have the confidence to convince that coward? we just need to try. And they headed to Seol Youngs room. Do Cheol couldnt sleep at night because he was afraid that the evil spirit woulde to him in his dreams. But it was difficult for him to stay awake given his massive frame andid-back attitude. And this time, too, he was nodding off in the ce for Buddhists, and when the door opened, he was startled and looked around. Is the training done? The High Governor is also here, what is Monk, calm down. Zaha cut off his words. Seol Young-rang has something to say to you, monk. Uh? To me? What is this about? Please listen carefully. Seol Young put down the sword with a green hue in front of the monk. This is the sword of Sa Daham. It was said that the sword was destroyed after the spirit of the fake monk was sealed inside it. But this sword seems to be imbued with the spirit of Sa Daham and is feared by that fake monk. Ah, no wonder it doesnt look normal. Do Cheol was admiring the weapon despite being afraid. Then we will be fighting soon? Right. When the Sword Dance begins, I will call the monks spirit toe over to the Sacred Forest. And if I fail to do it, then the other Hwarangs can protect you. If you fail? Do Cheol seemed surprised. Seol Young-rang, what do you mean? Amitabha! Do not ever think that! You will be sessful in your actions. I would like that too Seol Young looked at the nave monk. That doesnt rest in my hands, though. Then who? You, monk Do Cheol. Me? He asked, looking confused. This was the important part. So Seol Young spoke slowly. When an evil spirit preys on someone, we arent the only ones who fight it. The person involved also has to fight in his own way. A fight with the heart. Can you resist the demonic nature or not Yes, I know. In Buddhism, we call it anti-demonic. Do Cheol was in deep thought. Amitabha. In fact, I have lost all feelings. The Buddha told us to be merciful and help the evil spirits. He spoke in a serious tone. When the Demon King Pasoon attacked the Bodhi tree, Buddha changed all the weapons of the Demon King into flowers so that the Demon King could no longer kill. The Demon King was able to gain enlightenment and change his mind. If that is the case, then I should also show such mercy to the evil spirit He touched the rosary and shook his head. But the fake monk is different. He isnt like the usual evil spirits we are told about. He is so strong and terrifying. I feel lost. What would Buddha have done in such a situation? In that case, even Buddha wouldnt have shown mercy. Seol Young replied. Although I dont know much about your Gods teachings, I have wandered around since I was a child and picked up various things. And didnt the Buddha appear in various incarnations and help beings be enlightened? Right. Yes. I heard that among his incarnations, there is one called the Dirty Vajra King. His head touched the sky, and his face was always contorted with anger, and his hands held many weapons. Yes. It is said to be a frightening vision to see. As such, that incarnation isnt as merciful as Buddha and is said to punish evil beings, which anyone would fear. Monk, sometimes punishing is right. Like Buddhas punishment. Buddhas retribution, you mean. Do Cheol mumbled, retribution. He repeated it to himself several times. He finally looked like he had some courage. The look of fear was slowly disappearing from his face. Seol Young continued, Bad things like them shouldnt exist in our world. They are harming innocent people. Think of your friendwasnt he a man who liked to carve Buddha statues? However, an evil spirit killed him just to gain power. He had to die young, without knowing why. Isnt that unfair? Do Cheols eyes turned red. Seol Young-rang is right. The fake monk is strong and scary, but we cannot leave him like this. Buddhas retribution is needed. He clenched his fists, and his hands were trembling. But what do I do? I am a coward. Zaha stared at him, specifically at his huge size and his big fists. You should fight earnestly. Isnt that why we have incarnations? Seol Young spoke, making sure Zaha didnt say anything wrong. Just like what we said earlier, sometimes even Buddha decides to change from his benevolent image and takes up strong forms. Think about it, monk. If you could be an incarnation, what form would you borrow? In what form will you try to take down the evil? Do Cheol thought deeply and said, I have been thinking about it since I was little. The strongest and scariest in the world His eyes were bright. Exactly. The day of the Sword Dance was bright. Do Cheol stayed up all night reading Buddhist teachings and fell asleep at some point. When he came to his senses, he was in the temple. So he immediately hid under the altar of Buddha. Someones feet could be seen from under the cloth covering the altar. He could see leather boots that were worn by warriors, and the soles were soaked in blood as if the shoes came from a ughterhouse. Do Cheols heart sank. The owner of the feet walked around the altar. Even if he walked around the room, he would return to the altar and stand there. And suddenly, he bent down and looked under the altar. And he saw Sa Dahams face. Their eyes met, and Do Cheol almost screamed. Fortunately, thanks to the thick cloth, Do Cheol couldnt be seen. However, the spirit seemed suspicious, considering how he continued to stare. Do Cheol turned more and more miserable, and the breath he was holding was reaching its limit. It looked like he was going to die from suffocation. He closed his eyes and prayed. Heavenly Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha With all his might, he called for the various avatars of Buddha. His earnest prayers took effect, and he was able to escape from the dream he was trapped in. But now he saw another being in the room. And the sound of Do Cheols prayer made him angry. In the dark, he opened his eyes, and a ferocious monster roared. ! Do Cheol woke up in surprise. From the looks of it, he had been sitting down for a while. There was someone here. Do Cheol felt chills rise. If the stern-looking face hadnt screamed and woken him up, he would have been caught by the fake monks spirit. Such a good monster. He rushed out. Seol Young sat on the bench right in front of Sa Dahams sword, which was being inspected, and Do Cheol approached him. You are amazing! You knew that I would fall asleep, and you prepared it all in advance! ..? Seol Young looked at him with a puzzled face. Chapter 40: Lion Dance (8) Chapter 40: Lion Dance (8) Monk, you slept? Seol Young frowned. I was keeping an eye on you, but I felt nothing. Then did you meet the fake monk in your dream? Yes! I did! He walked around the altar where I was hiding Could it be that he directly looked at you, monk? Yes. He did. As if he knew that I was right there Seol Young jumped up. This isnt safe then. The fake monk must have fully recovered, and skipping several steps, he managed to find where Do Cheol was hiding. The altar where you hid must be the one in the Hwang Insa Temple. And you lived because of Buddhas help. Uh? Ah, yes Did this mean that even that stern-looking being was sent by Buddha? Do Cheol was dragged away as he looked bewildered. Buddha, thank you. As they sped through the city in the early morning, he felt fear. They couldnt even look around, as the fake monk in the form of Sa Daham might suddenly pop out from somewhere. Eventually, they arrived at their destination. When they reached the Sacred Forest, they were finally relieved. The preparations for the Sword Dance wereplete. gs were lined up around the trees, which no one had touched for a hundred years. They were the spirit qi gs of the Immortal n. Incense sticks were lit, which began to give off smoke, and the sacred drums were brought out too. The Hwarangs will also arrive any time now. Then the ritual would start. And seeing this calmed Do Cheols heart, and he finally decided to look around. Isnt that the High Governor Hwarang? Seol Young looked at where Do Cheol pointed. On second thought, he could see a ck cloth flying between the gs. Zaha. He was looking at the Golden Ring pattern that symbolized the sun as if it were new. ? Seol Young was confused by it. Why is he here first? And when Zaha also found them, he frowned. Why are you here so early? Werent we supposed to meet in the middle of it? Seol Young was shocked. Who said that? A fixed time meant nothing when both sides werent going to follow it. And he had to hurry because the location of the monk had been discovered. But was there a reason for Zaha toe? What did youe here early for? When Seol Young asked, Zaha looked shocked. What can I even do here? If I wanted to do something, I could do it openly. Why would I need to hide just to do something? Didnt you enter the forest? You are so suspicious. Do Cheol was just watching the two bicker and thought this was a good situation. Hwarangs work for the honor of the troops they belong to, right? They are now fighting because they want all the glory for subduing the evil spirits. Well, when the spirits appeared, these two always worked so well together, so he wasnt concerned with this. But then people began to arrive. Ah! Hwarangs! Do Cheol hurriedly ran and hid behind arge rock. The warning to be cautious of the other Hwarangs and shamans stuck with him. Hwarangs? Seol Young stopped fighting with Zaha and turned around. Three Hwarangs were walking from afar, wearing white robes with ck patterns on them. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol. Seol Young was happy, but he felt puzzled too. What could it be? At the same time, they looked at him with the same happy but puzzled faces. These three were supposed to be participating in the Sword Dance. To avoid appearing neglectful, they added many new movements, so they wanted to practice some more. But there were people who came here first, and who were they? High Governor. Seol Young-rang. The three greeted them first and asked, I was told you are not participating in the Sword Dance today. So what is this? I stopped by for work. Zaha said. Meanwhile, Seol Young looked at the three without saying anything. They checked his weapon. Something is going to happen. The three could feel it. They walked away as if they didnt notice anything, but as soon as they turned around, they whispered. Lets do it right. We will have to help him secretly. Yes. The three went back. And as they left, Do Cheol poked his head out. Lets go. Seol Young winked. Do Cheol led the way quietly into the forest, and they soon arrived at the pre-determined location. Before starting, Seol Young bowed to Sa Dahams sword. Young Lord Sa Daham. For some reason, the fake monk, whom you killed, managed to revive, and he now dares to take on your form and harm people. Therefore, I, Seol Young, your junior, will borrow your power for a little while to punish that monk, so please allow me. He spoke politely. Sa Dahams soul had already left the world a long time ago, but he decided to be polite regardless of what he knew. And as he was asking for permission, he looked in one direction. He brought it ahead of time and hid it. He tried to receive even a little more energy than he could from this forest. Seol Young asked, Monk, are you ready? Yes. Do Cheol answered, and they cleared the gaps between the rocks, which had been cleverly covered with twigs and leaves. A crate was there. And when the lid was opened, a huge lion mask appeared. Rather than a mask, it was something that had to be worn all over the body. Therge head with fur around it was simr to the masks used for dancing. However, it had one difference. It was that next to its head were four other heads. So there were five heads. A lion with five heads. This was the Suan Ni Lion, which was famous only in Si. Right! This is it! Do Cheol grabbed the mask with a happy face. I was scared when I first saw it when I was young. After all, it is known to be the strongest in the world! Even evil spirits cannotpete with Suan Ni. He said. I will be the Suan Ni Lion and help you all! Seol Young just hoped the man wouldnt change his heart. Lets start then. He took the lion mask and spread it on the ground, and Seol Young changed into jade-colored clothes that he had prepared in advance and hung Sa Dahams sword on his waist. You didnt forget, right? Yes. You said that the lion mask is the trap. Seol Young-rang will put incantations into the mask. Good. I will do it right now. Monks soul will exit your body and enter the lions body as a living soul. Yes. Yes. Just a temporary change to escape the living world. If your living soul safely enters the lions body, I will take the talisman that has been covering the monks presence. As soon as we remove it, the spirit will attack the monk. And Yes. I know. Do Cheol nodded nervously and turned to Zaha. If there is any danger, hide behind the High Governor No! Do note! I already helped you once before. Seol Young remembered why Zaha said it. He had already helped the monk once. And now he didnt want the same thing to happen again. Everything would now depend on fate. Drums rang on the other side of the forest. The Sword Dance had begun. Meanwhile, another ritual began in the darkness. Amitabha Do Cheol sat cross-legged on the floor and closed his eyes as he meditated. Seol Young immediately began to recite something. And when he pulled out the Soul Calling talisman, Do Cheols soul was pulled out from the top of his head. ? His living soul seemed shocked, but then he looked at his body, which was meditating. There are two of me! But this wasnt the time to be intrigued like this. Do Cheol was reminded of the mission, and he moved quickly. He went into the lion mask that was spread on the floor. At that moment, the lion mask jumped up on all fours and moved like a real lion. Good! Seol Young clenched his hands and took out the pouch he had prepared in advance. It held the details of Do Cheol, his real name, date of birth, ce of birth, and other stuff. He put the pouch on the floor and summoned the spirits. Dark shadows rose and began to surround Do Cheols body. A response soon came. Wheik! There was a shrill noise in the air and the sound of something that was moving so fast. It was then Seol Young quickly removed the talisman from Do Cheols body. The soul of the sewing girl disappeared with the talisman, and the energy of the monk radiated. -So there you are! As if shouting like that The fake monks spirit suddenly appeared from the shadows of the forest. In the form of Sa Daham, dressed in jade clothes, he swung his sword. But he stopped the next moment, realizing the cross-legged monk was an empty shell. This wasnt it. The energy of the monk named Do Cheol wasing from elsewhere, and the moment he turned around. Rooooooar! Came the roar of a lion. A giant Suan Ni hit him. He raised his front paws with the face of a lion and struck him. Buddhas retribution! Do Cheol shouted. The other two were amazed at this. This wasnt in the n, so it felt a bit odd. And Do Cheol was so excited that he took the initiative. Rooooarr! Puaaak! The lion mask roared and hit the evil spirit urately. A fairly significant blow struck the body of the evil spirit. Once again, this was shocking. As if See. Didnt I say that I was good at fighting? In the midst of this, they couldnt help but be shocked. Chapter 41: Lion Dance (9) Chapter 41: Lion Dance (9) The fake monk was furious. A fake sacrifice? And a mask that attacked him right away? Monk! Right now! Seol Young shouted, and Do Cheols living soul came out through Suan Nis crown. At the same time, the spell cast onto the mask was activated and it turned into a trap that attracted the fake monk. ? The fake monk was shocked. In the blink of an eye, he was trapped in the lions mask. Until just now, his body was light and swift. But now the lion swallowed him. It transformed into a huge, heavy, hairy lion. It wasnt just a lionit was a five-headed lion that yed evil. That was what this lion meant. Suan Ni tried to bite into the evil spirit, and it seeded. Seol Youngs eyes shone. A forced possessionthat was his n. If the opponent was taking the form of a sword, they were at a disadvantage. So he had to make sure that there was a handicap ced where the harmony that the sword sought was missing. Kuak! Inside the lion, the evil spirit roared. He struggled to get rid of the huge, heavy body. From then on, everything relied on Seol Young. Monk. Calm down. Zaha pped the monks face. It seemed that his soul was back in his body. Good. Taking a deep breath, he drew Sa Dahams sword and raised it. And he felt that the spirit of Sa Daham was clearly gone from this world. But at that moment, he could feel the pride and hatred that were within the sword. Please help out this junior. Seol Young infused spiritual energy into the sword. Sa Dahams spirit and his power merged together perfectly. The mysterious aura immediately covered Seol Youngs body. At that moment, the pain of the wounds on his hand vanished. Seol Youngs face and body began to look like Sa Daham. ! The fake monk felt agitated at this. Did Sa Daham appear? The Hwarang who mercilessly defeated him in the past. The one who pushed him to the ground and stabbed him numerous times to death. Sa Daham once again stood in front of him. Was this possible? But what the sword was wielding was surely the sword technique of Sa Daham. Just like in the old days, he came to besiege him without giving him any time. [Sa Daham!] All five heads roared, and the lion attacked. Its front paws cut through the wind. Wherever its huge body collided, thick trees crashed down. But it was not as fast as before. At least for now, the path of its attack can be seen. Where was it? Seol Young used Sa Dahams sword technique and calmly drove the opponent into a corner. Bang! The old tree between the two was crushed by the lions paw. The mess in the area increased. The fake monk certainly wouldnt be able to get rid of the trauma he received from Sa Daham. Every time heunched an attack, the monk panicked. The spirit was extremely defensive. Seol Young noticed and attacked it more boldly. Be careful! Do Cheol, who hade to his senses, shouted. At that moment, Seol Youngs sword pierced the chest of the lion. Thest form waspleted. Puak! The lion barely managed to dodge the sword with its paw. At that moment, Seol Young lost his bnce and staggered back. The final attack failed, but he wasnt swayed too much. He immediately changed the path of the sword to strike the lions leg. [AHHHH!] The fake monk screamed. Its body was hit by an attack loaded with spiritual energy. Seol Young stabbed the lion in its crown without giving it time to recover. The moment the sword pierced it, the form of Suan Ni vanished. ? Seol Youngs sword pierced nothing. Where is it? Do Cheol cried out. Seol Young suddenly remembered. This guy was a monka fake monk. Sorcery! Inside the lion mask, Seol Young had inscribed something. Breaking through the restriction that trapped him there, he managed to cast sorcery at the risk of being exorcised. Rather than die, it seemed like the spirit wanted to escape. But it didntst long. The trees in front of him fell right then, and the lion rolled over them. What? Something like a golden light shone around its body, and this sight wasnt so unfamiliar. Seol Young ran toward the lion to take a look. As expected, he did something when he arrived before us. He looked back, but Zaha put on an innocent look, and now wasnt the time to question him either. Kuaaaak! Suan Ni ran away again, screaming in pain. It was heading to the other side of the forest. Seol Young stopped, as beyond this, the sound of drums was resonating, and the Sword Dance festival must have started. Do Cheol gasped. They might be in the middle of the ritual! It will be fine. I deliberately led him in that direction. Why? Think about it, monk. Zaha said. At that time, the bereaved family used the spirit of Sa Daham to be the murderer. All of the Hwarangs know that, right? Ah! The fake monk was sly. He knew that if the real Sa Daham were there, then he would be framed for the murders he hadmitted. And that was why he chose to lure Seol Young, who looked like Sa Daham, to those Hwarangs. The goal is to keep them froming after me. But if I go there, the entire Hwarang troops will turn on me. It will be another bad situation. Zaha turned to Seol Young. What will you do? Will you step back now? As if. Seol Young bit his lip. If he was nning to step back, he wouldnt have even tried this. If done well, this could be the best chance. The chance to prove the true identity of the murderer to everyone who knew about the murders. This has to be done. Seol Young ran after the lion. The word martial was included in the Sword Dance, but it was different from the court dances. There was a melody before and after the ritual, but none yed during it. The drums would only be yed when the rites were being read. And the rites would be read by the Governor himself. Metal, water, me, and wind harmonize and rule with rain, air, snow, and sun so that there will be no evil spirits in spring, summer, autumn, and winter for A voice with spiritual power to give it a holy effect resounded from afar. The Sun in the center, the Blue Dragon in the east, the White Tiger in the west, the ck Tortoise in the north, and the Vermillion Bird in the south. Each of the ns troops was in their respective positions, with their own meaning, in perfect order. The swordsmen disyed the spirits of the Hwarangs who protected thend. Dum! Dum! Dum! And the drums yed ordingly, with sharp des of light moving. It was like a white rainbow, with the sky parting and cold winds. But A cracking sound was heard in the middle of this ritual. The form of the troops shattered, and something appeared from the gs they put at the corners. A big head. Then another head. A lion with five heads. Suan Ni? It was a Sword Dance, not a lion dance, so why did a lion jump in? Was that a real lion? Everyone was shocked. And at that time. More people appeared and chased after this lion with terrifying speed. A beautiful Hwarang in green clothes, and even though it was their first time to see this person, he wasnt unfamiliar. The Hwarangs were shocked. Sa Daham! Young Master Sa Dahams spirit! Is here! Right in the middle of their Sword Dance ritual, two beings appeared. How can this happen?! The Governor was shocked, but he didnt move and just watched. The fight that was happening was fierce, and there were two powerful energies that were mixed. So no one could carelessly jump in. If they made a mistake, they would be gravely hurt. And he was sure one of the energy was very evil. The g pole was cut, and the sword moved. They shed several times, but neither side gave up, and Suan Ni was slowly being pushed back. What? The Hwarangs were shocked. They didnt know what was happening, but it was clear who should win this fight. Suan Ni was the beast that drove away evil. And the spirit of Sa Daham was said to have killed an innocent person, and all the Hwarangs felt bad despite being suspected themselves. Is that really Sa Daham? Hwa Un, the leader of the Vermillion Bird Star Troops, asked. But I need an exnation! A sharp shuriken in the shape of bird wings flew. It was difficult for him to intervene, so he threw a weapon. Ah! Do Cheol, who was secretly watching this, was surprised. Shhh. You cannot do anything more here. Zaha stopped him. A golden light shone in his eyes. It was clear that even those who couldnt feel spiritual energy could see it. Right. The High Governor will do something. Do Cheol sat quietly and watched the situation unfold. The shurikens that were thrown were going, swish swash, continuously. And during the attack, Seol Young twisted his body slightly to avoid them. In the eyes of the Hwarangs, this ghost was nimble. Try avoiding this! The Golden Ring Troops also threw their weapons. They were small cartwheel-like things with hooks on the sides. Right. Continue. Seol Young thought. He couldnt tell them not to throw, so he had to constantly dodge them. His top priority was defeating the lion. Kwang! While attacking fiercely, he was preparing to do something else, and the lion with a huge body was at a disadvantage. Taking advantage of Seol Young being attacked by the Hwarangs, the lion tried to escape. It tried to throw away the lion skin that was stuck to it and go back to its demonic sword form. Besides sorcery, something more powerful was gripping his body, and it wasnt just one but several. The fake monk used all his might to throw them away. Kwaaak! Suan Ni struggled. And the Hwarangs who were unaware of who was inside the lions body, felt pity watching this. Make sure to hit the evil spirit! Everyone took out their weapons, but only the White Tiger Troops were still. No. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol looked at each other. This isnt right. Chapter 42: Lion Dance (10) Chapter 42: Lion Dance (10) At first, Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were mistaken too. They met Seol Young early in the morning, and so they thought that he was the one who summoned the spirit of the lion that was now fighting Sa Daham. But no. Didnt Great-rang teach him the sword technique of Young Master Sa Daham? If that is the case, then Seol Young should be able to use it. Song Ok said. It didnt matter what he looked like, but the more they watched, the more convinced they were. Seol Young learned it. The others dont know, but we do. Even at this moment, when the Hwarangs were throwing their shurikens, Seol Young was dodging them well. But it was only a matter of time before they hit him. The key was to repeat the sword forms, which flowed like water. But with so many weapons being thrown at him, how could he finish the sword technique? At that time, Hyo Wol discovered something. Great-rang! That! He pointed Baek Eon to one side, and that was where the musicians were seated for the ritual. Ah, right. The three left their positions and hurried over there. Hyo Wol shed them a friendly smile and quickly reached his hand out. I will borrow this for a moment! He snatched the drums from the musicians. At the same time, the lion engaged in the battle was rushing forward and relying on its senses, and then its head emerged from the gs and fluttered in front of him. The g poles were being crushed, and the gs were torn. Seol Young didnt waver and calmly continued the sword technique. The weapons of each troop came for him and Tung! At that moment, a powerful vibration rang in everyones ears, making them all shocked. Baek Eon, the head of the White Tiger Spirit Troops, was standing in front of a drum. He raised one hand and struck the drum, and the force broke the stick off. A drumstick should be used ording to the size of the hand and the strength of the person holding it. And it didnt fit him because he was in a hurry. Great-rang, over here! Knowing this would happen, Hyo Wol prepared another long ck stick, which he got from one of the musicians. Thanks. Baek Eon threw the broken one away and beat the drum again. The powerful vibration continued and made everyone surprised again. This time, they realized it. The two energies were shing fiercely, so no one could intervene, which is why they were throwing their weapons from a distance. But Baek Eon was intervening by hitting the drums. It was impossible for anyone who didnt have strong spiritual power and experience. As expected of Baek Eon-rang. Everyone was amazed, but it was only for a while. ? Everyone was in doubt. This powerful sound, which vibrated in their ears, was intended for Sa Daham. But it didnt hurt at all. He just kept missing at crucial moments in the fight. What happened? They looked at Baek Eon, puzzled, and Seol Young also nced at him. He knows. Baek Eon had a calm face as he hit the drum. Song Ok and Hyo Wol were guarding either side of him, so no one could intervene. Their meaning was clear. Do not worry about other things and do what you need to do. The weapons that were flying toward Seol Young fell due to the vibrations that came from Baek Eon. Even from a distance, they could feel it. Thank you. Seol Young attacked the fake monk again with all his might, and Seo Geom, the head of the Blue Dragon True Troops, frowned. Even Baek Eon-rangs drumming couldnt stop it? This is not normal! Here it is! The Golden Ring Troops rushed in and offered their longbows with both hands. Seo Geom took out the Dragon Arrows that he always carried and began to move. As the name suggested, it was an arrow holding the power of a dragon. Right at that moment, Seol Youngpleted the sixth form. He failed to do itst time, but this time, it felt like he would seed. Sa Dahams technique, which was well-known to his generation, was perfectly unfolded in Seol Youngs hands. He stabbed the lion with all his might. At the same time, an arrow shot by towards the sword in an instant. It was like a dragon moving through the clouds with the momentum of an arrow. The Dragon Arrow pierced the barrier that Baek Eon unfolded and went straight forward. Seo Geom-rang did it! Everyone thought so, but the next moment. Puak! Came the sound. The arrow, which moved fast, wanting to take the target down, collided with something and fell. Silence fell. Baek Eon was silent. There was no longer a stick in his hand. Everyone could guess what happened. Baek Eon threw his stick and made the arrow fall. Seo Geom frowned. Why Right then. The huge lion crumbled, and then they realized. The sword of Sa Daham pierced the head of the lion, and a sharp sound of its body crumbling could be heard. ck! Sa Daham was standing tall, and his appearance changed as if a fog had been lifted. Everyone was shocked. Seol Young-rang! Seol Young kicked the lion, and a sword was stabbed in its ce. It was a very old sword. It was mottled with tangled marks and bloodstains. What? While everyone was shocked, the Governor, who watched this, said, Seol Young-rang, what is this? The murderer. Seol Young said. The Demonic Sword that went to the citizens house and killed him. Inside of it was an evil spirit of a fake monk whom Sa Daham had killed and sealed. The identity of the murderer was a Demonic Sword? Everyone was shocked. Amitabha. Seol Young-rang is right. A monk with broad shoulders and gentle eyes stepped forward. I am Do Cheol, a monk of the In Hyesa Temple. When I was younger, I stayed at the Jang Insa Temple with the deceased man. Then several Hwarangs remembered the story of what had happened. Ah, that monk. When they confronted the family, they all saw and heard about it. This monk was the one that Seol Young went to protect. That Demonic Sword is terrifying, and the fake monk was sealed inside of it. He killed all of the monks of the temple to gain great power, and when everyone was dead, the ce became empty and I was the only one left, so Seol Young-rang tried to protect my life. Do Cheol said without pausing. In this way, he released the feelings he had kept bottled up. But the problem was huge. Seol Young-rang was trying to find out the identity of the evil spirit and was injured by it. The evil spirit became one with the sword, and it moved like a Sword God. How could it be defeated? I wondered. Certainly, that is a difficult task. Everyone thought so. And then they all turned to look at Zaha. He shook his head, saying, I had a hard time too. This wasnt about winning. This was a battle where they had to protect someone from a Demonic Sword. Jin Rim looked at Seol Young again. Is this why this happened? Yes, Governor. Seol Young answered. I decided that it would be impossible to win if the fake monk was in its sword form, so I had to force him to possess something else, and that was Suan Ni. And Seol Young-rang became Young Lord Sa Daham? Yes. The only person the fake monk feared was him, so I tried to subdue him by taking the form of the person who installed fear in him. Then why do it here? You must know that the Sword Dance is underway right here today. The Governor asked. He wasnt scolding him or anything, and from the tone of his voice, he roughly guessed why too. Can I speak again? The monk asked. Seol Young-rang didnt deliberately disturb the Sword Dance. He did it to preserve the life of this poor and frail monk. Skimming past the words poor and frail, Jin Rim asked, To save the monk? Yes. He said if he summoned the fake monk and fought in the Sacred Forest, where the Sword Dance was happening, other Hwarangs would be able to protect my life even if he failed. As I thought. The Governor nodded. Of course, the ritual was important, but so was human life, and this was what Hwarangs were taught. The fake monk had taken advantage of Seol Young-rangs intentions. If he appeared in the form of Sa Daham, everyone would think of him as an evil spirit and attack him, right? And that is how it happened. Silence passed as the Hwarangs were motionless. How could they have ever guessed that this was the situation? They saw the family of the victim point to Sa Daham, and during a fight that they couldnt intervene in, they had to take the other side. It wasnt like they wanted to me him. They just felt ipetent. It was like everyone came forward for the evil spirit wrapped in their own thoughts! And this was confirmed again. From the time they have entangled with the Ghost Demon King eight years ago until now, they have been constantly humiliated. Chapter 43: Lion Dance (11) Chapter 43: Lion Dance (11) Seol Young wasnt interested in how the others looked at him. He only looked at Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol, who were near the musicians side. Memories of the four of them secretly meeting and doing all sorts of fun stuff when he was a kid came to his mind. He averted his gaze as he felt a warm sensation in the corner of his heart. You have suffered so much. Amitabha. Do Cheol cleaned up the lion mask, which fell to the ground. It was stabbed here and there, but I will bring it with me and sew it up. Actually, these days I am a bit attached to sewing As he said that, he hugged the mask close to him. It was sorge that it was easy for him to lift it. The Demonic Sword, which fell beside him, had already faded. In the first ce, it wasnt a real object as it was already destroyed a long time ago. When the Demonic Sword disappeared, the pain in Seol-Youngs hand vanished. He could feel the wound healing without having to do anything. In this way, this supernatural cmity has been solved. Seol Young concluded by reporting to the Governor. This time, many people watched the end, so they didnt have much to say. However, Seol Young had one question in mind. So he approached Zaha. I used this sword well. Since they were in front of so many people, he gently gave Sa Dahams sword back to Zaha. Ah. Right. I forgot. Zaha calmly took it back. Why did he lend it to me? As a result, it ended well, but why? And he thought, Maybe Seol Young stared at him. Why are you looking at me like that? Seriously, he thought they should talk about it, but not here. So after looking at him with confused eyes, he turned to the Governor. And then Ah! Seol Young-rang! Do Cheol ran to him. I was thinking about telling you this, but then Ipletely forgot about it. Do you know that there is a monster in your room? Seol Young was taken aback for a moment. It waspletely unexpected. A monster in my room? You didnt know either? Amitabha. It is a good thing that I remembered. Do Cheol said with a serious face. Didnt I escape danger by hiding under the altar in my dream? Seol Young Hwarang said that it was Buddha who saved me, so I just moved on from it, but now that I think about it, it wasnt like that at all. Then? It is true that Buddha hid me right under the altar. But the monster in the closet in your room helped me. It hated the sound of a monk praying, so he opened his eyes in anger when he heard me praying. Hearing this made him think. The unidentified objectthat wooden thing he got from the GO roomswas wrapped in a talisman. And that was inside the closet Do Cheol was talking about. The issue about the monk was so urgent that he had set it aside for a while. But it opened its eyes? It had eyes? Yes. But only one eye was open, and it made a horrifying sound. But it helped you, monk? Yes. Thanks to that, I was able to escape from the dream without being noticed by the fake monk. Isnt it such a good monster? Seol Young thought with a strange look on his face. I need to check that out first. The Sword Dance had ended. In the end, we ended up being fools again. Seo Geom, the leader of the Blue Dragon True Troops, bent down and picked up the ck drumstick. Then he approached Baek Eon and handed it to him. Baek Eon-rang, how did you know? Hmm? Baek Eon made an expression as if saying that he didnt know what it was about. Seeing the evil spirit rampaging, a bad thought popped into my head, and then I just got carried away, and my hand slipped. He answered back with a gentle face. And at that time Great-rang! Gyeon Yun, the third member of the Blue Dragons, called him with a strange face. What? Take a look at this. He took the arrow that Seo Geom had thrown and returned it. Seeing that, his expression changed. The arrow was cut in half. He clearly saw Baek Eons drumstick hitting the arrow, and the stick was still intact, but the arrow was cut? He looked at the part of the cut, and it was smooth. Who cut it cleanly? It could have been cut before the stick touched it. And there were only two people here who could do this. One of them was the Governor who watched it happen. Seo Geoms face contorted. How do I interpret this? As soon as Seol Young returned to the dorms, he went straight to his room. He opened the closet, took out the bag, and brought out the stuff in it. All of the talismans that were written had been erased, like they had done their duty. And he carefully unwrapped them. A round ck shape could be seen through the paper. After a while, he was able to unravel everything, and the face of a fierce monster appeared. Someone carved the monster from a hard ebony piece. It looked worn with time, as if one would even wonder if a carving existed. But its expression still looked clear. One of its eyes was open, and a tooth was protruding out. It looked like it would roar at any moment. What is this? He didnt know. He could only tell that it surely had a powerful face. It was dozens of timesrger than the piece of wood he had been carrying around, thinking it was a wooden tablet, and it was in perfect shape too. It was quite effective even with that, and he thought that this would help him cause serious wounds to anyone. Ghost Face Wood Mask. Seol Young decided to call this thing that. When he held it in his hand, rather than heat, he felt a cool energy. And unlike what he felt from looking at its face, he felt refreshed from touching it. He felt better. Seol Young sat with his back against the wall. Following the monster mask in the vige, the painting, and now the ghost of a fake monk in the shape of a sword, all of them happened in reality. And sooner orter, another ghost story would appear and happen in reality. He was already sure of it now. But at least this little room of his was quiet. Lets take a rest for now. Seol Young closed his eyes. The resentful face of the old woman ring at him, the image of Sa Daham practicing the sword technique, the screams of a person, and the image of the Demonic Sword drenched in blood. Every scene was being erased in his mind. His head slowly turned to one side as fatigue hit his body. Soon, Seol Young fell asleep. how much time had passed? When he suddenly came to his senses, it was dark. Where is this? He looked around in shock and confusion. The moonlight was bright, and the roofs, pirs, and buildings all shone in silver. It was a pce or a pavilion-like structure. There was no such ce in the Moon Pce. And this was a ce Seol Young hadnt been before. Where am I? He stared into the darkness, but he couldnt see anything, and it felt as if a veil was blocking it. He felt this was an ominous sign. I need to get out of here quickly. He continued to walk, looking for an exit. And at that time Suddenly, someones back came into view. Seol Youngs eyes widened. Now, in the darkness, there was someone walking right ahead of him. Her ck hair, which reached her waist, was swaying from side to side, and on the back of her head, there was a fancy hairpin that looked like a crown. The beads hanging from both of its ends swayed lightly. That woman! He felt it now. The woman walked quickly, and she continued to go forward. It looked like she would disappear if he blinked an eye in this darkness. Wait! Seol Young hurriedly went after her. Who are you? What is your identity? Their distance began to get shorter. And the beads on her hairpin could be heard cking. He could even see a small pattern engraved on her neck. Everything felt so vivid. Dont lose her now. As the woman turned into a corner, he reached out and grabbed the hem of her dress. Who are you? The woman turned around. At that moment, Seol Young gasped. Talismans were stuck on the womans face. Dozens, or maybe a hundred, all covered her face. And the meaning of this was clear. Countless shamans had already tried to exorcise her, but no one seeded. This woman was not an ordinary ghost. There was not even a name for this kind of evil spirit in this world. His entire body went cold. Seol Young couldnt move as if a sword was pressed onto him. I have to let go. But it was already toote when he thought about escaping. A ck mist began to rise from the woman. And then he heard a sharp sound. Crazy voice. In the agony of wanting to dig out his ears,plex shapes began to emerge in the darkness. Round things and pirs spread endlessly in the darkness, mixing and changing. Everything expanded infinitely, and at the same time, he felt imprisoned. It was like a huge flower with too many petals, and he was in the center of it. Mand. Darkness of Mand. The whisper in his ears grew louder and louder as the souls buried in the darkness began to speak to him. [Run!] Seol Young opened his eyes, and his entire body felt cold, as if he had bathed in ice. And it was as if the blood in his body had stopped flowing. What did I just see? It wasnt a dream. Through the process, he looked into the existence of another world once again. A terrifying figure with so many talismans over her face. But that didnt matter. Seol Young looked at his hand, and the Ghost Face Wood Mask trembled. Suddenly, its other eye was now open. And with both eyes wide open, he was reacting intensely. Same. How should he interpret this? Seol Young felt confused. When he tried to figure out Zahas identity at the tomb, he saw a unique demonic qi. And it felt intense and terrifying, even to him. Up until now, he had seen countless spirits in the world, but none with such an aura. But it was the same thing. He felt the same energy from Zaha, like that strange shadow he saw. It was darkness that could eat everything. It was something he hadnt seen elsewhere. Equivalent. Both belonged to the same world. What did it mean? Seol Young mumbled. another? The Great Heavenly Pavillion must have surely gotten this revtion. -Why are you leaving a mark in the Hwarangs? Supernatural cmities will continue to happen one after another! It will be a catastrophe in the end! This prophecy changed Seol Youngs fate. However, he didnt pay much attention to it because he thought it was wrong. But what if it wasnt wrong? What if the protagonist of the revtion was someone other than me? It was a thought he had never had until now. Chapter 44: Lion Dance (12) Chapter 44: Lion Dance (12) A thin stream of blue smoke rose from the yard of a small, old house. Just like the cloud that a maiden of heaven rode. It was sky-high above the roof. This soul loved to carve wood. He saw Buddhas face on the lifeless piece of wood and carved it out so that the others can see it. Seol Young used the power of Heavenly Rebirth. Since the good soul has met an evil spirit and is about to die, Buddha, please hold his hand so as to not let him wander through the darkness. Please guide him to a good ce. Next to him, monk Do Cheol prayed with a rosary in hand. Amitabha, please lead the family to be reborn in thend of paradise In Buddhism, this ritual was called Heavenly Homage. Even though the name was different, the end result was the same. It was to appease the souls of the dead and hope they would be reborn. Zaha followed them. He didnt say much but just stood to the side and watched this. He had a serious face. Seol Young continued to observe his expression as he listened to the prayer. Perhaps Eventually, the ritual was finished, and the monk had red eyes as he entered his friends house, and once the prayer ended, he teared up. The three of us got along very well in the temple. Do In and I didnt have parents, but Do Jeon said that he had a good mother. He didnt know how much I envied him. Even when her sons old friend said that, the old mother didnt respond. She didnt have a frustrated or regretful look on her face. She was just dazed. Her sons spoke bitterly. She will probably never return to normal. After burying my brother, she seemed to have let go of her mind. The old mother just sat nkly. Her hand twitched, and her five fingers hit the floor hard. Zaha looked at her and asked, Are you doing this because your energy is declining? It isnt like that. She is just trying to hold on. Like when she caught Seol Young-rang on the street? No. It is what we The sons hesitated a little. It seems like she is trying to hold onto our brother. Her skinny hand, which was like a tree stump, started groping the floor. Seol Young looked over the old womans shoulder and at the house. A small room caught his eye. It was the room of the dead man. And he went inside. The room had already been cleaned, but when he looked around the room, it seemed like he had found something. So hey on the ground and looked at it. There was a small piece of wood in the dark room, and Seol Young recognized it. It was the piece of wood he had held in his hand, and pondered about what it was as he projected the memory of the dead. He brought it out and put it in the old womans hand. This is the wood that your son was carving before he died. The old woman immediately clenched it. She looked like a baby holding a toy. A dead person would nevere back, and that block of wood would never have the face of Buddha. But this is better than empty hands. It wasnt known if it was an illusion, but the wrinkles on her face seemed to ease up a little. In the midst of the silence, everything changed. The ritual to appease the soul ended. They left the house first, leaving Do Cheol to talk more about his childhood with the dead monk. Seol Young asked while walking, Why did you follow me? There was no way I would die during the ritual. I was just there to watch. Zaha said. It seemed that he hade without much thought. But why would a person who has been corrupted by sorcery bother to watch a Heavenly Homage? Why would he be attracted to that? Seol Young said after looking at him, I tend to skip things that benefit me most of the time and this is strange. What? Once is just a mistake, a coincidence, a whim anyway. But this time, I cannot deny it. Thanks for lending me Sa Dahams sword, which helped me win, and that was clearly a calcted help. ? Of course, I was the one who took down the soul of the monk and then made the evil spirit possess a lion mask. It was me who learned So Dahams sword technique and fought hard to win. But when I felt frustrated, you showed me Sa Dahams sword and hinted that I turned things around. Not just that, you went to the forest in advance and put something in the lion mask. Wasnt that why the evil spirit couldnt escape even when he tried to? I didnt do anything. Well, that isnt important. Seol Young said. This time was no ident. It was intentional, right? Then why? I thought that when you returned to the pce and saw the Hwarangs you taught in the past, a bit of your humanity returned. If that is the case Seol Young went closer to him. Open up right now and speak. I havent heard of anyone dealing with demonic things evering back to the righteous path, but there might be a way with your skills and the Governors knowledge. Maybe it isnt toote. Zaha stared at Seol Young. The next moment, he burst intoughter. Look here, Seol Young-rang. You pretend to have lived a rough life, but you are a young master in the capital, right? Seol Youngs face hardened. What do you mean? Your thoughts are running wild. He rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a round object the size of his palm. You know what this is? Heaven and Earth. A small que with a line in the middle and letters written on it. A tool to detect ghosts. Now, here. He ced the object in Seol Youngs hand. And the needle in the center spun around, pointing to Zaha. It moved back and forth in the direction of Great Evil and Great Chaos. This meant that the person held evil intentevil intent to harm someone. Seol Young was speechless. I dont know what you thought about when you came to these conclusions calm down, Seol Young-rang. The visible and actual truths are always different. Isnt that a known fact? My n is going well. He had a rxed tone, as if it was just small talk. However, Zahas eyes were filled with dark energy. Something more distinct than what the Heaven and Earth que showed. Besides, he felt the same aura from that female spirit As expected, he is a disgrace. Without any hesitation, he immediately took out the mask and tried to unleash its power. But then. Oh? You havent left yet? Do Cheol appeared from the other side. Good. Have this. Seol Young-rangs thing. My thing? Yes. Yesterday while sewing the mask, I discovered that it was caught in Gold glittered in Do Cheols hands. In an instant, he turned it over, and it was Zahas thing. Maybe it was the suspicious technique he used and put inside the lion mask, and now he is caught. That In an instant, Zahas expression changed, but he then returned to hisidback attitude again. It is mine. He reached out, but Seol Young was quicker. He snatched it out of Do Cheols hands, and for a moment, he was shocked. What is this? It wasnt unfamiliar. It felt all too familiar, and a certain emotion spread through him. Sadness. It was sadness and sorrow. It was the kind that made him want to cry. What? He had his eyes closed, but the moment he opened them, tears filled his eyes, and Do Cheol was surprised. Seol Young Hwarang! Even Seol Young himself was surprised. I am missing something important here. The golden thread in his hand vanished as Zaha took it back without even touching it. Seol Young-rang? Are you a child? Are you crying because you didnt get to take someones stuff? My eyes just hurt Seol Young made an excuse. Even as a child, he had never cried in front of others. But it wasnt like he was ashamed or anything. He only thought that he was missing something very important here. Then here. He gave Seol Young a coin to buy what he wanted and then turned away quickly. When one looks into the spirit world, the eyes tire quickly. I am surprised to learn that Seol Young Hwarang is crying because of sadness. Do Cheol said. Seol Young lowered his head and asked, his voice low, Monk. What was the thing you found in the lion mask? Uh? Wasnt that a piece of gold coin? No. The High Governor gave this to me to make fun of me. This is not what the monk brought, so think carefully. Do Cheols face went nk. Is that so? Come to think of it, it seemed like a thing bigger than it is strange. I surely saw something, but I cannot remember what it is. No matter how dumb the monk was, his reaction seemed to indicate that he had forgotten about it and that there were some great secrets. He felt like he already knew what it was but also didnt. Seol Young was lost in thought. He was back to square one. I am missing a very important thing right now. What was it? He couldnt realize what it was. Chapter 45: Peach Blossom Girl (1) Chapter 45: Peach Blossom Girl (1) The night streets were lined with bars selling alcohol and a young man came out of one of them. A noble dressed in rich silk. Several prostitutes were following after him. It isnt even midnight yet, but you are already leaving? Young Master, do you know? They say that if a person changes suddenly, then it means something bad will happen! The young man sighed as he said, I need to go home and wake up early tomorrow, my mother is not feeling well these days. I might end up being kicked out without a penny to inherit. Thene to our brothel. We will feed you and put you to sleep too! Are you asking me to work here? Work? Would we? You can be a musician! The only thing I know is to knock out rice bowls. Young Master, seriously! Everyone smiled, and a servant brought him his horse, but he waved his hand. I will walk tonight. That way, the smell of alcohol will go away. All the women burst intoughter. I didnt think she would be such an angry person! Dont even get me started. The young man sighed. He couldnt stop, even with such cute beauties around him. Phew, my situation The young man walked with his back straight in the splendid night. All the pedestrians passed in the other direction, and asionally, some horse riders would pass by too. I dont have apanion! It would be nice if a beautiful woman could fall from somewhere. Then it wouldnt be boring to walk around while looking at her. As he turned the corner, the young man hesitated. It was just something he said. A woman walked in front of him. She had jet-ck hair that reached her waist, and a slender body with silk wrapped around it. She was a typical royal beauty, and his eyes widened. If I cannot take a look at her face, I might not be able to sleep tonight! He walked faster, but it was strange. No matter how fast he walked, he couldnt get close to her, and he was now almost running, but the woman was still ahead of him. Am I too drunk? He realized it at that point. So he pulled his clothes up to run. Hello! Miss! Please stop! I have something important to say! The woman didnt turn back, and she walked quickly to the side of the river where the boats sailed. As she rode a boat alone, the young man also rode one to follow her. In the middle of the river was a small artificial ind made of stone and soil. And the woman stopped her boat there. She went into the pavilion built on the artificial ind. It looked like a celebration hall. The young man opened the door and followed her. Miss! At that moment, a cold wind hit his body, making the man sober up. The sight in front of him felt ominous. The whole ce was full of cobwebs. The walls and floor were covered with dark red marks. This isnt it. It was so terrifying that he couldnt stay there. So he tried to leave, but right then, he saw a beautiful woman with her back to him standing near a window. And the man once again forgot about his fear. Oh! You were there! The moment he approached her with joy, something small fell from the womans body, and it rolled. A dice? One that had fourteen sides and was used for settling penalties at drinking parties. And it rolled until it halted. The young man read the dice without a thought. Laugh out loud? It meant drinking alcohol andughing loudly. And when he looked up, the woman slowly turned back. The moment he saw her face, his legs gave out as he stumbled back. Ack! What is this?! Even if he tried, he couldnt run. His eyes were wide enough to reflect her image. As soon as dawn came up, people who lived near the riverside came out. It was noisy, and they had to catch some fish until one of them stopped and then another. They saw something strange. Is that a person? Just looking at the figure, it seemed like someone was lying down by the river, and it looked like his expensive silk clothes were soaked. Someone fell into the water! Is he alive or dead? People hurriedly ran and turned the body over, only to be startled. Ack! All of them were shocked, as some stumbled while others pushed the body away. Only the corpse that was turned over was motionless. The sky that was just beginning to brighten was reflected upside down in the bodys cloudy eyes. It was in the dark. Seol Young tried to get up, but his body wouldnt move. His right hand was tied, and he just realized that he was chained. A dream. He wasnt as young as back then, but he couldnt move. Dozens of red lights appeared in the darkness. They were the eyes of evil spirits. They slowly approached him, and he knew what would happen after that. He wanted to escape, even if it was a dream, but the chain wouldnt budge. It felt like his spiritual power was sealed right now, and he couldnt use any talismans or other items. Do note! He struggled against them, and at some point, he could move a finger. The chain became loose, and he jumped to see a familiar roome into view. A meditation cushion. Phew. He sighed and stretched out his hand. He pulled out the blue sword that was next to the futon and held it. To have that nightmare again. It was the first time since he climbed Mount Seondo while holding his teachers hand. He would dream of the same scene every now and then, but it wasnt a real nightmare. It just made his head dizzy. Even now, Seol Young wasnt sure if he had made the right decision. But I have been following my belief until now He decided to do the same this time. The night passed, and he heard the sound of people preparing for the dawn service. Seol Young listened to the sound and picked up his sword. He even inspected all his belongings. And then he headed to the Moon Pce. He was going to meet the Governor, but he ran into someone. The person had elegantly styled hair. Even in the pce, colorful clothes were rare. And even though the woman seemed to be over sixty years old, her face looked like that of a young woman. It was the head of the Great Heavenly Pavillion. I must be out of luck already. Seol Young stepped aside so she could pass, but she didnt. ? Only then did he realize. She was alone, and there were no other officials who followed her. It meant she wasnt going anywhere and that she had been waiting there. And the person was maybe him? Seol Young bowed his head. Great Heavenly Head. Seol Young-rang. She bowed her head very lightly, and Seol Young asked, What business do you have with me? The woman stared at him and then smiled. Interesting. What? Seol Young-rang proudly said he would solve the supernatural cmities that I foresaw, and you actually did solve them a couple of times, which is nice. Actually, I thought that you were acting ignorant since you are a careless person, but this is unexpected. She looked like she was scanning Seol Young. It seems like you are afraid of something. The womans eyes were sharp, and she had her own opinion. Seol Young was nervous but he answered without hesitation, Of course. I am always afraid of things. Um? What? As you must have already known, isnt sorcery something that borrows power from the other side? Those who wish to practice it always have a fear in their hearts, and first of all, the fear of Gods is what we call As she listened, her face contorted. Seol Young-rang, I didnt mean that. She looked at Seol Young. Arent you also suspicious of the identity of the High Governor? This struck a chord. But Seol Young said nothing. If he had just noticed that, he wouldnt have even gotten close to him. He frowned slightly as he said, I dont understand what you mean. Do you have any doubts regarding the High Governors identity? If it isnt him, then did some fox disguise itself as him? Dont you think the Hwarang troops would have discovered it? Hmm. She smiled. Seol Young-rang, where did we first meet? You think I dont know anything about you? Even though you are calmly putting on this pretense, you are worried inside. You are no idiot, and I know you must have already figured out a couple of things about the High Governor. She continued before Seol Young could respond. I do not want outsiders to meddle in the affairs of the ns. Are you going to fall for his words and cover them up? You should think carefully about whether that is a wise decision. You are already being fooled. You are already fooled. Isnt that the favorite phrase of the one who wants to deceive others? Shut up and listen, young man. The High Governor must be helping you little by little to avoid the eyes of others. In that way, he makes you depend on him. That is his method. A strange smile appeared on her lips. I am someone who cares about this nation. Think about it. Everything I hold in my hands nowes from this nation, so would I want this nation to be shaken? There is no doubt that there is a revtion from heaven, but after thinking, I realized something. ? Maybe the real problem maker is elsewhere. Disguised in an identity, no one would suspect. She looked Seol Young right in the eye. I just want to give you a chance to choose. If you think there is some truth in what I am saying.. She pulled out a pouch of red silk from her sleeve. Then open this. You will learn an important secret about the High Governor. Chapter 46: Peach Blossom Girl (2) Chapter 46: Peach Blossom Girl (2) A trap. The head of the Great Heavenly Pavillion was trying to aplish something, and she was manipting Seol Young with this pouch. But he wasnt going to fall for it. Why arent you taking it? When Seol Young didnt take it, she insisted. If it turns out that the evil entity forecasted by the heavens is the High Governor, then Seol Young-rang can get rid of the suspicion that the people and the troops have on you. I will even tell His Highness when that happens. Wasnt that what Seol Young wanted too? She looked at Seol Young. It was true. That was what Seol Young wanted the most. But Seol Young realized something. I am not an official in the pavilion, so I do not take orders from you, head. Seol Young spoke coldly, but she didnt seem fazed. This is for the sake of the entire troops. It is the safest way to protect the nation and the royal family. She said firmly. In this pouch, there is evidence proving how suspicious the High Governor is. And all you need to do is open it and tell the truth to everyone. Simple, right? If you dont do just that simple thing, then the entire Hwarang troops will be shaken. And if something happens to the White Tigers because of him, will you be able to handle it? Seol Youngs face, which had been cold, was now shaken. And she took advantage of it. Think of this as a request from an adult who really cares for this nation and not an order from me. With that, she hurriedly left. There were signs of people walking towards where he was, and before he could be caught, Seol Young moved. Shes been using him of being bad luck, and now shes changed her attitude towards him when she needed him? Seol Young resented her for these actions, and of course, he was curious to know why she was hell-bent on Zaha being evil right from the start. But that didnt stop him from taking the pouch, so he shoved it into his pocket. I have a solution too, so why should I avoid the bait she threw? The Wooden Ghost Face Mask was strong, but once he used it, it wasnt something he could use again. And the ripple effect of using it was too great. But before that, he decided to secretly steal the golden thread and find out what it was. Why did it continue to make him feel like he was missing something important right now? He is very wary, so I need to seed on the first try. If I fail, there wont be a second chance. Seol Young thought about that and headed to the Elegant Pavillion. He was a littlete as the woman dyed him, but the door was closed. .. since ancient times, it has been said that when aet appears, something unusual happens Inside, the voice of Hwa Un, the head of the Vermillion Bird, could be heard. The heads of each troop had gathered for the regr meeting. Seol Young just stood outside and waited, but he could hear everything even if he didnt want to. And it seemed like there was a report about some strangeet appearing at some mountain peak. ording to the rules, they needed to stop it, but it wasnt easy to do. And the talks continued. Seol Young continued to listen. Zaha suddenly appeared. The moment he saw him, the mask in his sleeve trembled. It felt like it resonated with Zaha. Seol Young had to press his arms. Not yet. Zaha walked his way, but he didnt enter the hall. He just stood next to Seol Young. And after listening to the meeting for a while, he said, You have to read the opinions of the people. In a ce where the spirit qi is too great to be used as a training ground, its rare to see goblins and other beings. It doesnt matter, even if the Hwarangs do not go. Wait and see. If we send the ck Tortoise first and ask them to clear the road and fix the area, the story will continue. Seol Young looked at him. Then will you tell them? If we go in now, then we will be held back for a long time, so no. He smiled while softly saying it. But, have you stopped crying? Seol Young ignored his words with a cold face. And then. Someone else appeared. Beom Hyun, the 5th member of the ck Tortoise Troops. They met during the painting case when Seol Young protected them from the evil spirit. Zaha told him, They are inside having a meeting. I didnte here for the Great-rang. Then? I am here to tell you something important. Beom Hyun looked around before lowering his voice. There is a bone picker we know. A bone picker was someone who cremated people or organized the bones of a dead body. The ck Tortoise Troops were famous for their strength. When tombs copse, the bone pickers will get into trouble, or if the buried were disturbed from their sleep, God would incur his wrath, so people would seek the ck Tortoise first. As a result, it was natural for those who made funerals for a living to contact them. Didnt you hear a few days ago that Kim Yeo-chuns son, who served all his life for the nation, suddenly died? They imed it was some sort of disease, but it wasnt. The bone picker we know well was the one assigned to the case. The body belonged to the son of a noble, but his body was simply given up? They would normally attempt to cremate it at temples, right? There was a reason for it. People say that his death was so terrifying and horrible that it couldnt even be exined. From the perspective of a shaman, the cause appears to be the work of a ghost rather than a disease. How horrible was it? He said he couldnt share the details. It is said that the childs mother threatened to cut off the tongues of those who talked about it. Nevertheless, he kept picturing the horrifying appearance of that corpse. He couldnt stop feeling scared, so I came to you to inform you secretly. Hmm Zaha frowned slightly. But why tell me this? It isnt my job to handle supernatural cmities. Isnt that what Seol Young-rang does? Now Beom Hyun looked awkward. You might think this is not worth it since a member of the ck Tortoise Troops is saying this, but I am telling the truth. It wouldnt hurt just to go and see if its strange or not. He told them where the location was and left. Seol Young looked at him. He had no intention of ignoring what he heard since it also felt unusual. If they even dared toe out and say this, then it meant that the bone picker was really scared. Then I need to go. Seol Young looked at Zaha. Didnt you say everything is happening ording to your n? The same goes for this one. The end ising soon. Right? That is great. Dont talk like this is someone elses business. Why dont we cooperate until then? It will be good for us to quickly find out if this is one of the supernatural cmities or not. What are you asking me to help you with? I cannot just go and tell the family that their sons death is suspicious. Aha. Now Zaha understood his intention. Surely, you cannot say that. The family is trying to cover the death of their son. Moreover, since it is the family of a high-ranking noble, it is obvious how they will respond. A Hwarang with no unit will be rejected right away. So you want me to be the shield? They quickly agreed on it. They discussed a few things and moved straight to the familys house. Who are you? Dont you know who I am? You dont even deserve to know that. I am worthy of meeting with the Lord of this family. Zaha shook off the servant and went inside. He came to find out information, but far from trying to look good, he had a confident attitude as if he were a debt collector. The mother of the child asked him with a stiff face, I heard that the High Governor was back. But why did youe to our house? Zaha knew how to banter, and when his opponent would make a loud noise, he would make even louder noises. Is it against thew? Isnt it in thew to take care of family matters at home? He asked thedy, and she seemed like she didnt know about it. What do you mean? Did my youngest son get into trouble with the Hwarangs? It cannot Not that. Even though I have resigned from the high position of Governor, this person and that person said that I shouldnt have rest and to please do something Even the first young master of this house, whom I have never met, is harassing me! Her face changed. What do you mean? My eldest son has passed away, so how The spirit world. First, the spirit of the young master appeared to me in my dream. He died terribly, and his mother refused to open an investigation and tried to cover up the murder. He cried all night and begged me to reveal the truth. Blood drained from her face. But she was not a normaldy. She was a rich and noble one, so she calmed down pretty quickly. I do not understand. My son died of a disease, so why are you saying that he died horribly? She was determined to cover up the death of her son. And she didnt believe Zahas words at all. The young master seemedfortable. It seemed like he recovered from the pain, and he was back to his old self. Zaha said, and she nodded. He looked like that when he died. My child died so young, so he must have felt that it was unfair and unjust. The High Governor doesnt have to worry. And Zaha went silent as Seol Young looked at him. No one expected her to confide in them, so Seol Young said to thedy, We knew you would say that. Chapter 47: Peach Blossom Girl (3) Chapter 47: Peach Blossom Girl (3) He said that his mother would definitely say that. Since it was a child she had given up on, he said his mother would try to cover up his terrible death. For the sake of the family and for the bright future of the younger siblings I dont know what you are talking about. The young master said that he couldnt help but do something if his mother would do that. He said he would turn into a demon and cling to his younger siblings and block their growth. Theplexion of the olddy changed. At that moment, a scream rang out, and she turned to where the eldest daughter, second daughter, and youngest son were. The woman jumped up and hurriedly opened the door. Come with me! The servants were already rushing. Miss! The youngest master! And they returned with shocked faces. The seconddy is sleepingfortably. The firstdy is reading a book. The youngest master is eating snacks. She was stunned. I just heard a scream, though. Didnt you hear it too? Yes. It was unmistakably their voices. All of them nodded. It seems like thest warning from your son. Zaha said. Damn it, please answer me honestly. Your son was brutally murdered by someone, right? Her face turned blue. I see. Being murdered is a big deal. I dont know what will happen if you cover it up like that. I will have to inform the Ministry of Justice. Wait! She was shocked. Considering Zahas position and his status, no one could stop him. Eventually, she gave up. Yes. My son was brutally murdered, but the im that I tried to cover it up is only a misunderstanding. I asked my servants to investigate what happened, but no one saw my child after leaving the brothel house. And I couldnt figure out anything else after that. But there is still a way. Which is why we are here, right? Zaha looked at Seol Young again. Lady. Seol Young stepped forward. I think he might have some keepsakes here. Since he died young without any children, he must have left behind something that meant a lot to him. Show us that. What will you do after seeing that? You might have experienced it, but isnt there a time when you enter a house and it suddenly gives you the creeps? If people find out about itter, the fact that someone died in this house will always be brought up. Seol Young looked at her and said, When a person is dying, a very powerful thoughtes out. It remains intact with his body, his belongings, or sometimes even in the house. If I can read those thoughts, I can find out what happened at the time of his death. Show me your sons belongings. Just a peek is all I need. It doesnt seem like you will lose anything, right? It was only then that she began to be convinced a little, and she said something to her servants. After a while, a servant came with a box. What was inside was a small pocket knife decorated in the shape of a dragons head. He was holding this tightly in his right hand, probably with the intention to resist the beast. I understand. Seol Young epted the knife, and before starting, he asked permission from the deceased. I will find out the story through this object, and if there is any injustice, let us know. And he started to think. How did he die? Just like what the ck Tortoise member told him, was it an act of a spirit? The thoughts poured in. Horror, fear, pain. The deceased died feeling strong emotions, and if a normal shaman had attempted this, he would have thrown the keepsake away out of fear. It will not be easy. Seol Young frowned slightly. The memories were too hazy because of the strong feelings, and it was like the scenes were cut into pieces. He fumbled for the messy thoughts one by one. Then there was a splendid sight. It seemed to be the brothel that he had visited before his death. The dead man left that ce and walked down the dark streets at night. He could see the wings of a moth on amp and the dust of moving horse carriages. In the middle of those scenes, something was clear. uh? Seol Young concentrated on it. The dead man went to another ce right before his death. It was an old building. He felt that there was someone else there, and he knew it wasnt a living person. Was this some kind of spirit? Something moved to the side. A wooden dice suddenly rolled. A dice with fourteen sides. Seol Young felt it. This was rted to his death. This was the most decisive scene that the keepsake wanted to show. The other thoughts didnt make any sense. What was this? Seol Young tried to read what was on the dice. However, fear had poisoned all rationality, so the letters couldnt be made out. I still have to read it. So Seol Young clenched the keepsake and focused as hard as he could. And after numerous tries, he managed to catch it. -Drink andugh out loud. It was written clearly. So this was it. After finishing the sight, Seol Young opened his eyes, and thedy frowned as she looked at him. As time passed, it seemed like she started to doubt what was going on and regretted how she had willingly given her sons belongings. Seol Young looked at her. Lady, you never told us how your son died. My son he was stabbed to death. I dont think that is it. I will have to do it again. His dead face hardened as he forced a smile, and his stomach burst because it was full of water. Thedys eyes widened, and it looked like she had gone speechless from what she had heard. He was right. He described the same bizarre appearance that surprised many who saw it. Ahhh She sighed. I am sorry for doubting you. What kind of sin would have caused something like this to happen to our prestigious family?! Her face changed. The bone picker said that his stomach burst because he drank too much that night. Even so, it was like it was torn apart, yet he was forced to smile until the end? How cruel is that? Indeed, it was unlikely that people would never forget that sight. Even though my son was a bit immature and engaged with prostitutes, he never did anything that would make people hold a grudge against him. But then, why did people do such a cruel thing to him? As his mother, I really want to find the one who did it! Thedys actions had changed now. It was like she was begging for justice. Even if her eldest son was immature, she must have loved him. But there was a clue. Seol Young opened his mouth. The fourteen-sided dice, which said, Drink andugh out loud. Wait. Zahas expression darkened. Drink andugh out loud. Isnt that a drinking game penalty? Yes. Seol Young nodded. I saw it in his memory right before his deathsomeone threw him a die. And your son was killed ording to the punishment written there. A drinking game punishment? Thedy frowned. My son was killed for such an absurd reason? Just because the drinking game dice said so? She was shocked, and then her lips stopped moving as her expression went nk. Mydy, is there something you might know? Zaha asked right away, looking at her. She looked like her soul had been sucked out of her. It was clear that hearing that the murder was based on a die meant something to her. Maybe a buried memory she had never thought of? Zaha called for her again. Mydy? She came to her senses, and at that moment, her attitude changed Please go! Get out of my house right now! Uh? What are you doing? Hurry and see these Hwarangs off! The servants stepped forward, and although they didnt dare touch them, they stood between them and thedy. Eventually, they had to leave the house, and the gate was shut. To be kicked out like this! Zaha asked, What kind of secret could it be? Seol Young-rang, tell me honestly. Is that what you really saw? Who threw the dice? Yes. Seol Young replied. But it might be a different one. Different? Seol Young showed him what was hidden in his sleeve. A pocket knife decorated with a dragon head. I couldnt leave it there. Seol Young hid it back in his sleeve. Thedy is now in the wrong. But even so, we cannot approach the family when they are like this, can we? Right. Even to the point of them shutting up and their own servants acting like this. Zaha nodded. So you sneaked it out. I didnt sneak it out. They were too riled up to even take it back. Seol Young-rang! Since when did you be shameless? Zaha said it like he wasplimenting him, but Seol Young didnt enjoy hearing it from him. Besides, whats wrong with being a little shameless to get things done? Chapter 48: Peach Blossom Girl (4) Chapter 48: Peach Blossom Girl (4) Seol Young took the lead. The fear and pain felt by the dead were deeply imprinted into his belongings that it was difficult for me to see his actual thoughts. We better try again after calming him down. Especially this time In the middle of talking, with everyone being ted, he sensed something in his arm. The ghost mask that he had brought with him. The reaction it was giving was stronger than before. And it almost fell out. Not yet! Seol Young was startled and pressed it hard. It had a strong will to punish the demon. It didnt seem to understand who was stopping it or why. So it continued to vibrate even though Seol Young was already pressing it. No. I get to decide when you cane out. Seol Young carried the thoughts of the seal and suppressed them. Finally, the mask went silent. ? Zaha, who watched this, said, Did you forget to pray for the dead man this time? Is that why he is angry? I knew it. Even if it is a keepsake of the dead man, I knew that stealing it would never do any good. It seemed like he misunderstood something, but Seol Young didnt correct him. Anyway as you may have already guessed, it was the work of a ghost this time. And it seems like a vengeful one. A vengeful ghost was a ghost that had a hard time leaving a certain ce. Zaha asked, And what about the ce? I dont know. It looked like an abandoned house. Abandoned house. Or maybe an abandoned building. If it dared to lure and kill the victim there, then that ce must have an important meaning. Seol Young looked around before stopping. Where do we do it? It should be a quiet ce where no one can disturb us That house? That would be nice. Seol Young found a ce and pointed at it. It was a ce called Light Hand Pavilion. Almost all the buildings in the area had the word hand, which meant a gambling hall. Do you have no shame? Zaha said, but Seol Young just continued to walk ahead. Gambling halls are normally noisy, but this ce wasnt like that. There was no way anyone would not notice them here. This ce was quiet, like a temple. And even if it was quiet, there were curtains around each ce so the others wouldnt see the other side. Even if a man was stabbed here, no one would know. They sat down, and Zaha said nothing. Seol Young looked at the table and reached out his hand. Here it is. The fourteen-sided dice. And he set it down with the drink andugh out loud punishment facing upwards. Lets start. Seol Young took out the things he needed. First of all, we have to purify the pain of the dead man thats in this keepsake. A talisman was ced on top of the pocket knife, and it burst into mes. A soft, warm light slowly engulfed the knife. Next is fear. He took out two empty yellow talisman sheets and wrote something on them. Hebined it with the three pre-written talismans he had and threw all five of them into the air in five directionseast, west, south, north, and center. Zaha noticed what it was. Defense? Seol Young nodded. Thoughts had no soul, so he was trying to neutralize the fear with a defense talisman. After waiting for it to happen, a dark aura began to dissipate. The fear and pain of the dead man could never be fully eliminated. Still, it was better than before. Then let us start. Seol Young looked at Zaha. I will exin what the ce looks like, so listen carefully. Maybe it is somewhere that you know. Fine. Then we can begin. Seol Young put his hands on the pocket knife and closed his eyes. Memories began to rush in through his fingers, and now the scenes were disyed better than before. The dead man walked out of the brothel house and suddenly walked faster. Was he chased by someone? No. He is the one chasing someone. Who? Seol Young watched into the darkness in the vision. No one. He is going after someone who isnt there? It is all darkness. Its as if that part was erased. The man was surely looking at something, but the thing that should have been there was not visible. Zaha also thought it was strange. It could be just a simple thought. Did it get blocked? Does this happen often? No. Not until now. Then, the scene changed. River. ck water flowed ahead, and Zaha asked, Which river? Just then. The dead seemed to be looking around. A small ind was visible where his eyes could reach. There is an ind in the middle of the river. Ind? A man-made one. A pavilion has been built there. But this Seol Young stopped talking. The dead didnt seem to realize it, but there was no reflection in the river. The shadow of the pavilion didnt exist. This isnt real. What do you mean? This ce doesnt really exist. The ind and the pavilion were all created by the ghost. Where is this river? Zaha asked again, Are there any buildings nearby? What does the riverside look like? Wait! The dead man was looking around for a boat. It was dark everywhere, and on the cliff, a pavilion was built to appreciate the beauty of the river. The pavilion was on the cliff by the river? Wasnt this one of the attractions in the capital? Golden Pole Pavilion. Golden Pole Pavilion? Gul Yeon. Zaha said right away. I get it now. The ce where this incident happened was at Gul Yeon. He got the information he wanted. Seol Young stopped and opened his eyes. But then. The scene changed. He wasnt back yet. He saw cobwebs and dried blood stains around the walls and the floor, and it seemed like something terrible had happened. Seol Young-rang? What is it? Wait. The dead man was looking out the window from which the moonlight came in. Who was standing there? He is watching the ghost. What? Darkness covered the figure, and Seol Young clenched onto the keepsake. I will try to take a closer look. He raised his spiritual power and began to chant the mantra of light. And the surroundings turned brighter. The darkness around the murderer was lifted, and someones figure was revealed. His heart sank right then. I shouldnt look! Seol Young realized it then. The darkness wasnt caused by the opponent. It was made by Seol Young himself. The opponent showed his identity from the start, but Seol Young was the one who stopped it. To protect himself. NO! He tried to stop the spell, but he couldnt open his eyes. This was no longer his spell. It had been taken over by the opponent. A woman. The figure of the womans back with undone hair turned toward him. At the same time, the dice rolled around. The fourteen-sided dice with penalties spun round and round. NO! If that stops! Seol Young tried to open his eyes, but he couldnt, as if something was stopping him. If the dice stop, I die!!! The penalty dice continued to turn. Dance without sound. Dont move no matter how much you are touched. Call yourself a goblin. All the penalties would bring terrible deaths. I need to move before it stops But he couldnt lift a finger. Seol Young-rang? Are you sleeping? His heart felt cold. The dice was slowing down. It was going to stop any moment now, and before that, the keepsake had to be destroyed. Seol Young did all he could, and his tongue loosened. Knife! All he could do was say one word. Knife? Zaha asked curiously. Not sure what it is about. Break it, I guess? A powerful force struck Seol Youngs hand. And he could tell even with his eyes closed that it was the Dead yer sword. The keepsake broke. With the medium gone, the bond to the evil spirit was gone, and he was back to normal. Seol Young opened his eyes. [ACKKKKKK!] A desperate scream came from the knife, which was broken in half. Thoughts couldnt scream, but it seemed to be the pain of the dead man. It was his agony at the moment of his death. The talismans that were floating everywhere fell, burning into white ash. A bunch of red things poured out of the keepsake, which was broken. Peach blossoms. An unbelievably huge amount poured out and spilled all over the table. Peach trees were known to have the power to exorcise and defeat evil Each of these flowers seemed to harbor a deep grudge, though. It was an indescribably horrifying sight to see. Chapter 49: Peach Blossom Girl (5) Chapter 49: Peach Blossom Girl (5) While staring nkly at it, the vision was slowly disappearing. And the top of the table and the floor looked normal again. Everything seemed like a lie, and only red afterimages remained. Seol Young looked down at the pocket knife, which was cut into two. And when he moved his hand, the metal felt so brittle that it turned to powder at the touch of his finger. How am I fine? Be grateful to the enemy and me as well. In case you didnt know, my excellent method of breaking it down worked. Well. Wonderful. Seol Young wasnt being sarcastic, he was being honest. If he were even a little bitte, then the dice would have stopped and it would have decided how he would die. Seol Young mumbled, That woman again. Woman? Zaha immediately asked. He just told him what he saw through the vision. A woman threw the dice. Was she the same woman who cast a shadow and the one behind the mask incident within the pce? The one with the same energy as Zaha? He couldnt figure it out, but one thing was certain. I am not sure who it was, but it must have something to do with peach blossoms. Peach blossoms. Zaha mumbled. We cannot leave this be. We need to head to the Gul Yeon River soon. He got up and pushed the curtain, but he didnt go outside. Why are you going inside? Seol Young-rang, just how shameless can you be? He sighed and pulled out a money pouch. Get it cashed out. That is my money. The pouch I gave you at the inn. Strictly speaking, it was Song Oks money. Anyway, when Zaha went outside, Seol Young sat back down. And when he was alone, he took out the Ghost Face Wooden Mask and looked at it. The monster had both of its eyes closed. It seemed like it had fallen asleep. You will need it, so sleep more. Seol Young stroked its head and put it back. He felt bad. But if he didnt stop the attack of the mask on Zaha, he wouldnt have gotten help from the Dead yer sword. Both sides yed a good role. He lifted the curtain. Lets go quickly. Before someone sees us. And at Zahas urging, they left the gambling house. Alcheon flowed to the north of the city, and Moryangcheon streamed on the west side. The point where the two rivers met was called Baby Cleansing. It was a ce where deep blue water overflowed all year. And the river that flowed from there and into the sea was called the Gul Yeon River. And there was a pavilion on the cliff that overlooked it. The Golden Hidden Tower. It was a famous spot in the city for its scenic beauty. Nobles would gather there every spring, summer, autumn, and winter. But the sky was cloudy that day, and even the tower seemed quiet. There were several fishing boats on the water. The Baby Cleansing was deep, and it always brought in a lot of fish, so it was usually a noisy ce. When Hwarangs carrying swords appeared, they all went silent, and they all looked at each other with stiff faces. It wasnt that they were unfamiliar with Hwarangs. They were just on guard. They seem hostile? You caused the change in the atmosphere. Zaha confidently replied and then handed Seol Young the money pouch. The people immediately moved away. I did change it. Seol Young couldnt say anything because of his shamelessness. Apart from that, it made sense for people to run. Just a few days ago, a murder urred on the same river, and like these fishermen here, they were the first to discover the corpse. So wouldnt they be surprised? It was natural for them to be wary of Hwarangs carrying swords. It cannot be helped. What are you going to do? Instead of answering, Seol Young put his hands together. Teacher, just this once. First, he asked for forgiveness from his teacher in the sky and then approached a middle-aged woman who was tending a fish trap. Even though she was quite busy, she kept ncing at them. And when Seol Young approached her, she went stiff. And Seol Young told her. Mother, I am sorry. I hid it in a pile of straw in the kitchen. She was taken aback. What did you say just now? Mother, I am sorry. I hid it in a pile of straw in the kitchen. Seol Young said it again. Cant you hear it? Shes been repeating it behind your back. The woman was surprised. W-Who? A woman. Of course, there was no one there. But her expression had changed, and it felt like she knew something. ! The woman hurriedly ran home. After a while, she ran back again with her hand holding something. What does this child look like? A long face and a dark blue wart on her left temple. Bok Ryeom! The woman wept loudly as she stroked a white jade ring. Listening to her, it seemed like she had a daughter who was mischievous and died. It is nice to get this lost ring back Zaha lowered his voice and asked, Her daughter wasnt really behind her, right? Is it okay to do this? Of course not. Seol Young replied. It wasnt the childs soul that told him. Actually, there was no soul. It was something dark enough to be a thought and light enough to be called a spirit that was hanging thinly behind her back. That was what Seol Young looked into. Histe teacher strictly forbade him to peek into such things. And if he continued to do such a thing, his teacher told him that he wouldnt be able to continue to live normally. And young Seol Young nodded at his teacher, but he asked, -What if I had to do it to survive? And his teacher answered, -Then there is nothing you can do about it. That is the case now. The people who had fled earlier gathered one by one. Is there a child who died without having any children? It is said that he hid some of his properties to pass them on to his offspring, who would hold an ancestral rite. My grandmother said that it isnt him, not him, another son-inw Everything Seol Young said matched their situations. Everyone was too excited about this. Are you the Bodhisattva? I hear you often appear in the form of a Hwarang! Ehh, why would such a person be here? He is a Hwarang. Then, what does the Hwarang need toe to such a ce? The words spread. Seol Young wanted this to end and winked at Zaha, who was watching. Actually, we came to ask a couple of things from the people of this vige. For now, they are lucky. We are looking for a woman. It is likely she once lived around here or died here, and someone deeply rted to peach blossoms. Maybe her name is Dohwa. Zaha added, and the atmosphere suddenly shifted. The people, who were asking many things, went silent. They all had terrified expressions on their faces. I dont know! I know nothing! Everyone tried to leave, but Zaha was already blocking their path. He quickly opened the pouch and began to give silver coins to those who seemed a little more willing to talk. You realize we are not suspicious people. We are doing this to relieve the grudge of a ghost. The people exchanged a couple of nces with a terrified look on their faces. They began to talk amongst themselves, and then they finally came to a conclusion. If you want to release the grudge follow me. The vigers took the lead. Eventually, they arrived at the house of the vige elder. In this vige, when high-ranking peoplee to us, we first set our guard against them, so you must have felt upset. The elder served them tea and spoke very cautiously. He seemed like a well-educated person, and the way he served tea felt like he was used to it. Thirty years have passed, but when I see the blue water in the river, I remember that incident so clearly. But I never thought such a thing would happen again! Servants from a high-ranking family hade to threaten us and tried to destroy our things Of course, they must have been the servants of thatdy, right? Zaha spoke with a sneer. Didnt she say that your tongue would be cut off if you spoke anything about the body found here? Yes. This much was expected. Seol Young, recalling thedy of the house, said, But we arent here to know about the body of the young master. Yes, yes, I know. You two want to know about the incident that happened thirty years ago. Even though he said that, he didnt seem like he was willing to speak right away, as if he was still frightened. Wait a second. Before speaking, he bowed in four directions, lit an incense stick, and then prayed. Amidst his prayer, only one word was spoken clearly, Dohwa? Yes, yes. The elder spoke. Since ancient times, women who are exceptionally pretty, like peach blossoms, have been called Dohwa.1 The same went for the wife that a certain king fell in love with in the past. King Jinji and Do Hwa-rang. Yes. Right. Even though she had a husband, she was the most beautiful woman in the capital, and even after the kings death, she didnt give up and eventually went to see her child in the body of a ghost, but the story was The elder looked around once more and lowered his voice. But the woman we speak of is not that woman. It is the evil spirit that throws dice and kills people ording to it.
  1. TL/N: Peach blossom flower
Chapter 50: Peach Blossom Girl (6) Chapter 50: Peach Blossom Girl (6) Was it Mr. Jeong or Mr. Seok? It is so vague now The elder of the vige began talking. A long time ago, there was this very beautiful child in this vige. The child had lost her parents and was living in someone elses home, but because of her personality, she was able to get along well with the others and didnt get discouraged by her situation. As the girl grew up, she became more beautiful. Her face was white and flushed, and she looked exactly like a peach blossom, so people would call her Dohwa. 1 As a result, rumors spread that the legendary Do Hwa-rang had reincarnated in this vige. When it came to Dohwa, who was from our vige, there was no one who didnt know about her. Everyone who came to see her had heard about her beauty and woulde just to get a glimpse of her. And, as expected, she was stunning, and more rumors circted. And it reached the ears of a man named Kim Heum, a famous visitor of brothel houses in the city. Kim Heum was said to be the son of a great noble family, and his mother was married to some high-ranking official and the adopted son of the Great General.. Like the Great General? Yes, I heard something like that. The General Guards2 of the capital and such were the highestmanding officers of the Nine Oath Towers and supervised the security of the city. And if he were the adopted son of such a high-ranking officer, then there was nothing he didnt know about. As soon as Kim Heum saw Dohwa, he fell in love with her. He was determined to get his hands on her at all costs, and he wanted her before anyone else would take her. Since she was an orphan and amoner, she had no one to help her. So he scared the family that Dohwa was living with and drove them away as he made his way into her room. Dohwa was shocked and drew her sword to resist him, and as she fought back, she managed to stab him and escape. The de was said to have scratched his left cheek and then gone further to the side of his face. He would have died if she had touched his neck with that force. Kim Heum was furious at her. He ordered all his subordinates to chase after her, so she was immediately caught. At that time, in the middle of the river, there was this small ind made of soil, and it had a banquet hall where nobles would gather to y. But it was soon abandoned when people drowned there each year. Kim Heum and his gang dragged Dohwa there. Kim Heum and his gang? They were the friends he usually hung out with. They used to call themselves the Seven Stars of the Capital, but in reality, they were just idiots and bums who had gathered together. The seven of them had assaulted and harassed Dohwa to their hearts content, and even after doing all of that, their anger wasnt resolved, so they decided to kill her in the most horrifying ways they could think of. Whileing up with ways to torture her, someone had an ideato use the dice for the drinking penalty game, which is a tool for drinking parties. It is the fourteen-sided dice that you know. It was a yful punishment, but it could cause pain when used with bad intentions. Kim Heums gang tortured her through that. To them, it might have been a pleasant banquet. Dohwa died with her body feeling helpless. And she cursed them until the moment she died. As she cursed them and coughed up blood, she said that if she died, she would avenge herself and that she would make them suffer in the same manner. Even so, no one cared about her and thought it would end like that. But Exactly seven days after Kim Heums servants buried her body, the man disappeared. He went to a brothel but never came back, and three dayster, Kim Heums body was found in the Gul Yeon river. His body was damaged to the extent that no one would even dare look at it. The worst was his leg. What happened to him was unknown, but his feet were almost gone. From the shin down, it looked like bones covered with blood but without any skin. Everyone who saw the body knew it. They thought a strong, giant-like creature had dragged Kim Heum alive by grabbing his hair for three days. And that wasnt all. Even the tongue in his mouth was crushed by something. It didnt have its actual shape. Dance without making a sound. Seol Young remembered it right away. A punishment on the dice. The elder continued. It wasnt the work of a person, and everyone knew it. In our vige, everyone began to whisper secretly. Dohwa has started her revenge. As if to prove that, the second and third murders happened. The murder victims were, of course, the members of the gang that took part in Dohwas murder. One of them had cuts in his body that had bugs sewn into them. His hands were hacked, so he couldnt scratch and open his wounds to let the bugs out. He experienced excruciating pain until he died. Hearing all of this, Zaha said, Do not throw it away even if a dirty thing is handed. The other case was more bizarre. His body was intact, but just the skeleton above his neck remained, and blood and flesh were stuck to both of his hands. ording to the physician who examined his body, his face seemed to have been tormented for a long time by being scratched or itched. In the end, he went mad and tore off the skin of his own face. Endure even if your face is tickled? Zaha nodded at Seol Youngs words. Anyone would notice it. In just a couple of days, three murders took ce. Each victim was from a powerful family, and at that point, no one could keep silent about the situation. Even though no one spoke openly about the rumors, everyone knew. -We are next! Three of Kim Heums gang members died, and only four were left. So the four families were terrified and began to inquire about some things. As they feared that the scandal would spread and that they would be unable to fight against a spirit, they called famous shamans from all over the nation. But they all failed. After pouring out all of their fortunes, they found a truly magical shaman who was from Mount Jiri. This shaman managed to tear down the pavilion and the ind and exorcise the evil spirit using bowls of fresh blood. And then, soon after that, the incident was buried. It was because the four surviving people silenced everyone. But can a crime simply be forgotten? The vige elder continued. The people who live here have not forgotten about it. Every time we see that river, fear rises within us. In the end, she couldnt get her revenge, right? So we were afraid that she would be back someday, so I always tell the kids about it After saying that, he nced outside. But really, another corpse just appeared. The old people living here knew it the moment we saw the body. Dohwa is back He blurted out those words, and this made things clear. Seol Young asked him, Among the four who escaped Dohwas revenge, was there a person called Kim Yeo-chun? You dont have to ask it. The son got punished instead of the father. Isnt the reaction of thatdy of the house the proof for it? Zaha said, We still have to check. Seol Young looked at the elder. Kim Yeo-chun I do not remember it well, but the name sounds familiar. The elder answered carefully. Kim Yeo-chun must have avoided her anger at the time of the incident. However, that made Dohwae back for her revenge. Apparently, the extinct evil spirit had suddenly returned and caused the same things to happen It wasnt shocking. The important thing was if Dohwa was indeed that womanthe woman who caused the mask incident within the pce and the one with talismans covering her face whom shamans couldnt exorcise. ording to the elder, to exorcise Dohwa, many famous shamans were invited, but they all failed. Then there is no way that they arent the same woman Seol Young was deep in thought, and the silence continued. The elder saw that the two of them were lost in thought, so he didnt speak further. Ah, the tea is getting cold. He slowly reached out and emptied his teacup. Then he picked up the kettle, which was still warm, and poured more tea. Seol Young looked at it and continued. Why was the water flowing from the kettle turning red like blood? What? The old man was startled and dropped the kettle. A pile of red peach petals was rolling out of the teapot, and in an instant, it filled the entire room. Avoid it! The two made sure to get the old man out of there and pulled out their swords. The petals, overflowing with anger, surrounded them. The way the petals were twirling wildly around them had a certain meaning. Zaha asked, What is she saying? A warning. If you know about the incident, dont stop me. Well, right. She was asking the Hwarangs not to intervene with her revenge. She is saying, do not get involved in this, and I will not harm you. Seol Young could feel a bit of dignity in her intentions. Despite being an evil spirit, she didnt want to touch those who werent involved in the issue. He could feel her strong will from this. Such a personality, but if they drew their swords, this would all end. She was here, vowing to take revenge on all of the people who had harassed her, and is now trying to keep her word. She is asking why her anger isnt justified. Even though theymitted brutal murder in the past, they didnt get punished and were able to live and die in peace, so shouldnt their descendants pay for their sins? Isnt that enough justification? It was as if she could still hear theughter of those people as they assaulted and brutally killed her. And she was right. Three of the seven paid for their wrongdoings, while four didnt. Even a person like Kim Yeo-chun died while having a dignified position in life, despite the crime hemitted. From her side, she wanted them to vomit blood. Seol Young sympathized with her anger. The hatred and anger at those who used their power to back their wrong deeds. But Seol Young looked at Zaha. He had a smile that looked like he was thinking something about this situation. He didnt know what Zaha was thinking, but he had already decided. Fair or not? Do not ask me. It isnt something for me to judge. Seol Young told her. When a person who isnt qualified starts to even think about that, from that moment on, his heart will sway. I know that path well since I have been on it before, so I choose not to make a judgment. He held his sword. I am someone who draws a clear line between the two worlds. The Blue Rainbow Sword pierced the center of the wildly swirling petals. And Dohwa was furious.
  1. TL/N: Peach blossom.
  2. TL/N: This a special post for guards who are below the Great General.
Chapter 51: Peach Blossom Girl (7) Chapter 51: Peach Blossom Girl (7) [Are you going to act like this despite knowing my unfortunate story?] All the flowers were asking him. Each petal came rushing at him, and they were as sharp as des. The fragments of the red des seemed to attack in waves. I told you to stop! Seol Young countered them. The shape of a blue talisman floated in the air. It collided head-on with the peach blossom petals. Puak! With a creepy sound, the petals were all crushed. They asionally scratched Seol Youngs body, turning it bright red. [I will kill you!] One could feel the resentment she held. The red and sticky petals began to clump together on the wall. Park Si-ryang is dead, so I will kill his son. Because Bae Myung is dead, I will kill his nephew. Kim Heon-wei is dead, so I will kill his son. The bloody letters moved as if they were alive. The anger she had was so clear and strong that it felt like it was crossing the boundaries of the two worlds. [I will kill them!] The entire wall seemed like it was screaming in pain, and the talisman exploded. Then I will save them. Seol Young said this without blinking an eye. All three of them. The bloody petals and the blue talisman collided in the air. And neither of them backed down. Miss Dohwa. I understand your anger. It is true that they did not pay for their crimes. Seol Young said to her, But arent the children born into the mens families born without a choice? They might not be great kids, but did theymit a sin enough for them to die so cruelly? The petals moved around and screamed. Even though the talismans were blocking them, she showed no signs of backing down. Seol Youngs hand drew talismans in session. All of them floated in the air. You no longer belong to this world. I will make the crimemitted by those seven families public to the world, so do not mess with this ce anymore, and. The talismans exploded, and Seol Young screamed, Leave! They were chaos-banning talismans meant to chase away evil spirits. In front of this powerful force, Dohwa couldnt stand it and was pushed back. [I will definitely kill them!] Her angry, resentful shout hurt their ears. Then I will definitely save them. Seol Young didnt change his answer either. And then the red petals began to create a whirlwind as they went around him. And slowly, the ce returned to normal. Everything that happened is now gone, like it was all a lie. Except for the tea cups, which were turned over What is this now? Zaha, who had been watching with his arms crossed, looked down at his clothes. A few small petals clung to the ck robe he wore. Like leeches, they were sucking his demonic qi. He had to squeeze them with his fingers and crush them down. And he calmly said, A while ago, I thought about this. If it was the Ghost Demon King who conquered Mount Toham, he would have sided with thedy here Right. Seol Young answered. I thought that those who believed in strength and trampled on the weak should be given a taste of their own medicine. I thought it was justice. And so? I finally figured it out. Just because you have been beaten by your opponent doesnt mean you were wrong, and just because you werent touched doesnt mean you are right. Everyone pushes for what they believe is right. Saying so, Seol Young put his sword back. That is why I want to save the children of these sinners. Not because of some great sense of justice or mercy. For your own conviction? Zaha looked at the wall. The letters on the wall began to disappear, but he remembered the names. Park Si-ryangs son, Bae Myuns nephew, and Kim Heon-weis son. If she had kindly informed us like this, it means, Try stopping me if you can, right? They didnt have enough time. After speaking to the vige elder about a couple more things, they immediately left that ce. Hahaha! An ambassador! To think we were selected! Three sons of some nobles were having a good time. Being an ambassador meant that the chosen noble would participate in important rituals with the Hwarangs despite not being one. Among the nobles, young ones with good families and great personalities were carefully selected. All three of them were excited at being selected, so they all rushed to a warehouse by the river, hoping to look good and proud in front of many. But In front of them, Seol Young pulled out a thick rope. The three men were shocked. Why the rope? From now on, I want everyone to obey my words. If you dont obey me, even by a little, I will tie you with this rope. The three wanted to leave, but the entrance was blocked by Zaha. And unlike how he kindly informed them earlier, he now had a cold face, which scared them further. What is this? What wrong did we do. Needless to say, the three were the two sons and the one nephew of those whom Dohwa wasnt able to punish. In order to protect their lives against the evil spirit, they had to secure these people first. But they couldnt just talk about Dohwa with these young men. One could tell just by the reaction of thedy of the house. The incident happened before her marriage, but after living with her husband for a long time, the wife should havee to know about it. It was a disgrace to the family she was married to, so she was angry. The other families would act the same, so even if they brought up the story of Dohwa, they wouldnt say anything. And so they had to lie to them to bring them here. What are you doing? Can you just bring us here and then threaten us like this? I will inform the Ministry of Justice right now! The three young men shouted, but no one cared. Seol Young took off their clothes and plucked out some of their hair. And he also found out the date and time of their birth. Then he gave each of them a talisman. As soon as they held it in their hands, the paper burned, and ck letters appeared on their faces. Ugh! What is this? These are the letters engraved in the registry of the underworld. It means that a person who is destined to die or is on the list. At his words, the three men were shocked. Destined to die? Do you know that Kim Yeo-chuns eldest son died not too long ago? I did hear about it Then Seol Young told them the story about Dohwa. My father what? They were shocked. The crime they heard about their fathers and uncle had done was horrible, and now the person they killed wanted to get revenge It was the first time they had heard of this. The evil spirit is blinded by vengeance, so she will try to drag you three out. The only way to survive is to follow what I say. And most importantly, do not leave this ce. How long? Until the exorcism is done. Seol Young said it coldly. If you go outside, you will die. Even Seol Young-rang cannot save you. Zaha added. They left the frightened men behind, and they clicked the door to lock it. Around this warehouse, there were golden talismans hanging, and they made a strong barrier to prevent any evil spirit from entering. Talismans were attached to the bolts of the doors too. This side is also ready. The vige elder approached and informed them. The vigers had mixed feelings about the spirit. They felt not only fear but also guilt. That was why, when the Hwarangs said they were trying to ease the grudge, they all came to help. The shaman from Mount Jiri had gray hair. Her face was tanned, and her eyes were like those of a tiger. Just the sight of her gave me goosebumps. The vige elder remembered how the exorcism was donest time. There was a pavilion right in the middle of that river there. And they built an altar right ahead. As the shrine maiden was dancing while blowing the flute. Swish! There was this roar, and things fell down. And finally, one of the spiritual items fell. The shaman brought spiritual knives, and when she lifted the first knife, she had a seizure. The shaman roared like a tiger as she swung the knife with both hands to sh down Dohwa, but she didnt budge, and after several strikes, she began to bleed from her mouth. The second and third knives were the same. The shamanpeted with Dohwa with the dice in the middle. It was shocking to see! The sky had turned dark with clouds rolling in, and the river. it was flowing wildly. Everyone spoke about it, and Seol Young listened to them seriously. The sun was setting now. What is everyone doing outside? One of the three young men peeked through a crack. They are making an altar. And some knives too? They didnt start it yet? Park Wons face distorted. What kind of nonsense is this? I had an appointment today! They kept looking outside. The sun was setting, and the people were building an altar, but the Hwarangs werent visible. Well, this is stupid. I am leaving. Park Wons words surprised the two. Didnt you hear what they said earlier? Kim Yeo-chuns son died in that horrible way because of it! I dont know. Can you really believe what the Hwarangs told us? He must have died from an illness. Park Won said. Even if that is true, what about it? It must be safer at home than here. I have a hundred men to protect me. He mmed his whole body into the side door that he had been peeking at earlier. After hitting it a couple of times, the bolts with the talismans broke. And we are free! Park Won walked out of the golden line that was drawn and escaped. He could see the clothes that Seol Young had taken off of them and put them on. The other two couldnt stop him, but they stayed inside. Won! Won! Wait! They said not to go out! Huh! Cowards! Park Wonughed at them, but then something felt strange. No matter how much he ran, he couldnt get out of the river, and the same scene kept happening. And then a soft voice sang to him. It was a sad song that touched his heart, which made him turn around. There was a boat on the river and a woman with her back to him. Wait. A woman? They said the evil spirit was a woman who was trying to kill them, and they asked him to be alert, but it was toote. The woman raised one hand, and something was visible. A dice. Ack! Park Won tried to run. But an invisible force gripped his body. He was dragged with a strength he couldnt counter. Help me! Park Won screamed, trying to hold onto something, and then he grabbed the leg of someone. He looked up and saw a Hwarang standing there with a white robe, and as if his face was frozen in ice, his eyes looked cold. Park Won shouted, Ack! Help me! I didnt try to run on purpose.! Shut up. Seol Young shot back. Did you think I dont see you nobles often? You people never follow what you are told. I knew you would run away and nned to take advantage of that right from the start. And he kicked the clinging man away. Chapter 52: Peach Blossom Girl (8) Chapter 52: Peach Blossom Girl (8) An invisible force held Park Wons body. Help me! Park Won screamed, and at that moment, something changed in his body. It was himself. Park Won was shocked. Why am I here now? Another Park Won, who flew out of his body, was shocked. The woman sitting in the boat had disappeared before he realized it and only the dice was left spinning around. Seol Young threw his sword. The Blue Rainbow Sword flew towards it. The moment it was inserted into the dice, the talismans that were engraved around the sword activated. Exorcising Talisman. It was a powerful talisman that could surely destroy evil spirits. But the dice deflected the talisman with its strong shield. And the Blue Rainbow pierced and bounced back too. And then the dice stopped. It stopped at Bend your arms to drink. The moment the penalty was decided, an evil energy burst out. The other Park Won had fallen into the river and jumped as if someone had grabbed him by the hair and lifted him up. And then. His arms were snapped back with a cracking sound and pulled back. His elbows were bent in the air, and his hands were thrust right into his mouth! Watching it unfold, Park Won finally realized it. It was the other him that was thrown out and had his arms cracked. It was nothing but a wooden doll. It was meant to take the damage instead of him. The reason why the wooden doll was able to rece a human was that the date and time of his birth were written on its torso, and his hair was attached to it. It was a trick to show that he was on the list of people to die. And it was a ruse that they prepared clothes, hair, and everything else that looked like him. They couldnt imagine that Seol Young had used such a powerful technique on the wooden doll to hide them. So even the ghost was fooled. W-What is that? As the noise grew outside, the other two young men also ran out and were dumbfounded at what they saw, and then they were quickly dragged between the golden line, which broke. Ack! The same thing happened to them too. Another self escaped from their bodies, and the two young men were dragged away. It was as if a living spirit was brought out of them. They were the two wooden dolls that looked like them, and the dice rolled. Seol Youn swung his word again. Various formations were formed as hebined several talismans, and all of them were ready to be used. But no matter what he did, the dice didnt break, and it went round and round until it stopped. Sing a song loudly and dance wildly. Drink three sses of alcohol at once. The dolls that were taken instead of the real people died from the penalty they got. As I thought. Seol Young stared at this without missing a single thought. First, throw the dice. Second, the results wille. Third, people die as a result. These were the three stages. Dohwa executed a powerful curse for death through the act of throwing dice. But during these three times, death didnt happen. She got it wrong all three times. Dohwa was angry as red peach petals began to appear from the ground. A stronger force than before attacked the three young men. It was trying to drag them in at the same time. Ack! The three screamed as it felt like a tornado was sucking them in. It felt like their skin would start to peel off their body from this force. But at the same time, another force was pulling them down. Their feet stayed glued to the ground as if lumps of iron were tied to their legs. When they couldnt be pulled, Dohwa became furious, and the petals moved again. But the three didnt budge. It wasnt just the weight of the three but also of the talismans that made their souls heavy. Miss Dohwa, give up. Seol Young took something out of his sleeve. Four pieces of wood were tied together with a string. It was a kind of wooden tablet made from a jujube tree that was normally used to write down a persons wish. Three of them belonged to the men here, and one belonged to Seol Young. Live together and die together. It meant what it said. I said I would definitely save these three. If you want to kill them, you will have to kill me first. Seol Young stated. No, that is The three young men were shocked. He would go so far for them? No matter how selfish they were, they felt moved by this. They got to see how merciless these Hwarang people were. . However, Seol Young looked at them in disgust. To think Id have to tie my fate with these idiots. The bonding spell he cast only worked well when it was used with the rightpanion. And these three werent as wicked as their parents, but they didnt seem any better either. They were idiots enjoying their own lives. Besides, didnt all three of them run out without listening? Seol Young genuinely hated them. But he did have to save them, and that fact wouldnt change. [Get out of my way!] Dohwa shouted. And the tornado moved. The river began to rise from this, and it moved like it would attack the vige. Oh my! The vigers were terrified when they saw this, and the elderly trembled as they recalled what had happened thirty years ago. It is fine. I am here. Zaha pulled out his sword and cut the ground, and then golden energy rose from the scar on the ground. It was simr to a barrier so the storm or river couldnt cross the line. Help! Help us! Save us! We will do anything! The three young men were scared and pleaded with Seol Young as tears streamed down their faces. The arrogant appearance they had before has now vanished. . Seol Young just stood there. His hair was blowing wildly, and the hem of his robe fluttered strongly, but he didnt even move an inch. Without blinking, he just looked across the river. To kill them, you will have to kill me. He was rying that. It wasnt because he was tied to them as rtives, nor was he their friend, nor was it because of moneyit was just faith. So it didnt break much. Dohwa began to ept this, and the wild wind slowly stopped. The river, which was roaring, began to turn quiet. Is it done? The people groaned. At that moment, the moon turned red. Look over there! What is that? A small ind appeared in the middle of the river. It was the old pavilion, and there was a shadow in it. It was the banquet hall, which he had seen before. The ce where Dohwa was dragged to her death. The ce where her pain, resentment, and despair intertwined. [Then I will kill you first.] Dohwa said. Seol Young looked at her gloomy figure under the red moon. Then, suddenly. Pack! With a sound, golden sparks flew from the Dead yer sword. The mes grew bigger and wrapped themselves around the sword. What? Seol Young looked at Zaha. What is it? Have you ever met a demon called Dohwa? He pretended not to know anything. No. Never before. Strange. Then why did you react to her right away? It seemed like she was giving a warning. Yes. Zaha said. You tried to destroy the dice several times, and every attempt failed. You couldnt even scratch it. From the point of view of the enemy, you wont be able to defeat her. But your sword couldnt have done that. Seol Young didnt listen. And it was not a failure. I had a theory I wanted to test. Theory? You will find out soon. Seol Young got onto a small boat by the river, and Zaha also got in. The boat was moving on its own. It was moving with the current of the river, and the sound of the river crashing against the boat could be heard. Seol Young looked at the pavilion in the dark and thought, Miss Dohwa hasnte out yet. And if he went there, he could see her. Was she the woman with talismans on her face? Did this woman have the power to spread darkness? Everything would be revealed now. And He turned to Zaha, who was standing. At this moment, his eyes were fixed on the pavilion, and his eyes shone in gold. He had apletely different attitude than before. His secret will be revealed too. He felt so. Soon, a bloody road on the river appeared and epted the boat, shrouding everything in fog. No one knew what would happen. But this was a familiar feeling. Ghosts can never defeat humans. Seol Young mumbled that. The reason they cause fear in our hearts and take on bizarre shapes is to deceive our eyes and ears into seeing things and to shake our hearts. It is because they cannot ovee us. The dead couldnt overpower the living, and it was because they had been defeated by their deaths. Those who tried to confront the ghosts should never forget it. That was the only way they could win. ck. The boat finally reached the ind. Weeping willows were drooping like the hands of a dead man and were swaying in this windless ce. The entire ind felt dark. Does this make sense? Even if there was an ind like this here before, it must have never been a pleasant ce to be in. Zaha said as he was getting off. Wait. Seol Young stopped him, bothered by how quiet the ce was. It was like a beast was lurking in the darkness, waiting to bite them. We need to greet her. He searched his clothes and pulled out a light. He sent it into the air while he stayed in the boat. It was actually a me talisman. And then it shone. At that moment, the entire ce changed. The roof of the old pavilion had changed to a splendid color. Thenterns that were outside lit up at once. The sound ofughter could be heard. It was the world of Dohwa. Seol Young got off the boat. There is one thing you need to remember from now on. Chapter 53: Peach Blossom Girl (9) Chapter 53: Peach Blossom Girl (9) Zaha asked, What is that? Watch out for the dice. Seol Young said, walking ahead. Since you saw it before, you should know that once she throws it, the result wille out in any situation, and one dies ording to it. Then not running into it is good enough. Right. But the problem Seol Young opened the door to the pavilion, and at that moment, a light shed. Apuse rang out, and a topless man was breathing fire from his mouth. The entire ce was bright, with dancers in heavy makeup dancing around. Laughter echoed throughout the drinking party. A man got excited and knocked down his drink, and the ss made of jade fell. Seol Young stepped on the ss and broke it. The problem is that the dice will seduce us into ying it. Aha. Zaha understood it right away. You mean to be wary of anything spinning? They nced at the papernterns on the ceiling, and one of them began to spin slowly in its ce, and Zaha swung his sword and broke it. Like this. Right. Seol Young nodded. They had already blocked Dohwa twice, and she backed down, which meant her third attempt would be stronger. We need to find her without falling for the curse. They made their way through the hall, which was filled with talks,ughter, and women. Beware of anything spinning. A customer fell, and the coins on him began to fall, and a few spun around. A cat jumped from somewhere, and a five-colored ball began to roll at its paws. Seol Young-rang, do not pick up the coins. They are fake. When did I pick any up? The two broke them one by one and destroyed them. A jade dolls head rolled on the floor, a musical instrument in a magicians hand, a marble turning without wind. As they destroyed all of these things one by one, the world they were in also began to crumble little by little. [Hahaha!] The women and customersughed loudly too. Thenterns and flowers became clearer. The evil feeling in this ce grew thicker, and at some point, a spinning watermill caught Seol Youngs eye. He quickly turned away and kicked it. There was an artificial stream in the middle of the hall, and thenterns and wine sses floated. He looked at it, and dead courtesansy there. Some had bruises on their faces, and others had clear handprints on their necks. One even had a hollow on one side of her head. As their eyes met, the ghastly corpses rose one by one, and they stretched out their hands. What is this now? Zaha swung his sword. The corpses grabbed his sword and pulled on it. They were surprisingly strong, and Zaha frowned. This isnt an illusion or hallucination. This is real. Seol Young was puzzled. He thought everything here was created by Dohwa. Why is a real ghost in here? And then he remembered. The elder in the vige said, -It used to be a banquet hall where nobles called courtesans to y, but it was soon abandoned as people drowned each year. The story matched. The banquet hall was cursed from the beginning. Seol Young said, drawing a talisman in the air. The people who were said to have drowned here each year didnt actually drown. The nobles yed with them, abused them, and killed them. Aha! Then they lied about the women drowning? Zaha looked at the brutal appearances of the women. These souls died unjustly, like Dohwa. And they were trying to stop them from spoiling Dohwas ns. Normally evil spirits like this could be easily subdued, but there was a problem this time. Every time they attacked, their skirts would flow around or their hair ornaments would spin around. The purpose of the ghost women wasnt to kill them. Someone among them was hiding the dice, and if they identally nced at her, they would be cursed right away. But we cannot kill them at random Seol Young hesitated for a moment. Then we have to do this. Zaha tore the hem of his clothes, folded the torn part into severalyers, and tied it around his eyes. Right. Seol Young followed him right away and ced it around his eyes. Wait, they are pitiful souls. Do not kill them. Then. Throw them at me. They werent strong souls. And with his eyes closed, he had nothing to be afraid of. Seol Young raised his hands and caught the attacking ghosts one by one, imprisoning them in his que. Seol Young-rang! You were the one who asked for these women! All the ghosts that went to Zaha were thrown back and sealed in his que. Doing this was so simple. They were able to subdue these women to some extent without seeing the dice. When did I ask you for them? Ah, please, you said to throw the women at you. You are worse than normal men. When did I Seol Youn went silent and thought. Wait. Now, with a blindfold on, wasnt this the perfect moment to y a prank? He couldnt see the other side since the cloth wasyered several times. It seemed like they couldnt see everything around them. Seol Young removed the blindfold. Zaha, as if thinking the same thing, stopped talking and hurriedly took off the blindfold, and their eyes met. When did you say it? You surely said But he stiffened up without continuing and didnt even look him in the eye. What is it? Seol Young asked. And then he saw something spinning at the periphery of his vision. There was antern on the ceiling, and it could be seen in Seol Youngs eyes. Seol Youngs eyes acted as a mirror, so Zaha avoided his gaze. Tak! And then there was a sound of something falling from behind them. One didnt have to see it to know what it was. The dice. They kept avoiding it, but they ended up seeing it in the reflection of the others eye To send people away like this. Quite a clever method, Seol Young-rang! I didnt do that. Seol Young said, We need to find Dohwa right now. This isnt the time for us to be fighting! Such ame excuse. Zaha said as he struck down the dice with his sword. A golden light rose, and he hit the dice with a terrifying force. Swish! A sharp metallic sound rang out, and the floor cracked, but the dice was fine. Swish! Swish! He cut it down several times, and the golden light was so strong that Seol Young couldnt even open his eyes. Still, the dice didnt budge. It was said that if resentment deepens, it can snow even in May. Dohwa poured all her resentment into this dice, and this made it clear that they couldnt match her strength now. Round and round. The penalties on all fourteen sides went crazy. Little by little, the penalties could be seen, and the dice could stop at any time. This surely we will not be punished, right? Zaha raised his sword, and his spiritual energy rose. Wait. Seol Young gathered spiritual power in his hands. It was time for him to test what he had thought about earlier. I will give it a try. Seol Young-rang. Now is not the time to test something out. Will you take responsibility if something bad happens? Besides, if a penalty involving two people is given, then even you will be dragged into this. Look straight ahead. Earlier, when she tried to drag people, I experimented with various things and came to a conclusion. It might be impossible to break the dice. Seol Young raised his hand and said, But do we really have to break it? ? Zaha was confused. Then? Instead of answering, Seol Young acted. Wind Spirit Curse. A gust of wind rose from his hand, and it was a gentle wind that went around the dice. The dice, which had slowed down and seemed to stop at any moment, began to spin again. And Zaha looked at it. I see. He realized it. There was a way to not receive any penalties. There were two things. To destroy. And to not let it stop. Just keep it moving. Why didnt he think of that? Zaha looked at the dice, looking disappointed. Right. It is much more difficult to go against it forcefully. But what if we can lean on what it is doing? We just need to make sure we dont tackle the power. And this proves it. Seol Young said. If I had just concocted a way to force you to see the penalty, would I have bothered to stop the curse? Fine. Lets say that And Zaha asked, Do we just let it spin for eternity like that? Good question. Seol Young replied. I barely got hold of her. It is the only chance to bring out her main body. He gathered all his strength in his hands as he was using the Wind Spirit Curse. Chapter 54: Peach Blossom Girl (10) Chapter 54: Peach Blossom Girl (10) The powers of both sides intertwined around the dice. In other words, Dohwa wanted it to stop. But she couldnt shake off the other energy that was making the dice turn. It is an opportunity I worked hard to get, and I will not waste it. Seol Young slowly raised his spiritual power. The Wind Spirit Curse began to get stronger. Round and round. The speed at which the dice turned increased gradually. The Wind Spirit Curse continued to move. And because the energies of both sides were fiercely shing, the space that the energies upied expanded. A whirlwind moved around the dice. This was enough. answer the call. Seol Young summoned the Wind God. There was overwhelming pressure from the huge beings entrance. After that, the huge face of the Wind God appeared. A rough wind tore through the space, and his head felt like it would explode from this. The Wind God embraced all the wind spirits and took their ce. The dice was swept away by this mighty wind, but it still continued to rotate. [Ah!] There was a sharp scream in the wind. Even with all this happening, Dohwa didnt want to let go of the dice, and it eventually got blown away by the wind. A shape appeared in the wind, which was wildly spinning. Is that her body? Zaha raised the aura on his sword to clearly look at it. The shape was a womans body. You have to catch that! Seol Young hurriedly began to cast talismans. The blue text flew up and turned into a rope. The soul that was within the whirlwind was tied down at once. He did it! Dohwa was bound, and she couldnt move. Seol Young sent a light beam towards her vague form, and. Down. Dohwas soul, which was full of intense anger, pain, and hatred, was spreading warm energy. It was the terrible memory of her death. A memory she didnt want to let go ofthe thought of dying each second. And now was finally the time to let it go. Seol Young sincerely hoped she would move on. I really hope you forget this A dazzling light shone from the rope and poured into Dohwas body, embracing all the painful memories that were inside of her. At that moment. Wait What was Zaha trying to do? The next moment [ACKKKK!] With a shriek, her souls two hands came out of the whirlwind. did it just do that? Seol Young was surprised. Before he knew it, the Dead yer sword was emitting a strong aura to press her down. No wonder I felt strange. Zaha said. But he didnt expect this at all. There was no hostility in Seol Youngs rope of light. All it wanted was to soothe her pain and let her finally rest in peace. Dohwa should have known that. And yet she rejected it? Anyone would want to be relieved of the pain and feelfortable. But with Dohwa, it felt different. She didnt want to befortable. All she wanted was revenge. Early on, she swore to kill all three young men who were the living descendants of her enemies, and she didnt want topromise. However, an obstacle with powerful spiritual energy appeared and stopped her from doing anything. She was suppressed and trapped within the whirlwind of the Wind God, and was unable to move. As if frost were stuck in her heart, she couldnt fulfill her will. Her body trembled as if she were screaming something, and the next moment. Puak! There was a sound of something piercing a body. Dohwas body twisted a little, and she jumped straight into Zahas Dead yer sword. Rather than forget everything and be at peace, she chose to perish with the grudge. The spirit qi of the sword burned as her body was pierced, and she was engulfed in mes. Miss Dohwa! Seol Young was shocked and reached for her. And the moment his hand touched hers, all the terrible things that had taken refuge in her heart were felt by him. But he couldnt let her go. [Ahhhhh!] Dohwa, who was losing her spirit form to the sword, screamed in mes as she was exorcised. The pain of being burned by mes with a spiritual body was not something one could understand. [Ack!] Zaha frowned at this. His hand holding the sword didnt even move. He couldnt even pull out the sword. If he moves it, it would only cause her more pain. And maybe that was why he just held onto it despite not wanting to. I need to relieve her pain quickly. Seol Young cast a spell while holding Dohwas body. A soft blue light covered her body, and the screaming stopped as she sighed. [Ah] Like the sun shining through leaves, small memories that she had long forgotten shone on her. A girl as pretty as a peach blossom was singing while plucking some flowers. [Dohwa! Dohwa!] Her friends came running from afar. The girl touched the scarf around her neck, which was about to be blown away by the wind. And with a bright smile, she said, [Now] She spoke with the clearest voice. [ spring hase.] Dohwas body drooped. She copsed as if the mes had embraced her. Finally, her face was visible, and she was no longer screaming. A single tear fell from her nk eyes. Finally, everything burned down. Seol Young was at a loss for words. Dohwas soul had been exorcised by the shaman in the past, and yet she managed to appear again. And this time, Seol Young tried to send her back with his own hands. But she turned out to be wrong this time too. Seol Young extended his hand into the air and looked at it. He could no longer feel Dohwas spiritual energy. The glimmer of her old memories that he was looking at was now fading. The evil spirit that killed people by throwing a dice had vanished, and the lives of the three men who almost died were saved. this is how it ends. Seol Young mumbled. Whatever happened, once they left, there was noing back. He turned around, but Zaha didnt move. He was just staring at the point where Dohwa had disappeared. And Seol Young looked at him. It was hard to know what he was thinking, Still, he held onto the sword without moving until Dohwa perished, so the pain she was experiencing wouldnt increase. And as he was lost in thought, Seol Young said to him, Are you not going to leave? This isnt the actual pavilion, but a space that Miss Dohwa created. Now that she has disappeared, this will also disappear, so we need to get out quickly. Zaha didnt look, nor did he answer. It isnt over. ? Seol Young was confused. It wasnt over? ah, right. And it struck his mind. Miss Dohwa was a powerful evil spirit. They did their best to naturally confront her, and they asked a question they should have thought about earlier. Come to think of it Miss Dohwa wasnt that evil spirit? The terrifying spirit that had a shadow. The woman with a hairpin and talismans stuck to her face. She wasnt Miss Dohwa. He saw her face before she vanished, but her appearance was so different. And there was no Mand of Darkness, which devoured everything. The two were different beings. Then who was that evil spirit? Seol Young turned to Zaha, and he was still staring at the spot where she had vanished. Spiritual energy gathered in his eyes, and a golden light was shining. A dark aura rose from behind him. This was not a usual sight. Seol Young began to feel nervous. He prepared to use the mask in his sleeve anytime as he looked at Zaha. Why are you acting strange? Actually, there isnt anything to point out. I know your secret. And what does it have to do with the spirits that constantly appear in front of me? Do not think of making excuses. If you can show me that technique you It was then. Move! Zaha pushed Seol Young. And it was so unexpected that his eyes went wide. Something exploded from the groundit was darkness, and it exploded and crushed everything, tearing everything apart, and then it began to cover everything so wildly. What is that? Seol Young stepped back with a hand on his sword. At that moment, without any sign or sound, it appeared. The shape was shaking. It was like an illusion. The figure was like a phantom. But it was real too. Through its long hair, its face, which was covered in talismans, could be seen little by little. Her! Seol Young was frozen. He couldnt feel anything from her, but he could tell. Something huge was about to happen. And he tried to walk out of this space, so he turned. What is that? As I thought Zaha mumbled. It means I failed. His shimmering gold eyes subsided. The aura of darkness that rose as a haze had changed. ck mes rose around him like literal mes. Failed? While Seol Young thought about those words. Zaha attacked the figure of that evil spirit at once. Chapter 55: Peach Blossom Girl (11) Chapter 55: Peach Blossom Girl (11) The Dead yer sword drew arge arc in the air, and then a golden light shone through the space. Seol Young opened his eyes wide. This far? This was a huge energy. The dark qi had merged with Zahas original qi, and he raised it to the limit at once. So wherever the sword cut, golden light was shing, and Seol Youngs eardrums were hurting from the sound. It felt so powerful that even a great monstrous demon could be torn down. But It couldnt pierce the darkness around the evil spirit that appeared but it managed to block the Mand of Darkness from spreading as it was eroding the space. The other side was too strong. However, Zaha unleashed an attack without much agitation. The golden trail left by his sword shed through the darkness in an amazing manner. Every time it collided with the dark energy, sparks flew and exploded. In the dazzling afterimage, shock waves spread everywhere. Amazing Seol Young just stood there and watched everything happen. Until now, Zaha had a very rxed attitude when it came to him or the evil spirits. But it felt different this time. As Zaha was fighting, Seol Young could see him disy emotions that he had never shown before. Hate. A will to kill. Cold emotions. It was like he had pictured the image of himself cutting down the head of this evil spirit many times It was that feeling. Bang! A roar. A golden aura exploded around the floor. Even though the aftermath was enormous, it wasnt enough to stop the evil spirit. The talismans on her face swayed violently, and at some point, her illusion-like form became clearer. It had to be stopped! Amand closer to instinct. Reflexively, Seol Youngs hand reached out. A bright blue light shone, and he used his talismans to fend off this dark energy. But they all shattered like ss. His attack didnt work at all. On the contrary, the darkness, which was spreading everywhere, was now heading in his direction. Seol Young immediately raised his sword to block it, and the moment his spirit qi rose, he felt dizzy. He couldnt shake it off. On the contrary, he was strongly pulled toward it. The mand energy, which repeated life and death, moved to the Blue Rainbow. He couldnt do anything, everything happened in the blink of an eye. Why? Seol Young hurriedly raised his spirit qi to resist it, and right then, something like fireworks exploded right in front of his eyes. A tingling shock went through his sword, and someone struck it. It cannot be helped. Zaha coldly said as he cut off a part of the darkness. There was a deafening sound of a crash, and waves of wind pushed them back. He said it couldnt be helped? When he came to his senses, Seol Young was pushed out of the way. Through the attack he did earlier, he learned that normal attacks wouldnt work. It only gave the spirit the means to encroach on Seol Young. So, he was of no use, then? No. Seol Young shook his head. Even if his previous attack didnt work, there was something else he could do. So he picked up his sword. He recited something, and letters shone on his swords body. It was simr to the rope that bound Dohwa earlier, but this time not just one but dozens of letters appeared. tie! Seol Young swung his sword with all his might. A golden light shed, and a shock wave spread as letters containing sorcery spread all over the area. They rotated while creating a barrier. The Heaven and Earth Barrier. A barrier that the shamans with the greatest spiritual energy used against strong spirits. Maintaining this barrier required enormous power, so he hadnt used it much in actualbat before. But this held two advantages. One was that it could prevent the spirit from escaping, and the other was that it could create an area where he could hide from this mess. Because I need time to find a new way. Seol Young drew arge circle on the floor with his sword, and he shone a character on it. And then it was finished. The dark energy that spread in all directions shed, and then there was a strong reaction. It hit Zaha. And he was being dragged around like a whirlwind. Ah Seol Young threw several talismans in a hurry. Get out! ? He pulled Zaha out, who was confused as to why he was doing this. But Seol Young just gulped and used the talismans without leaving a trace, and the dark energy burned them all. What is this? Zaha asked. Seol Young first pointed out the barrier around the space. That is a kind of barrier called the Heaven and Earth Barrier. This is the center that governs the barrier and is called the Close Demon Barrier. It was a ce to subdue evil spirits, and at its center was where the sorcerer would stay. In this circle, the evil spirit cannote, but it wontst long either. Seol Young shed the sword in the middle of the text, and a blue aura spread as the barrier became clearer. At that moment The evil spirits form vanished. It wasnt that they were being chased. This was a space where all of them existed but couldnt exist simultaneously. Its existence was just pushed for a second. The spirit was flickering, blurry, and uncertain. And then it stopped. This showed that the evil spirit wasnt perfect. But soon, the spirit would change from its flickering form and take on a clearer appearance. And the moment that would happen, a certain existence would form, and then the real nightmare would begin. But before that, he had toe up with something. Seol Young looked at Zaha. What was that? Why are you that strong? He was staring at the evil spirit even then. I couldnt believe it until I saw it with my own eyes What? That one? Seol Young asked. And only then did Zaha take his eyes off the evil spirit, and he said, All of this happened because I wascking, so it was a fail. Why are you saying that? You have a simr aura, so you must be able to attack it, right? But instead, you were at a disadvantage when it dragged you to the side Anyway, you havent failed yet. So you have toe up with another way. I wasnt talking about that. Zaha coldly said. In the shimmering darkness they were in, the golden light in his eyes stood out so clearly that he didnt look like a human. You said its the Heaven and Earth Barrier? He nced at the barrier around them. This will lose its effect without you, right? Yes. Well, it doesnt matter. He looked back at the spirit. You somehow knew that the evil spirit and I were simr, right? So why did you pretend that you didnt know anything? Because I didnt want to judge hastily. Because that trick you Should I thank you? He cut off Seol Youngs words. Well, your role here is done. Done? Yes. Zaha raised his sword. Do not waste your life in such a ce and find a way to live. I can stop it for a while so you can make a move. He spoke those words without any emotion, and Seol Young looked at him. Now He spoke with a sneer. This makes it clear. What? Everything you said until now was bullshit. You had no intention of stealing my spiritual power, and now you say stuff like this. So? Dont you know that all of that doesnt matter? It matters to me. I need to know why. Why deceive me with such words? I dont have time now. Zaha swung his sword. The energy of darkness began to move like a whip. Before the wind, thick and evil demonic qi pressed in. And it wasnt just a warning. It was intent on killing. Seol Young stepped back. It seemed that he would die by his hands first. Then. Zaha left the center spot, and Seol Young bit his lip. Now, find an exit. The dark energy emitted by the form of the evil spirit had covered many areas around them, and he couldnt figure out where to go. And then he suddenly remembered. Seol Young took something out of his sleeve. It was the que that sealed the ghosts of the courtesans who died in the pavilion. He threw it into the air, and the spirits floated up. They were beings that belonged here, so they all knew this area well, and they all flew in one direction. It was the doorway where ghosts coulde and go. The only exit between the spirit world and the human world. Seol Young hurriedly headed there and looked back. I found an exit At that moment, a tremendous scream echoed throughout the area. The darkness, which had been suppressed for a moment by Zahas attack and the barrier, had exploded. Various branches of darkness moved around, and they began to turn into thick pirs and attack Zaha. Bang! Explosive sounds happened one after another, and along the border, another spark flew. Zaha was caught in it, and his body was pushed back. The mands energy hit the area he was in, and it wrapped itself around Zahas body like a whip and tried to drag him. At that moment, the floor began to shine. It was the Dead yer sword. The Sword Spirit was moving by itself and was using all its might to drive the demonic qi away. Everything happened in the span of a single breath. . Seol Young was taken aback. I didnt get to do anything! Chapter 56: Peach Blossom Girl (12) Chapter 56: Peach Blossom Girl (12) The Dead yer sword vibrated in the darkness. A golden light spread like an arrow through the swords body. No matter how powerful a Sword Spirit was, it was rare for them to move on their own. It seemed as if it was doing everything it could to prevent its owner from being dragged by this demonic qi. Seol Young looked at the doorway that opened. The spirits hesitated. They felt grateful to Seol Young. It was because when the spirits blocked them, he didnt cut them down but sealed them, and now he was sending them away. So they waited without leaving. They wanted to go together. I feel nice, but Seol Young motioned for them to leave. And he turned around He couldnt help it after seeing this. The evil spirits darkness had already taken over most of this ce. And it wasnt long until it would beplete. How would they solve this? The vibration from the Dead yer sword was bing more intense. The sound of metal shing pierced his ears. And the Blue Rainbow sword resonated with it. It was trembling. Seol Young looked at his sword. Why are you doing this? Blue Rainbow wasnt a sword thatmunicated with him often. But at this moment, it seemed to be desperate to say something. I get it. Fine. Seol Young raised his sword high and threw it as hard as possible at the golden light that shone beyond the darkness. And the Blue Rainbow sword flew straight, leaving a rainbow trail behind it. With the sound of the wind being cut, it moved right behind the Dead yer sword. A bright blue light shone, and unlike before, the Mand of Darkness couldnt encroach on it. It was thanks to the sword in front that was blocking it. When the two Sword Spirits joined forces, the situation seemed to improve. It was fine now, but Seol Young didnt have a weapon in hand to defend himself. These are the times I need to stay calm. Seol Young thought so. He was sure that there was a way out. All the things he heard and saw when he was young, the knowledge he held then and what his teacher and his three hyungs taught him about ying spirits, and the things he learned from books and stories After desperately going through everything in his mind Thats it! Seol Youngs eyes followed the dark energy. This mand-like existence moved through space, but this ce was a spirit world. This meant that neither the walls nor the floors had a physical ground. And that told him that there was a way. Axial Method. It felt like he should do it now. The Axial Method was a technique to reducend. In legends, one could travel thousands of miles in one go, like a footwork technique. But that was an exaggerated legend. The actual method was handed down among the shamans, and at best, it could reduce the time it takes to make two steps into one. Even so, it wouldnt work much in the material world. However, this was the spirit world. Seol Young changed the spell for the Axial Methid and reversed it. And when he cast it onto the floor, the space increased. And as he thought. The dark energy that engulfed this ce didnt increase, but thend without darkness grew. This was kind of a territorial battle. This ce was created by Dohwa, but this evil spirit had taken over it, and now Seol Young was going to create his own. The evil spirit had to take control of the consciousness of this man named Seol Young, but he had no intention of giving up now. Nice. He hurriedly stepped back. He took one to two steps at a time, and it required a lot of spiritual power. It was like making a patchwork on a piece of cloth that was torn and stitching it one after another urately. And after struggling for a considerable amount of time, he was finally able to reach the ce guarded by the two Sword Spirits. Zaha seemed unconscious. He didnt look dead, but even if he were dead, Seol Young had to bring his body back. Seol Young was careful not to touch the Mand of Darkness, and he grabbed Zaha by the cor and pulled him. He felt no movement, and after bringing him to the safe side, he pulled out both swords and rummaged through the pockets in his robe. He held out a piece of yellow paper to Zahas nose, and the paper moved lightly. He is not dead. He told the Dead yer sword, and he put it back in its sheath. Now the next problem It was much harder for him to move around while carrying someone on his back. It would require more space. Seol Young opened the way with extreme focus. But He didnt get very far as he suddenly heard a crackling sound. It was the ghost door. He looked up and saw that the spirits were colliding with each other in the air. Seol Young was shocked. You didnt leave? Right. The courtesans hadnt left and were waiting for Seol Young, wanting to leave together. But he couldnt. The energy of darkness that had spread out was growing closer to the door. The courtesans were already covering their ears and blocking its path. The youngest ones were around the door, making sure the darkness didnt get closer, and a couple of spirits looked at Seol Young. The door was slowly shutting down. Fools Seol Young mumbled, but when he thought about it, he didnt have the right to say that either. Seol Young quietly held the ques. And he had to move, carrying Zahas body. Now that the ghost door was closed, there was no ce to escape. When the caster moved away, the barrier he had made earlier also weakened. And because of that, it didnt seem like it wouldst long. Seol Young dragged Zahas body into the blue circle for now. As soon as he entered, he pierced the written text with his sword and stabilized the barrier again. He sat down and noticed the situation wasnt good. The space was shaking even more. It felt like the space was going to bepletely taken over. He had a strong feeling that it was going to happen soon, and it felt like he was on a cart that was rolling down a cliff. Wake up. He shook Zaha, but there was no response. It looks like it is going to appear again. Still, no response. He shook the man a couple more times, but suddenly, the darkness trembled. The mand moved in different shapes and ran out of control. No. Seol Young bit his lip. He couldnt help it. He sat down and cut his left hand with his sword. The blood dripped onto the letters in the center of the barrier. When the bloodnded on the text, it was immediately absorbed. The barrier turned from blue to red, and the letters that were floating around it began to give off heat. Seol Young began to recite the mantras he could think of. Answer my call! A glowing form appeared in each of the twelve directions of the barrier. The zodiac. All were armed and girded with belts that fluttered in the wind. As the zodiacs appeared, their spears and swords shone brightly, and all their faces were stern. They werent illusions cast by his spirit qi. They were vivid advents, close to incarnations. Only with this level of power could he put an end to this. The weight of the twelve zodiacs weighed on the space, and the mand running rampant lost its ce and began to turn around and around. Seol Young looked at it for a moment. He was sessful, but he had to pour almost all his remaining spiritual energy into that spell. Will he be able to use even one talisman now? Heughed bitterly. Wouldnt someone from the outside notice this situation? It wasnt like he didnt think of it, but he knew it was impossible. Is this the end? Of course, he nned to hold on until he was about to die. But it was true that this was unfortunate. He looked at Zaha, who was still unconscious. Still, he didnt seem to have any major trauma, and his breathing wasnt raspy, so he thought Zaha would wake up soon. I dont know And when he thought so, he was shocked. He was always cursed as a troublemaker who ruined the past, present, and even the possible future of people. But he was now reflecting on it. Why did he acquire such evil strength? Why did he follow me? Why did he keep lying and cheating? It was disappointing from all sides. And now the man is passed out? Comfortably in such a situation? No way. Wake up. Seol Young pushed him with his foot. But he didnt even budge. So he pushed harder, and depending on how one looked, it looked more like a kick. There was still no response. But instead Something rolled down from his body. Seol Youngs eyes widened. An object with a golden color. Golden thread. He forgot about it for a while, and he tried so hard to find out what it was. I never thought it would appear on its own like this. Seol Young stared at the object. It looked like it was a part of something and fell off. Seeing that there was a loop, it seemed to be a chain. A broken chain That was what it was. He felt strange. What was the use of knowing this? This was the end. He surely felt it. But if he was going to die, he wanted to at least clear up his curiosity. What was the identity of that familiar sensation that he felt the moment he held it in his hand? He thought he could find out something about it, so he reached out and picked it up. Chapter 57: Peach Blossom Girl (13) Chapter 57: Peach Blossom Girl (13) The moment he held it in his hand, his vision turned ck. This feeling surely is He saw something in the dark. A charred, drowned, and disfigured corpse. Actually, there were several of them. They were Hwarangs who had died. The work of an evil spirit. The God of Cataclysm. or the spirit which was in this ce with them right now. Seol Young was surprised. Its true identity was terrifying. The very God of Catcalysm that shook the kingdom eight years ago. This was expected. Could there be such two strong beings? Seol Young didnt expect this at all. It was because they had gotten rid of it once before, and he had always heard about its story. The evil spirit, which terrifyingly ran rampant, disappeared after itsst fight against the High Governor. No one had seen anything like that in thest eight years. So he never questioned it But the truth was that he hadnt exorcised it? What happened then? Seol Young looked into his memory. The spirit trampled on the kingdom. Everyone was fighting desperately, but nothing changed. Some killed themselves in fear, and some were cursed and killed others. Some had turned into monsters. [How can this be! How! Is there no other way?] Someone shouted. The world was a mess. [Even the Hwarangs cannot do anything.] [We need to believe in the High Governor and follow him. I will do everything.] The people were disappointed. Some were struggling, and some were sad. But the owner of the chain found a way. Use it to save the nation, just once. A very old book. He learned more about Buddhism from the books of the Tang dynasty and their various secret methods, and he decided to use Mundurus technique, which was the most forbidden one. It was a method of luring the evil spirit into the body and then trapping it inside, which would kill both the spirit and the owner of the body. The Secret Art of Death Together. He could see the lid of a coffin above his head. Numerous spells were written inside the coffin, on the back of his hand, and all over his body. The technique was ready. He called it and locked it in his body. The evil spirit ran wildly inside of him. It was about to tear his body apart, and the chain tightened hard. In terrible agony, he raised his hand onest time and closed the coffins lid. And then his breathing stopped. The feeling of death took over. And at that moment. The chain in his hand had slipped out. Someone stole it. The memory ended. It was cut off as if he were dragged out, and when Seol Young opened his eyes, he felt like the world was spinning. Zaha was awake and looking at him. His face was pale, and his eyes were ring. You are rude. Seol Young just looked at him without saying anything. A lot of thoughts swirled in his head, not knowing what to say. Memory Projection. He said. Now I get it. The reason why I felt that familiar sensation when I touched it. It wasnt an object that I felt familiar with. It was the sensation that felt more familiar. Because it is something I always do, Memory Projection. A keepsake. As soon as I touched it, the memory began to y. You are A dead man. Silence fell. His stiff shoulders dropped, and his pulse slowed. Hearing it through someone elses mouth definitely hits differently. Zaha mumbled. His eyes were on the ground, looking at the chain that Seol Young was holding. After seeing you do it so many times, I didnt think you would be able to do it to me. I didnt want anyone to find out. Seeing him like that, Seol Young felt like everything was unreal. His body was moving well for a corpse. And normally, someone has to control the dead so they can move. But he wasnt a moving corpse. The man was breathing. He saw the man eat, drink, and sleep, and when he dragged him earlier, he felt his body temperature too. This man was alive. So he couldnt understand. It was the first time he had seen anything like this in his life. How can someone who is deade back and walk around as if you are alive? I dont know. It must be because of this. Zaha raised his hand. A small amount of darkness rose at his fingertips. If you saw my memory, you should obviously know it, but I sealed the evil spirit in my body and died. That was myst memory. As if he couldnt believe it, he looked back into the darkness. Discontinuity, uncertainty, and an unknown feeling. But it existed in the same space. Sooner orter, it would reveal its terrifying form again. But I do not know. Suddenly, I woke up with my eyes open, and when I got up, only a part of it remained in my body. The chains were shattered, the coffin lid was open it was after the grave tombs that were set up to guard my tomb had disappeared. Ah. Only then did Seol Young figure it out. In the first case that he took during the month of the evil moon, he had to take down the ghosts near a temple. Near the temple was a grave, and he used four grave keepers, which were so strong. The blue dragon, the white tiger, the ck tortoise, and the red vermillion. They must have been the grave keepers that guarded his tomb. I followed their traces, and you were there. But I found out that eight years had passed since I died, and I couldnt understand it. What happened to the evil spirit? It was already to the point where the coffin lid was opened, and the chain was broken He sneered. It was a sign that someone had failed to rob my grave Seol Young had nothing to say. Now he understood why he was so upset when people touched other peoples graves. From his point of view as a dead person, it bothered him and made him feel troubled. Anyway, thinking that I should know the truth, I went to the capital where the supernatural cmities were happening. Because there was just one thing important to me. He nced at Seol Young. Right. Anyone who goes through such an experience is bound to have their beliefs changed. My character must have be twisted along the way. Even when I looked at the things I thought were precious in the past, I felt insensitive. Even when someone talked about the past, I just thought, That happened? . Just one thingjust thinking about that made my blood run hot. If it escaped from my technique, I wanted to meet it. I thought it would be different this time. Zaha looked at the darkness rising in his hand. Having taken this much of its power, I thought it would be worth it. I thought so. But as you can see It also regained its strength. And it didnt seem like it was the right move. Seol Young looked at him without saying anything. At that moment, the barrier he put up with the zodiacs around them began to vibrate. Seol Young immediately poured more blood. Why didnt you tell me about this? Seol Young added, I can understand why you hid it when we first met. Since I didnt have my own Yin-Yang que with me, it was easy for me to be perceived incorrectly too. But why did you keep lying to me even though my identity was already revealed? Why didnt you tell the truth that you didnt willingly take the dark path, that you had a demon sealed inside of you? Would you have believed me if I told you? He smiled bitterly. Even now, because you held this in your hand and looked into my memories, you believed it. Would you have believed me if I told you about it? Seol Young thought for a moment. Perhaps I wouldnt have believed you. See? But is that all? Are there any other reasons? Other reasons does that even matter now? Zaha mumbled. Isnt it just useless now? No matter how long we wait, there will eventually be a time when this barrier will break. This small space we are barely holding will soon crumble, and then we are done for. To die first without seeing anything, I am just luckier thanst time. And he closed his eyes. Seol Young said, But At that time, the barrier shook once again. The magic circle was turning faster. Feeding more blood, he said, Do you have other ns? You dont have to speak the truth, but you dont have to lie either, right? Still, you said you wanted my spiritual power, so you showed me how I should act all the time. I thought it was strange that you were helping me, but I finally understand now. Things had changed because of my actions. If it hadnt happened, you would have never followed me. You wouldnt have even cared. And that is why you are obsessed with it. Whether he was listening or not, Seol Young said, As I thought, I was the one who ended up touching your tomb, and on that day, I managed to inflict a strong hit on it that was within you. At that time, some method finally seeded. And at that moment, you must have thought, This could work. In a situation where it might be out in the world, you saw an unexpected way to actually wound it. Because of that, you didnt kill me. Seol Young said as he dropped his blood onto the floor. But there was one problem. Unfortunately, I didnt know what that power was. I only tried it once with something I happened to have. You wanted me to look for it. Regardless of the means, you wanted me to get my hands on it again. That is why you constantly threatened me. If you dont want to lose your spiritual power, somehow get that strange power you used on me thest time. Those were your attempts to make me do it. If he had such a clear n in his heart, it was understandable why he acted that way. Whatever his purpose was, he was ready to bully Seol Young to aplish what he wanted. I think it must have been difficult. Seol Young mumbled. And I cannot die before getting that power, so you ended up helping me in dangerous times. But that didnt mean you were willing to let me keep my guard down, so you continued to threaten me with lies. It must have been very difficult. Zaha finally opened his eyes and looked at him. Am I supposed to p for you here? And he smiled. Right. Well said. I was thinking the same thing. I tried everything, but I couldnt do much damage to that evil spirit. But after eight years, what did my junior in a white robe do? He did it with a piece of wood. And I couldnt believe it. Seol Young listened quietly. I wondered what that strange thing was. If that thing had reappeared, I thought it would be useful. I wanted to manipte you somehow to get that power into your hands. After saying that, Zaha shrugged. But what use is it now? It is useful. Seol Young reached into his robe and pulled something from his pocket. Because I prepared something like this. At that moment, Zahas expression changed to one of intrigue. ? He looked at Seol Young, shocked. His gaze moved to his pocket. You already got it? He asked as if he were possessed by a ghost. He must have thought so. He must have thought that Seol Young had failed until now. He must have worked hard for this. Now, here. Seol Young opened his pocket and proudly brought out the pouch. Chapter 58: Peach Blossom Girl (14) Chapter 58: Peach Blossom Girl (14) I will speak the truth. First of all, your n is just reckless. If you had been more reckless, then you would have ended it on that day in front of the house. That day? What are you talking about? The day we held the memorial service for the friend of the monk killed by the fake one. You already had this with you? Zaha couldnt believe it. I had it before that. As soon as the Nirvana painting incident was solved, I immediately went over to the ck and White House and asked for this. What is that? There is such a thing. A ce to get information This man really knew nothing. Seol Young continued, There was a reason it was avable so quickly. I had to pay a great amount to get this in my hands. And this is the result. You must have thought that I would get the same wooden nk identical to that time or something smaller He took out the mask and showed it. As you can see, I was able to get my hands on a piece that isplete. At that time, the Demonic Sword was so strong that nothing worked against it. And you still didnt use it? I told you. I decided to be careful about this. Seol Young said, Come to think of it, that gentle monk saved you. I was almost ready to take it out that day, but monk Do Cheol suddenly gave it to me. That sorcery thing, no that chain. Seol Young nced at the object in Zahas hand. If it is a normal weapon, there is no reason to hide it like that. The way you were acting so suspiciously was bothering me. I felt there was one important part I was missing in all of this. Which was why I decided to save my attempt until I was sure the puzzle was solved. If not He didnt say it. It is an insane n. Well. Zaha spoke confidently. I died once and came back to life, but it doesnt mean I have lost my mind. And he looked at Seol Youngs hand. So what about it? Do you not realize after seeing it too? I dont see anything. There must be something, but here He pointed with his hand to the part where the mask was. Is empty. Seol Young was surprised. Thats why he never noticed it. This is the face of a monster. Ive been calling it the Wooden Ghost Face Mask. I dont know what kind of monster or spirit it is. At that time, the barrier vibrated again, and Seol Young fed it more blood. After that, there was no need to buy more time anyway. Try calling it. At Seol Youngs words, Zaha raised the darkness around his hands. The shape of the mand, which was born by swallowing others, had expanded from it. However, it suddenly halted near the mask. It no longer encroached on the space. And The darkness just moved past it. That was it. The two looked at each other. It is worth a try. It was that kind of look. Zaha asked again, How did you use that piece of wood back then? I just instinctively felt that I had to break it. So I broke a piece of it and infused my spiritual power. At that moment, something spewed out. So, its a summon. Use it as a sacrifice, destroy it, and summon it. Seol Young thought the same. No matter how he looked at it, it was a summon. The thick darkness continued to rise, and the zodiac, which had been moving until then, began to be covered in darkness one after another, and the edges of the barrier began to crack. It wasing. The two held on to their swords. Zaha said, No matter what happens, do not let it leave this ce. Got it? Seol Young nodded. Could they live after this? They werent so sure. Then would they die? They werent so sure either. The only thing they knew for sure was that they had to stop it, whether they lived or died. I will stop the demonic qi, so focus on that. Summon it as soon as it appears. Zaha said, raising his spiritual energy. But at that moment, the darkness swirled around his body and rose to his arm. As if ck veins began to pop up, it was like he was paralyzed, making him drop his sword. Seol Young turned to him, You dont seem to have recovered yet. Zaha swung his sword once more. It was the same. The ck energy rose to his neck in an instant. When he passed out earlier, it felt like something bad had happened. And this was a problem they hadnt expected. Seol Young was confused. I have very little spiritual power He had already used all the talismans he had. He had used everything for the barrier, and at this rate, before they would even face the spirit, they would be consumed by this thick darkness. Is this how it ends? He felt doomed again. He even prepared such a strong mask, but would it all end here? He turned his gaze to Zaha. Is there another way? Right now, the problem He opened his mouth. You used up all your spiritual power, and I have it, but I cannot use it. So there is a way. What is it? I was saving it for another time He stopped talking as if he was thinking about something. Seol Young thought there must be a reason, so he stayed silent. And Zaha said, Jin Hwa, Suoh, Myeun, On So, Eul So, Ho Yeon, Visa Dal. These seven Hwarangs are the ancestors of the Sun and Moon Troops. Hearing his solemn tone, Seol Young went stiff. Show respect for your deceased seniors, and I will pass on the secret technique that has now disappeared. Seol Young was surprised, but he just bowed. Zaha taught him a lesson on the spot, and he listened to him. He knew that this was rted to a defense technique. He had to step in the direction of the present path and amplify his spiritual energy. And by carrying it into the Sword Spirit, he would be able to drive away the evil energy around a certain area. It is harder than gold yet softer than dew. It epasses all directions but is not angr, and it spreads in a circle but is free of boundaries. He learned the basics of the technique, but it was tooplicated to learn in a short time. And Zaha stopped. You cannot learn everything here. For now, just learn to work on this. He put his hand into his sleeve and took out something small in the shape of the moon. The round thing had blood on it. Just looking at it, one could tell that it had been written by someone from the Moon Troops. Are you ready? Before Seol Young could even answer, the barrier broke down, and the blue circle that was around them disappeared without a trace. The darkness was rushing in from all directions. And the round thing, the moon, was vibrating. The sound of bells could be heard, and it dispersed the darkness around them like antern in a thick fog. Following its guidance, Seol Young pulled his sword ahead of him and gathered the spirits that didnt belong to him. When the teacher changes, the teaching aspect and the process also change, so the spiritual power wont fuse. However, the sound of the bells managed to bring something together to disperse the darkness. Just once Seol Young prayed earnestly. It reminded him of the horrendous deaths he had seen through Memory Projection. These spirits must be theirshis seniors. This one time He earnestly prayed, and a bright silver aura dwelled on his sword. Good. Seol Young swung his sword with all his might. ording to the technique of the Moon Troops, his spiritual qi would amplify and burst out. There wasnt even a sound of anything being cut. It was great, but not too dazzling. It was soft, but it also felt strong. The silver light spread in all directions, going against the darkness. And beyond that was her. The opaque, swaying shape suddenly looked clear. The flickering shape was fixed on one spot, and evil spirits poured out. It was the moment when chaos could be felt. -Now. As if to say that, the bells rang clearly. Seol Young infused the spiritual power that he had left into the mask. Wake up! And it opened its eyes. Beneath its eyebrows wererge, red eyes that shone. Its furious breath could be felt from its nose. Its mouth began to tear open all the way to its ears. It growled loudly, baring its sharp fangs on either side. I do not know who you are, but if we do not stop that evil spirit, a huge disaster wille our way Seol Young threw the mask to the ground, and with a shing movement of his sword, he chanted something. Answer the call! The face of the monster shattered, and something huge emerged from within. The summon was sessful. A being with the weight of the world fell. Itsnding was so strong that they could feel vibrations beneath their feet. It appeared by borrowing Seol Youngs spiritual power, but it no longer needed it once it had manifested. A self-dependent being. Like a God. The most powerful God that can be summoned. The voices of many souls could be heard. [The God who had protected thisnd since before people existed.] Seol Young was able to realize what it was. He mumbled its name without even realizing it. Tree God People who lived in the distant past called it that. Tree God. The native God of thend. The God who was once worshipped by every living thing but is now worshipped by none. The God that no one remembers now and has been gradually forgotten by new religions. It was the first time Seol Young had ever seen the ancient God in person. The voice said, [Unseen Likely Hope.] The God who resided in the sacred jujube tree. The brave yet generous God who punished the evil ones and protected the good ones. Seol Young felt a chill run down his spine. The God is happy right now. He was delighted with the fact that he had a ce to return to in thisnd through a medium. It was feeling good. Tree God? Zaha looked up with a shocked face. Above the lesser spirits were the greater spirits, and then the supreme spirits and the stronger spirits. The spiritual power of the Tree God ate the evil energy and made the space its own. The demonic qi, which was spreading out thickly, couldnt stop it. After an intense fight between the two beings. Papapat! A huge sound rang out again. And it came from the direction where the darkness, which had been wanting to expand and take over the ce, was, and it was being pushed back. From one end to another, it felt like the darkness was being toyed with. [How dare you make a mess out of thisnd!] Hope Giver raged against the evil spirit. With a roar that shook the heaven and earth The Darkness of Mand shattered upside down like a wave. Chapter 59: Peach Blossom Girl (15) Chapter 59: Peach Blossom Girl (15) It was a great sight. The being called the God of Cataclysm had been advancing higher than them until now. But it was the first time they overpowered it. A strange and strong power was pushing it back. The two strong beings collided, and there was a powerful explosion. With a roar causing pain to their ears, the scene in front of their eyes turned white. The next moment Everything was gone. The light, the heat, and the echoing soundsall of them vanished at once as if they had gone to another world. It was the same with the energy of darkness, which continued to stretch out all this time. It disappeared like a lie. ? Seol Young looked around with shocked eyes, and the twisted space was back to its original state. It was the world of consciousness that was left behind by Miss Dohwa. It was now an empty pavilion. Seol Young nkly mumbled. Has it disappeared? Well. That easily? Zaha raised his hand and quietly raised his energy. His darkness rose back like before. Surely it couldnt have been. He shrugged. But it is the first time it was kicked out instead of choosing to walk out. It is the first time it has been stopped. He looked down at the ground with a face full ofplicated emotions. The broken mask was scattered everywhere. But that is the Tree God. Can you believe that? It wasnt the Tree God. Seol Young corrected him. The wooden goblin that was told in folklore wasnt just some Tree Spirit God. But it was a very old God. The Tree God is an Ancient God who is rted to higher Gods. Ancient, huh Zaha mumbled. I didnt think there was such a thing I guess so. Even among the spirits, it is now a story that is vague. Seol Young replied. I understand now. ording to the monk, the monster hated the sound of prayers. No wonder. When Buddhism took over, all the Tree Spirit Gods were pushed back. But they had the mighty power to protect thend Zaha mumbled again. To think there were beings called the Ancient Gods that no one remembers. If only I had known that eight years ago Again, he seemed shocked. Seol Young looked at him without speaking. The emotions in his eyes were so intense He thought that maybe he would disappear, just like the spirits do when they finish their missions. In a way, this man was like a ghost too. But How do I get out of here? He asked right then, as if nothing had happened. It couldnt be like this. Instead of answering him, Seol Young took out the ques. The spirits of the courtesans floated up and went in one direction. Over there. The two hurriedly moved. Following the guidance of the spirits, they passed through the doorway. With a tingling sensation, their feet touched the ground. They were by the river. Time had passed, and it waste at night. There were no vigers, just the altar they had built. Beyond that, an old pavilion could be seen. Seol Young was surprised when he saw it. It is still there But before he could end those words, the pavilion disappeared by sinking into the water. The red peach blossoms exploded on the spot. Seol Young was speechless. The entire river was full of peach blossoms, and all the trees along the river bloomed at once. In a world where everyone was asleep, a miracle was happening. Were they the flowers from which Miss Dohwas resentment bloomed? Even after the worst evil spirit had stepped down, there were still traces of the resentment she held. It was as if she was asking them to look at her. And she wont forgive me. Seol Young stood there, thinking about her. If the evil spirit hadnt forced her to wake up, she would have just stayed in there And now it was impossible to even pray for a souls rebirth that had been exorcised with a grudge. Maybe in the future, but not now. Seol Young picked up some stones and built a small stone tower. And he asked, Was it the same eight years ago? Did the ghost story happen in reality, and the evil spirit appeared in its ce? No. Zaha shook his head. That time, it appeared on its own. This is the first time it is using these ghost stories. Why, though? Seol Young was in deep thought. It is like they are possessed. It is strange to say this, but an evil spirit possessing a ghost story and It is something simr. Zaha nodded his head. Probably because I took away its power, and it doesnt have the perfect body yet. In order to be stronger, it needs to cause greater fear, and the ghost stories work best to scare people. A mask that turns one into a monster when worn, a painting that eats people, a sword possessed by an evil spirit, a ghost that kills people by throwing dice The God of Cataclysm awakened all those tales with its power and then caused fear. Using ghost stories Seol Young thought for a moment. If it gains strength from it, it seems like it will appear again like before. For now, it is just a theory, and we have to figure out the detailster. Zaha mumbled. Eight years ago, I knew nothing and continued to suffer. I have been through this twice, so I feel better. And he turned to Seol Young. Like dj vu. Uh? Even eight years ago, it eliminated its biggest threats first. Among the Hwarang troops too, the ones who were in charge of the mysterious incidents were the ones who were taken down first. Zaha continued. And didnt the Great Heavenly Pavilion reveal that prophecy too? For a moment, Seol Young felt like he had been hit. Then the Great Heavenly Pavilion fell into the hands of that spirit? That isnt what I am saying. Zaha shook his head. I couldnt feel the energy of the evil spirit in the pavilion, so Im sure it didnt get in contact with them. But wouldnt it be possible to manipte them without having to touch them? How? Because that evil spirit can use mediums. It isnt impossible to make a revtion by using the medium that the pavilion uses to make it believe that it was a revtion from heaven. If it is the biggest obstacle, all the malice it holds will be directed at you. Really? It would have been good if they had cornered him and executed him. But throwing him out of the Hwarangs was also good enough. Even if they revealed it, it was only dangerous to Seol Young. Either way, it made sense. Just one thing, it didnt think that Seol Young woulde back with the person who stole its power. Seol Young mumbled. What is it actually? When, where, and how did such a powerful spirit get born? If we can figure that out, we can get rid of it. Zaha said. Whatever it is, be careful of the Great Heavenly Pavilion. When he heard that, he said, Sure. Seol Young took out the red pouch he had tucked into his sleeve and showed it to Zaha. The head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion gave this to me. She said that if I opened it, I could find out your secret. And you didnt open it? I wasnt going to fall for the tricks of others. But I was curious. What is inside this? Seol Young asked, curious about it. She probably doesnt even know the truth about what happened eight years ago, so why is she questioning your identity? She must have read the stars. Zaha said. If she looked at them with her heavenly qi, she could find out the fate of some important people in the nation. And she must have realized that I am dead. But it must have been shocking that I appeared to her after eight long years. Maybe she thought an evil power revived me. That is why she asked you to pull out your sword. Seol Young finally understood. The High Governor was already dead, but then he was brought back to life with evil powers. She approached me to get evidence for it and support her ims. She alone is enough. Then there has to be something in the pouch that will tell me you are dead. He touched it, and he could feel it was some sort of paper. And he understood what it was. I can handle this. Seol Young put the pouch back in. I will make sure that I never bring this up. Zaha looked at Seol Young. After thinking, he said, I am sorry for lying to you and pushing you to the edge. I could have almost vanished without a trace He had a bitter smile the moment he remembered the summoning. Still is it true that where there is light, there is shadow, and where there is shadow, there is light? He spoke as if mumbling. I really didnt want to die. No matter how much I searched, I couldnt find a way, so I was forced to make that decision. But thanks to you, I got this A thin veil of darkness rose on his fingertips and vanished. And we didnt have an expert in sorcery in the past, eight years ago. So maybe it would be fine this time? Seol Young stared nkly at Zaha without saying a word, then shrugged. I know what you are thinking, but didnt I tell you that the only thing I care about is that evil spirit? To catch it, I need to stay in the pce. I will never cause trouble, and so I will do my best in acting too. If we seed in catching it, I will head into a deep mountain and nevere back to this world. I barely came back to life, and I dont want to waste time on something like this either. If you had seen it before, you would have known. That day at the tomb, I actually looked after you a lot. I know. Then help me with your mouth. In front of everyone and Baek Eon-rang Zaha added. It would be best not to tell anyone about the appearance of that evil spirit again. Its to protect everyone. Seol Young nodded, and silence fell. The peach blossoms on each tree fell. The riverside was covered in red petals, and a certain thing washed up. The dice. It had disappeared once from this world, and it would soon disappear again. He looked at it, lost in thought, but despite looking at it for a long time, the dice didnt disappear. Seol Young walked closer to it, put his hand in the river, and pulled the dice. Then he looked up at Zaha, but he was already gone. Keep hiding it until the end. The reason why Seol Young had an unsure face earlier was not because he was afraid that Zaha would sh with the evil spirit again. He thought I didnt There was something he was still not saying. But he will soon get it out of his mouth. Seol Young wiped the water from the dice and ced it in his pocket as he left. Peach blossoms fell like rain. Chapter 60: Peach Blossom Girl (16) Chapter 60: Peach Blossom Girl (16) Governor! Is it true? Hwang Soo, the eunuch who served the king from morning to evening, came over to the Hwarangs building. Is it true that there is a terrible evil spirit that ismitting murders here in the capital? What other information do you have besides Kim Yeo-chuns son? This news has reached others too! His Highness wants the truth, so speak, without leaving out any details! I came here to report too. Governor Jin Rim answered. The evil spirit was already cast outst night. The families of Park Si-ryang, Bae Myeon, and Kim Heon-hwi, were rted too. If we call them and investigate, His Highness will be able to find out the truth. Is that true? The supernatural cmities happened because of the brutal murder of a young girl by the seven sons of nobles from the capital thirty years ago. The seven people involved were Kim Yeo-chun, Park Si-ryang With this, the events that happened thirty years ago were revealed, and this time, everyone stayed silent. Years had passed since the crime, and the criminals were all dead too. But the people knew their names, and now they knew the brutal things they did. They tortured an innocent girl by using dice for days together, and then they used her for entertainment and killed her. The story was covered for decades. This was not something they could just ignore. Even more so because people of all ages, genders, and social standing believed in Buddhism. The Kings mother was furious. Seven families were immediately demoted. The four people, including those who were dead, and the jobs given to their children, were also dismissed. And any assets they had were seized. Incidentally, the marriages of the children were called off, and their chance of holding an official position was blocked. There were families thatined of unfairness, and there were those who said it was fortunate that their lives were spared. And there were those who believed in repenting for it. And in the middle of this noisy pce, Seol Young ran to the Great Heavenly Pavilion. And the face of the woman, the head of the pavilion, hardened. I made sure to warn you, and yet you decided to ignore it? It isnt that. Seol Young replied. I tried to open the pouch several times, but I was too afraid to do it. What are you so afraid of? The High Governor is someone respected by the entire Hwarang troops, and he is now praised more after he came back from his eight-year absence. On the other hand, I am just a Hwarang in a white robe who doesnt belong to any troops. What does it have to do with uncovering the truth? Everything. No one will believe me. They will think that I hold a grudge because I had an argument with the High Governor in front of the ck Tortoise, and I was the only one who was called out and reprimanded. Seol Young said without blinking. Mydy. Is it true that there is strong evidence? Just open it. You will find out something right away. If I share my opinion along with Seol Young-rangs, no one will be able to harbor thoughts that you are suspicious. I can tell His Highness that we should verify it in public. She skillfully left out that the High Governor was tainted. After all, she believed that Seol Young was the real evil here. This time, she was employing a ruse in which she used poison to get rid of poison. Then Seol Young opened the pouch and pretended to be confused. There was a piece of paper inside, and he took it out and opened it. And the old woman watched him, but nothing happened. Seol Young didnt seem confused or shocked, so she asked, feeling puzzled, Do you not realize what it is? It is a paper with the name of the High Governor, his date of birth, and time written on it. I can read it too. Howe you arent saying anything then? I have seen with my own eyes the number of times you made those dolls to read fortune Mydy. Didnt you say that you wouldnt speak of this? I know that your knowledge isnt so shallow, so how are you not surprised? Reading the chants of the dead brings harm, so shouldnt we ward off the evil being right away? Dead? Seol Young sighed. His expression said, How should I exin? and as if remembering something, he pulled out a small wooden doll. And on top of it, he wrote Zaha. And then he pped his hands once, making the wooden doll jump up. ? Her face went stiff at this, and Seol Young calmly said, Since you also have some knowledge of folk magic, instead of giving a full exnation, I am showing it to you. Isnt this themon one? If you engrave a dead persons fortune on a doll, it will not move. This is not a dead persons doll. It looks like you have checked in several ces, and I am not saying that the shamans are wrong. If we just read the paper, then it is right to think that he is dead. But Seol Young quickly put the wooden doll away before anyone could see it. Sometimes, some souls transcend their destiny. Even though he was destined to die, he somehow survived. I really want to get rid of the High Governor somehow. But how can I falsely use someone who is alive? How do you n on dealing with the aftermath? . You are so established that you might be fine if you make a mistake once in a while, but if I do this, I will be thrown out right away. I will pretend that this didnt happen. She said nothing until the end, and Seol Young turned around and walked away. It was evident that he hadnt opened the pouch until then. Then what kind of reaction was that? She couldnt even catch him if she wanted to. Seol Young headed to a ce without any people and took out the wooden doll again. Good work. When he touched it with his hand, a small firefly came out. Seol Young summoned it into his palm. I wont see you for a while. Instead, take care of the other side. And the firefly in his hand flickered as if it understood. Seol Young hid it again. Even when some things were over, some things would remain. For example, this. As he walked, he took the dice out and looked at it. Usually, it was natural for objects like this to vanish, but this one didnt, and one day it could suddenly disappear. Or he could use it. Just like when the decisive moment happened and when the evil spirit went after his life, it was this spirit tool that he used out of fear Seol Young knew several shamans who died that way. It was the price for touching an object belonging to an evil spirit. However, he was sure and determined to handle it correctly. Seol Young hid the dice. There was a ce he had to visit. When darkness fell, he crossed the streets of the capital. And he knocked on the door of a mansion engraved with flying angels descending on clouds. After a while, the door opened, and a middle-aged couple with unfamiliar faces appeared. The wife seemed skinny and ck. The husband was white and round. But they werent humans. But so much like humans. As he stared at them, the wife said, Are you Seol Young-rang? Seol Young nodded. We have been in charge of this house for a long time, and we are the family spirits. The owneres to visit for business sometimes, but When the sun goes down, no one sees him. He locks the door and doesnt turn on the light. He doesnt step outside the doors and never lets an old man or a servant in. Is that right? How did you know? The faces of the two changed. Where is that room? When Seol Young asked, they hesitated. Tell him that I threatened your lives. When Seol Young said that, the couple guided him in. The mansion was huge, and it was impossible to guess how big it really was at a nce. Following behind the couple, he went inside the main building. There was arge garden, but it was dark, and he couldnt see how it was tended. The space in the middle of the garden seemed like arge room. It was dark, like a cave without light. Then The couple left right away. It was someone elses house, but Seol Young went ahead and opened the door. But it didnt open since it was locked. Open it. Seol Young shook the door. Open it. Do note in. A low, muffled voice could be heard. If youe in, I will kill you. Dark energy rose from the cracks in the door. He wasnt shocked by this. He dug his own grave. He did the same thing that he taught Seol Young. At the same time, he struck the gap between the doors with the handle of his sword and broke thetch. And went inside. He was sitting in the dark. It looked like he would copse with both of his arms on the ground. In the dark, he could also see the tendon-like thingsing out through his skin. And right next to him was his sword. Unable to move under the weight of the chains on him, his sword wriggled as if it were pleading to be released immediately. It was because something was happening to its owners body. The darkness that was stolen from the evil spirit and the golden aura he had from his own trainingthe two of them intertwined and fought like snakes in his body. Seol Young knew that feeling. The pain of both sides pulling each other inside of you. One side was hot, and the other was cold, and you would feel the pain of your body being slowly sliced from within your skin. No human body could withstand it, and there was no solution for it either. If one tried anything, the pain would increase, so they had to wait for it to pass. And even after seeing Seol Young arrive, he couldnt do anything. And he just red with his golden eyes. I knew you would be doing this. Seol Young said. I didnt choose to learn sorcery on my own. It is because when I opened my eyes, I felt it inside my body. Your body is only one, yet it holds two energies, so it must be more painful. But still, there didnt seem to be anything wrong on the outside, so I thought there was some way you were controlling it. I guess not. You just hid it well until now? Zaha red at Seol Young with his bright eyes. Chapter 61: Peach Blossom Girl (17) Chapter 61: Peach Blossom Girl (17) The room was shrouded in darkness and there was a faint smell in the air. Seol Young stood still. Even though the eyes that were ring at him seemed like they wanted to kill him, he didnt seem bothered. It took enough time for the incense to spread in the entire room. So? Eventually, Zaha spoke, Is there aw that says I cant tell people what Im doing? What does it matter what I do? His shoulders trembled as he continued to cough and catch his breath. I didnt make this choice because I wanted to make a noble sacrifice or someme sense of duty. I just didnt want to die. His words were cut off. But no matter how much I thought about it, this was the only way. So I have no choice but to do this. If I could have just run away, I would have done it. Seol Young stood there without saying a word. Is this good enough, then? Zaha took a deep breath and asked. I even died. What else do you want to know now? I dont want to say anything, nor do I want to hear you say anything. I just dont want anyone interfering. I wish you would just leave me alone. Like this His breathing became rough, and his hands, which were on the floor, were trembling. Because its hard enough as it is. Do you know how disgusting this body is? It feels like everything has disappeared, and only my bones are left. I dont even know what I was thinking before. All of this sounds like the stories of people living in farawaynds I dont even know about. The only thing I feel is hatred, vengeance Zaha gritted his teeth again and again. It seemed like he was really having a hard time. That is what drove me to make this choice in the end. The thing that made me wake up again and suffer all over again. Just the thought of it I will never be treated the same way. I will do anything to get rid of it. That is the only thought going through my head. The rest doesnt matter. I do not believe in anything. He raised his head in excruciating pain. Of course, I dont believe you either. His ring eyes turned to him. I can turn around at any time, or change at any time always thinking I could die any time And he took a deep breath again. But for now, I can use it, so I am doing this. The pain seemed to rise again. The sword was trembling more loudly this time. Then get out. He gritted his teeth and said, Do not interfere and get out. Whoever it is whatever is said I will never give up on this. Seol Young looked at him silently. And he said, I wanted to listen to what And he spoke coldly. Is that the end of your story? You cannot throw that power away? The air turned tense. It seemed like something huge would happen at any moment. But Seol Young didnt step back. Rather, he took a step forward. Did you think I came here to convince you otherwise? Youre wrong. I dont meddle with how others live. Then get out. But the people I value the most in this world are worried about you. Without saying a word, he red at Seol Young. Of course, I have no intentions of telling them this. Seol Young said that without any hesitation. But that also doesnt mean that I will just sit still and do nothing. Then? I will do what I can. Seol Young sat down and did something with his hand. Tiny shiny things appeared on the palm of his hand. There were five lights that looked like fireflies. He took them out once during the painting incident. They gathered and pointed him to the strange parts of the papers, and they confirmed that there were simr things as well. In a way, they helped Seol Young. Zaha also recognized them. This Could it be that Seol Young did something unexpected? It seemed that the pain had eased. You had seen it before, and you called it sorcery He frowned as he looked at them. It isnt sorcery. What are they? Let me introduce you. Seol Young infused spiritual energy into them, and at that moment, five human forms appeared. But they werent humans, and they werent ghosts either. They just had translucent bodies. This is Lady Mo and Lady To. Seol Young pointed to the two women standing in front. One was dressed in yellow and looking kind, and the other had a round and cute face. When Seol Young introduced them, they bowed their heads. This is Teacher Seo. Seol Young pointed at the middle-aged man behind them. He wore a gray hood on his head, was short, and had a narrow face. When he was introduced, he bowed and stepped back. And these are Seo Yoja and Seo Jeopja. Finally, the two children in red pants stepped forward. Seo Yoja was a girl, and Seo Jeopja was a boy. When Seol Young pointed to them, the two greeted. ? He looked at them, not able to understand anything. What is all of this? They are the grave spirits who raised me. Seol Young said. They are Guardian Spirits. Guardian Spirits? To be precise, they are not even spirits. Their souls have left, and only their energies remain. But they still wanted to protect me, so they stayed with me. Seol Young looked at all five of them. Even the White Tiger Troops dont know about them. I didnt tell them in case we didnt get along. I never showed them to anyone unless needed, so I have never released them from my body, but With both of his hands, he pushed them lightly, and the five Guardian Spirits moved toward Zaha. It was as if they had be one in the air. You can call this whatever you want. Just being in the same ce with them will help. Seol Young said, They have taken care of me ever since I was little, so they know how to calm me down. At first, they didnt know how, but they slowly began to calm me down, and the pain gradually subsided. Even when Teacher banned me from using sorcery, I received a lot of help from them. There were no words from Zaha. He just stared nkly at them. And Seol Young added. I am thinking of looking for something simr to the mask. Because it can control the energy inside of you. And if you can control the side effects, it will definitely help you a lot more. He still didnt say anything. Seol Young got up. After looking at him for a moment, he opened his mouth again. You said that you had no other choice but to do this, and this wasnt because of some noble sacrifice or a sense of duty, but you were just forced into I saw everything. How hard it was. How stubborn and strong you had to be. Even if Im forced, I cant do what you did. I cannot. Seol Young lowered his head. I have been rude all this time and I hope you can forgive me. Zaha raised an eyebrow but didnt say anything. I didnt know anything and watching the people die, pleading and saying that they still believe in you until the end, I dont know what kind of thoughts went through your mind. I know you didnt want to die. I know you wanted to live until the end. But wanting to run away from them is a lie. Until the moment you closed that coffin, you had no intention of running away. Seol Young kneeled down. In the end, because of that choice, countless lives were spared without being harmed by the evil spirit. And I was one of them. Having said that, he bowed. On behalf of those who lived, thank you for your sacrifice. His forehead touched the ground, which was cold and hard. Actually, he hadnt felt it until now. An outsider like him had only heard about that evil monster appearing in the capital and causing amotion. But at that time, he was too young to know what it was. Later on, when he turned into a Hwarang, he learned about the things that had happened, and he was genuinely shocked by them. However, experiencing them was entirely different. He could only vaguely imagine what it was. But It was just now that it touched his heart. Seol Young stood up. He could see it without raising his head. The darkness in front of his eyes. As Zaha said, he was drowning in ruins. Pride, justice, responsibility, hope, happiness Everything that his life once held was now gone, and only pain remains. In the end, he lost everything. That fact hit him hard. Things that deprive life. Things that fed on fear and grew. Things that would reach out in your most desperate moment. The beings in the darkness. He had been terribly defeated in his fight against them, and only a few years were earned through his sacrifice. And that made Seol Young angry. Seol Young thought, Still, it is a precious time. A few things could be changed, including what is happening now. The scary vision that he sawhe wasnt going to let it happen again. He clenched his hands. You can do it this time. Seol Young raised his head. He spoke with a strong voice towards the being who imed to be ruined. We can do it. Chapter 62: Peach Blossom Girl (18) Chapter 62: Peach Blossom Girl (18) At the Heavenly House, which stores the most valuable treasures of the Si royal family. In the deepest part, there was a room where ancestral rites were held. A ce where the supposed mysterious Gods that had descended from the sky were enshrined. In the middle of this room was a jade flute. A long time ago, during the reign of King Sin Mun, a dragon appeared and offered bamboo to the King. The King made a flute out of it, and then all the worries and concerns of the nation were solved. That was why it was called the Ten Thousand Wave Clearing Flute because it pushed away the troubles in the nation. And this mysterious flute was now within the pce. A dark aura leaked out from the flute, and ck smoke slowly increased and spread around the body of the flute. Still, it seems to have faded a little The official of this ce looked at the flute with a serious face. I dont know. It seems to be the same It definitely faded. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol said in unison. Isnt that right, Governor? The Governor stared at the flute for a while and then said, The flow of energy is not something that can be judged with the human eye. It is judged by the sky. And he turned to Seol Young. But it sure seems like something changed, right? I dont know. Seol Young gave an honest answer. The Governor looked at Seol Young for a moment, and then he asked the official to move as he said, It is unfortunate that an innocent woman left without being able to resolve her grief since the crimesmitted by the wicked were revealed and punished, it can be said that justice was served, albeit btedly. And it is thanks to Seol Young-rangs work. Seol Young lowered his head. I was only able to respond quickly because of the words of Beom Hyun-rang from the ck Tortoise. Ive heard about it. The Governor smiled, which was quite rare. Like the revtions, supernatural cmities have been happening four times in a row. But you have solved all of them. And then he added, Since we have prevented more innocent lives from being sacrificed and have eradicated the evil spirits that reappeared on thisnd, I dont think there could have been a better solution. And he looked at Seol Young. To be honest, I was skeptical at first. I had no choice but to let it be because there was nothing I could do to prevent you from being forced out. But now I admit that I was wrong. He looked around and said, Seol Young-rang raised the honor of the Hwarangs. Dont the White Tiger Spirit Troops agree? You raised a good Hwarang. The faces of the three Hwarangs brightened. As Seol Young was forced to leave, they were constantly worried about the past events and what would happen to him. Thank you, Governor. The four of them stood side by side and bowed. After that, they all went outside. As they were walking, Jin Rim said, Ah, I heard you went to my office that morning, but you didnt go inside because I was busy. Ah Seol Young remembered. The Governor must be referring to the day when they heard about the murders from Beom Hyun. It wasnt anything special. I was just going to report what had happened. I see. Also, because people talk like something huge happened He pursed his eyebrows as he said, Dont you think that the High Governor has gotten a little weird? Seol Young was a bit shocked. Baek Eon calmly asked, What made you say that? Because it seems like he haspletely changed as a person. Jin Rim responded. As everyone knows, he loved the nighttime, but ever since he came back, he doesnte out after sunset. Well, since he has been living in the mountains for eight years, isnt it just a habit of waking up and going to bed early? Baek Eon replied. Is that so? But it is kind of strange. Thest time I saw him, his coat was crooked, so I tried to fix it to be polite, but he didnt allow me. Could it be that hes grown ustomed to chasing wild animals in the mountains? Is that so? Then Jin Rims face darkened. To hear that he didnt evene into todays meeting and just left. After all this time, when he looks at us, he must be remembering all the terrible memories, right? He had no choice but toe back here, but maybe he doesnt even want to see our faces or hear our voices No. Seol Young abruptly said. Everyone looked puzzled. It isnt that. He said that he had to go outside on that day because of me, but he listened attentively and paid attention to everything I did. And to give you his opinion on things, and he said that he should give you the right answer Seol Young began to search through his memories. He said that it seems that our Hwarangs are looking for ces where there are cleannds without spirits and using them as training grounds, and everyone is feeling concerned with the rumors that are spreading everywhere. So he said that it would be better to send the ck Tortoise Troops to win the publics sentiment. Aha Jin Rim was surprised, as if he had learned an amazing thing. The Hwarang troops are truly looking for a ce with pure qi to train in I only thought about following the traditions, but I never thought about the people. The High Governor has helped me a lot. He nodded deeply. We need to change the training grounds. To the ces reputed to be evil and scary for the people all over the nation. The High Governor had the personality of not being able to do anything else when one thought came to mind, so he turned around and left. His steps were a lot lighter now. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol turned toward Seol Young. What? N-Nothing. Hyo Wol turned around. What are you doing? Didnt you say you had to go to the market? Uh. I did say that Lets go together. Baek Eon said, Did you eat? It will be difficult to do on your own. Then he carefully asked, They wouldnt hate you or anything, right? No. Not at Seol Young shook his head. They will like it. I will like it too. Then lets go. Baek Eon took the lead, pulling his arm. They immediately left the pce. In the crowded market, Seol Young took out his tablets. First, here. He stopped at a paper vendor. Seeing the quality of the white paper, one of the papers wriggled. He said he only wants one What? Song Ok also bought a package. And Seol Young was shocked at the amount of money he spent. After that, they went around and bought a pair of pretty silk shoes and a piece of fresh meat. And they bought fancy hairpins with shiny beads and a jade ring. These were all items that the dead courtesans would like. The people looked at the four men strangely as they confidently walked around buying such things. All of the items they bought didnt suit the Hwarangs. But the four of them didnt care at all. They bought all the items the spirits would like and hugged them happily. They were loyal souls. And I want to perform the ancestral rites properly for them. Yes. Can we all bow together? Of course. Seol Young looked at the three people who were smiling. Suddenly, an old memory came to mind. When we first met Why are you bringing it up so suddenly? I just thought of it. Back then, I was quite mean to all of you. However, all three of you werent angry and gave me genuine advice from the bottom of your hearts. And yet I never listened but you all saved me like that. What are you talking like that for? Song Ok shook his head. If that is the case, we all think the same way. We didnt save you. You saved us. Yes. Hyo Wol also chimed in. You saved us first. Otherwise, we couldnt even havee out of that cave alive. And he grinned. We all thought you were a very good kid. Would we have been able to ept you as quickly if it hadnt been for that? Actually, I already thought about it when Great-rang carried you that day. You are our youngest, and Right. I thought Id try to ask permission from the master to take you in and treat you. Didnt Great-rang think the same? Baek Eon smiled without answering. Every moment felt vivid at that time. He hadnt forgotten a single moment in the past seven years. But It could have never happened too. And the White Tiger Troops could have disappeared too. He could have never met the three of them smiling like this right now It was his first time feeling this way. While he was nkly standing there, someone gently tugged on his cor, and as he turned, he found a girl. How was the scent you boughtst time? Wont you buy one today? At that time, you had a rich young master with you. The girl asked with a cute smile and asked him. Seol Young stared nkly at the girl with an incense basket. Then he looked at the silk bundles, grain bags, and colorful dolls in his arms. Thest time he hade to the market, he was carrying a bunch of incense, earthenware, and bird cages. He didnt know at the time why they bought it When one dies, I guess people want this and that. Huh? Ah I think so. That scent gave me a headache. Yes. It is expensive but not that great. Do you have any nice incense? Of course! Bluewood, concave and more, just pick anything. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were watching from the side. After that girl went away, Hyo Wol said, You are speaking a lot of nonsense these days. Are you down with something? It isnt that Seol Young looked at the three of them. Right. To his older, brother-like figures, he should tell them everything. But it would be absurd, and without realizing it, he blurted out, I think I need to meet with thedy of the High Governors house. He suddenly felt certain of it. The voice of resentment he heard in the memories. A voice that asked how it happened. It must be the voice of Zahas sister, Zaun. And he had to meet her. Of course not right now. I cannot visit her now since I have some work to do, but I think it would be better to visit her sooner thanter Right. Baek Eon smiled. It isnt difficult. Once the rites are over, lets talk about it. He gently patted Seol Young on the back and turned around. The four of them walked while carrying all the items. Even on the streets, the dull sunset began to fall. Chapter 63: Praying For Rain (1) Chapter 63: Praying For Rain (1) As if to symbolize the wealth of the capital, the Gold Beginning House glittered in gold. The door of the mansion was open. Wee. The couple who took care of the house immediately greeted Seol Young. Do you know what we talked about after yourst visit? The husband talked in a friendly way. What are you saying? Seol Young-rang is scary like a ghost, is what I said. Why? Since that night, our master stopped turning off the lights and locking the doors. Instead, he would leave them on and the doors wide open. Doesnt that mean that he is scared you wille back again? His words felt a bit sensible and insensible at the same time. But it was a joke. They must be in a good mood to even joke about it. With that thought in mind, Seol Young followed the couple inside. The mansion, like many other things in the world, felt different in the daytime than it did at night thest time he visited it. When he saw the mansion in bright light, it felt bigger. As Seol Young continued to look around, the couple began to exin. There are several buildings around here. On the right is the Gathered Dragon Hall, which was very crowded when the master was the Governor. At that time, many Hwarangs and soldiers would constantly use that hall to stay for the night, but now you can see that no one is here He followed them through the winding corridor. Therge garden he had seen before came into view. The trees were old, and there were oddly shaped natural stones in between them. A knowledgeable person would havemented on this or that, but Seol Young didnt care. Instead, he was looking for the main hall with the golden roofthe Golden Jade Hall. Seol Young-rang has arrived. The couple announced so he could enter. I greet the High Governor. Seol Young bowed politely, like any other Hwarang, and stood there. The parts that were broken before are now fixed. He didnt realize it because it was dark thest time he came, but the door was actually decorated with elegant patterns. Then we will prepare some tea. And the couple walked away. Seol Young opened the door and entered. It was cold and dark. A huge painting of Buddha could be seen in the shadows. The outline drawn in gold dust made it shine. At the same time, there was this golden glow from the middle of the room. The person who was lying on a long chair in the middle of the room opened his eyes. Seol Young said, Wake up. No reaction. I said get up. When Seol Young said it again, he answered this time, What is wrong with a corpse lying down? To say that with your mouth Seol Young answered indifferently and then stopped. It was because, in the shadow, something shady rose. Well, havent you decided to be more polite to me? Zaha asked, making Seol Young hesitate. Did he actually care so much about it? Firstly, Seol Young had just stepped into this ce, not really caring much, and he had never once intentionally visited any of the other Hwarangs ces. So how great should it be considered that he came here now? Seol Young didnt care. It was much quieter with Zaha sleeping, and he knew that letting him sleep forever meant he wouldnt be bothering him. So at this point, he was treating him with the best care possible. But did it make sense? He was silent, thinking about how to answer Well, right. I thought of it on my own. Zaha mumbled. I asked for forgiveness for being rude in the past, but I never said anything about being polite in the future. Being rude and asking for forgiveness, and then being rude and asking for forgiveness again that works, right? Then life will befortable. Seol Young looked at him. And it is your side you should be worried about. His opponent was now a strange being. From the time of his birth until now, he must have heard so many things about how powerful he was. And he must have been worried about what would happen to everyone when he died, and not a single one of them woke him upit was someone else. It is my way of being polite. Seol Young said. I cannot do much even if you dont understand it. The medicine you put in your mouth helps your body, right? This is the same. He wanted to say a lot more, but he stopped. Talking to those eyes in the dark felt odd. Let me ventte this ce. He ran across the room, put his feet on the window sill, and opened it with his hand, and the sunlight spread as it brightened the room. The space was like a study room. Hanging on the front wall was a huge painting of Water Moon Avalokiteshvara in silk. It had such a benevolent face, with its back to the full moon and looking down at the water. An empty cage hung by the window, being swayed lightly by the wind. On one side, there was a table and some chairs made of hard-looking wood. There were inkstones, brushes, and paper, but there was no trace of them being touched. If this is the case, no one will doubt it. Seol Young scattered the paper and spread the brush on it. You dont have to worry about it. There arent people who can cross that door ande in. Then I am d. Seol Young ignored his words. Then, since you seem to have woken up, can we finally talk? As he said that, he looked around, and his eyes lingered on a closet. The biggest problem right now is that your body is out of shape. Your body cannot stand it because you are stubbornly holding onto the energy of the evil spirit. And if you use your strength, it will cause side effects. Seol Young walked to the closet and opened the door. And inside were five shadows. The family that guarded him, his Guardian Spirits. It was bizarre to see everyone hugging their knees with still faces. Perhaps they were not too familiar with Zaha yet. Seol Young closed the closet door again. These Guardian Spirits can help you, but they are not the solution, so the first thing we have to do is get a new item from a God. Just like the Tree Spirit Gods. He looked at Zaha, and the man was listening with a frown. It would be better to organize it again from the start. Seol Young sat down on a ckwood chair. Be it a Tree God or a Tree Spirit God. Their rootse from the Shrine Tree. But do you know what it is? Zaha looked at him, a bit dumbfounded. Who was the priest in the former Governors time? A very long time ago, before people lived on thisnd, a huge tree was known to be guarding this ce, and it was called the Shrine Tree. I see. Seol Young nodded. The Guardian Trees that protected thisnd, along with the one major tree that existed, protected the people who came to live here. Then the people worshipped the Tree Gods, calling them the Tree Spirit Gods. The sunlight shone on the walls. The painting in the dark could be seen half shining. But with the new religions emerging, the ancient Guardian Gods were forgotten. Even the name Tree Spirit God was changed to Kodama. 1 Something everyone knows of. You didnt know about it until I told you. Seol Young said, The important thing is that from now on, when we think of these facts, it is like the old Gods are dead. It may be a cruel word, but since no one believes in or has faith in these Gods, it is like they are dead. But the dead God is alive now. At that ce. You are right. We have seeded in summoning one old God to this deadnd and driving out an evil spirit by using its body. What exactly does the sacred wood do? To take the ce of the Gods in ancestral rites. Perhaps the priest cut the twigs of the sacred tree and carved the Gods face into it For a moment, Seol Young recalled the grim appearance of that wooden mask. The powerful shock when the item was destroyed seemed to summon the God into thisnd He nced at Zaha. It will definitely help control the demonic energy inside of you. Seeing how it saved the monk in the past by staying within the closet, it seems like it has the power to work even without breaking it. Ah, right. I see what you mean. Zaha nodded his head. And after that, I can take over Just give it to me. It was that kind of attitude. I knew you would do this. Seol Young said coldly. Even when he closed the lid of the coffin himself, he was still a bit arrogant. Although he felt terrible pain from not being able to control the aura of the evil spirit within him, he never showed any signs of backing out. There has never been anything that has gone wrong in my life until I met that evil spirit. And finally, there was something blocking my path, so I had to get rid of it even if I had to die. The cause of my death was my temper. It is usually like that. Well Seol Young shrugged. Finding the body of a dead God isnt easy. Wealth, power, and force are all useless. You should approach this like you are solving a riddle. You think I cannot do it? Then do you realize where to start? Of course I do. Zaha snorted. Did you already forget? That I kept lying to you until you had to go through my memories? I can see what is in your head. Then what is the first clue? Perhaps Zaha hated admitting that he didnt know it, so he continued to frown but did not answer. The first clue is Do not overdo it. Shut up. Zaha looked up. Then he smiled, saying, I know.
  1. TL/N: Kodama means Tree Spirits.
Chapter 64: Praying For Rain (2) Chapter 64: Praying For Rain (2) I remember the words you said before about how you got the face mask that day. And how did I get it? The GO rooms. You said you asked for it there, and I guess I will have to go there to find out. Oh Seol Young thought, It isnt like he cannot think. On the other hand, after Zaha said that, his expression changed. Wait. At that time, the situation was so urgent that I just passed it off was there an information room in the castle? Yes. Its the ck and White Hall. Zaha tilted his head. The GO rooms are near the royal tombs? Yes, right there. Before he could even ask further questions, Seol Young spoke quickly, Lets go there. He had no choice but to follow. And the couple, who were preparing the tea, were surprised and asked, You are going to the Moon Pce? No. Then? The GO rooms. Uh? When they heard where they were going, the couples eyes went wide, and the two men left them as the couple stared at their backs. There is one thing you must do. As soon as Seol Young came out, he warned him, In my case, I was a low-level Hwarang who was able to sneak in and out. However, if the fact that you, the High Governor, went there is discovered, they will be shocked. And it would ruin things. I am not so stupid. Then will you be able to stay quiet and act naturally? And what will you do? Are you really asking that? Zaha replied. But staying silent wasnt enough. If either of them was alone, then blending in with people was easy, but the two of them going there was too much, and people would notice. We will have to cover him up a bit. With that thought, Seol Young headed for the market. In the forest near the royal tombs, at the ck and White Hall, where the GO rooms are. It was also a lucky day. There were many people who yed GO here, but there were even more people ying GO today. In addition, there were people selling some snacks and tea. It all felt like one small thing, and everyone would run away to avoid being seen. At this ce, two people in ck clothes appeared. This GO ce wasnt one to be ashamed of. But wherever they went, there were a lot of people who didnt want to reveal their identities. So, there were quite a few people who covered their faces with dark clothes, hats, or veils on their heads. So the two of them didnt stand out, and Seol Young led the path. When ites to ying GO, I understand that this is a Criminal Room where you can look for clues, but Is this some hidden thing? Zaha looked around closely. Only then did they find the door and go inside. Is it here? No. Once they entered, there were people in the Heavenly People Room. And that was what Seol Young looked at. Here. . There were three words on the door. Zaha looked around and turned toward the room with an absurd look on his face. It was natural to be curious. If everyone knew about it, then it wouldnt be a hidden world. Be quiet from now on. Seol Young looked at him as if to warn him. It was the same room he went tost time. The man seemed to have won quite a few games and was still sitting there. Seol Young guided Zaha. This way. After waiting, they managed to get a table, and the two of them sat. It is you. The man beyond the veil recognized Seol Young. The opponents hand reached right for the board. Anyone could see that the hand wasnt a human one but one with ws for nails. ? Zahas expression changed. He might have expected something odd from the person who gave the information to Seol Young, and as Zaha saw it himself, his eyes went sharp, and he touched his sword. 1 There was no sound, nor was there any killing intent. However, the one behind the veil could feel it. This man? My client. Seol Young silently said. He seems hot-blooded. Aha. The man just continued. But since you didnt bring anything with you, isnt it just a deal? Surely ying GO is good, but its better to trade here. It is a deal. Seol Young said. Last time I asked you to find something. I came back because I wanted to know something about that request. What do you want to know? I want to know how you found that foreign object. I cannot say that. The man t-out rejected him. Why would I say it? Disclosing it wouldnt be right for business. What idiot would take up such a deal? Instead of answering, Seol Young took out a pouch from his sleeve and untied the string around it. Then he took out an object and ced it on the checkerboard. It was with the tombs where I picked up the colored jade. But before opening the cloth around the object he took out, Seol Young turned to Zaha, What? What now? Zaha asked with his eyes. And the next moment, his eyes widened as if saying, What are you doing? And he opened up the cloth, revealing the index finger of a human. It was one of thest remaining dangerous items buried at the foot of Mount Toham. This finger. Has it been a hundred years? No, a thousand years. But the finger didnt even rot a little. In its original state, it held a very dark, ominous aura. The mere fact that a Hwarang possessed such an item meant this was something to report. It was getting more and more dangerous. Zaha turned his head and looked away. On the other hand, the man was too engrossed in the object. He wasnt sure if it tallied with the jade given thest time, but as it was right in front of him, he wanted to covet it. Owning this would be likepleting a collection. Fine. The man growled. You do not speak about it, and just this once. I know. Seol Young replied. This is the first andst time. I will never ask for such a deal again. I dont need anything else. I just need to know how you found the foreign object. That The man finally said, It is an object that the people of the Apryang nation used. The Apryang nation? Seol Young asked, and Zaha, who was silent, looked their way again. He seemed to have taken quite an interest in this new piece of information. He seemed eager to listen and say something, but Seol Young gave him a sign to keep his mouth shut. The Apryang nation or the Apduk nation. It was the name of a weak nation that belonged to a nearby region. The nation was known to have perished. However, they never came to Si and chose to live in their ownnd until the end, preserving their culture for hundreds of years. It could be said that it was a small nation within Si. Right. The man said. For five days, I wandered around the old ruins of theirnd and then finally found that thing. It was buried twelve feet deep in the ground. Just one? Yes. Even if you go there, I dont think you will find another one. Uh? There was silence. Seol Young couldnt see the man, but he could feel his eyes staring right at him. By any chance Eventually, he said, If you really have to find it, go to a ce called Bakdalgol. Seol Young asked, Is it a vige in Apryang? Yes. But even if you go, it will be useless. Why? That information isnt included in this deal. I even gave you a little more favor. I understand. So heading to Apryang will work. Seol Young said. This ends our deal. As soon as he said that, the man reached out and grabbed the finger. And at that moment, in the excitement, five long nails appeared, snatched it, and vanished. Seol Young pretended not to see anything and got up. Zaha followed him, and they went out of the room and back into the GO rooms. As soon as he came out, Zaha said, That Do not worry. He will not do anything bad with that finger. He just had a hard time controlling his emotions. Just as humans collect the body parts of the Yokais. Not that The owner of the finger said it was fine. He told me to take it and use it as I want. Not that Use it? Then that person will never be safe either. Just being with me will make you an aplice. We did this together. Let me talk! Zaha cried out. Did it hurt you so much just because you showed that finger? It doesnt even matter now! Then? You know what those guys are like! What do you see in that Yokai that makes you believe what it said? Ah, that was what he was talking about. Seol Young went silent and said, being a bit embarrassed, I dont believe it either, but rather its desire to seek profit. And you must have sensed that it wants to continue trading in the future, right? Who else will bring it such things? So there is no other choice, is that what you are saying? There is nothing wrong with making people believe there is more to things. If it wants to keep doing business with me, then there is no need for it to lie or give false information. I am not saying its fake Zaha frowned. That Yokais way of talking is quite unpleasant. It seems that something bad happened when he went into that vige. Did you not feel it? I felt nothing Seol Young looked at Zaha like he was saying something strange. He thought for a moment. And Zaha suddenly said, There is one thing you need to realize. What is that? That you are very lucky. Seol Young asked curiously. Why?
  1. PR/N: Zaha is surprised that the information dealer Seol Young has been getting information from is actually a Yokai.
Chapter 65: Praying For Rain (3) Chapter 65: Praying For Rain (3) Instead of answering, Zaha asked, Do you know what Apryang is famous for? The body of the Tree Spirit, how the information was obtained If it were about those things, then surely Seol Young could answer, but he didnt know anything. You nned on going there without knowing it, then. Zaha shook his head, making Seol Young ask, Then I guess you know something about that ce? You can say that. Some of my ancestors served as officials in Apryang. Aha. Seol Young was a bit impressed. Then cant we just receive their protection? Maybe? Well, that is the reason you shouldnt act alone. I understand. Seol Young said as he walked. Anyway, isnt it quite right to go to Apryang? Even though it is in the center of the nation, it still has its own culture that is different, which means that even if the ce is no longer in use, there will still be some traces of it. And the Bakdalgol ce. Zaha added. We cant just pass off a ce with that name. If a town had a name like that, then it is very likely that it has very old trees. And there are stories about a certain kind of tree called a birch tree, which ording to legend is known to be a tree of Gods. As they were talking while walking, Seol Young stopped. Wait. What? We cannot keep moving like this. Apryang isnt too far from here. We can just walk. The High Governor can do it, but I cannot. If I just leave like this, its like I left without asking for permission. Huh? It was just then that Zaha remembered it. If one was a member of the Hwarangs, they needed to inform the Governor before leaving. And they had to tell him the reason for leaving the capital, too. So they headed for the pce. Come to think Seol Young said. The Governor seems to be thinking that you are acting strange. What? I overheard it thest time, The High Governor has be strange. It seems that he haspletely changed as a person, he doesnt go out at night or take a walk despite liking it so much before, and I tried to fix his clothes, but he got scared and tried to shake my hand Zaha was shocked. I figure out a lot. About Jin Rim. You must have stood out because he watched you closely in the past Seol Young lowered his voice. And because he is an honest person, he just thought of it as a strange thing and left it as it was. But if it were someone else, they would have doubted you right away. It would be better if you acted normally. Having said that, they entered the pce. But as soon as they entered the hall of the Hwarangs, they ran into an unexpected person. High Governor. A Hwarang, who was having a conversation with the Governor, rushed over. He was tall and handsome, befitting a leader of a troop. A person who didnt bother to hide the wildness in his eyes and had an arrogant look due to his overconfidence. It was Seo Geom, the leader of the Blue Dragon True Troops. Seo Geom-rang. He received the bow with a calm attitude, like any superior. What is happening? The Governor called for me, so I came. Seo Geom answered in a polite tone and raised his head. And by being polite, he looked at Seol Young, and his sharp eyes were scanning him. Seol Young acted like he didnt notice it, and there was silence between them. Seol Young did summon spirits at Mt. Seondo in the past and took advantage of Seo Geom. And Seo Geom almost killed Seol Young with an arrow due to a misunderstanding in the past. They had to put aside their feelings about the past since it wasnt good for both of them, but the problem was that those events happened too recently. And if they had met anywhere else, Seo Geom would never just stare and leave. But here, he wouldnt dare to try and pick a fight. Seol Young looked away. Zaha was looking at the two alternately. He didnt hide the excitement, but when he received Seol Youngs gaze, he straightened up. Is that so? I heard that the Governor called you, so it must be something important. Then you should continue your conversation. No. Jin Rim came over. Wee back. I was just talking about it with Seo Geom-rang. As you might know He sighed as he looked out the window. And Seol Young also looked out to see what it was. .? But he couldnt see anything. There were no clouds in the clear, blue sky. So he turned to Zaha, and he also knew nothing. But what was certain was that something serious was happening. That was why the Governor thought that Zaha was paying attention to the same problem. And after thinking for a while, Zaha gave up and said, Right. Even if you didnt say it, I was nning on bringing up this topic. I couldnt get the thought out of my head for the past few days. Right. Zahas response was vague, but Governor epted it without any questions. You must be worried that this years farming will be ruined. And only after that did Seol Young realize. Ah, I see There has been no rain these past few days. He was so focused on resolving the immediate crises that he had no time to care about other things. But this was a serious incident. It was time for the barley harvest to be over, and rice farming was in full swing. During this time, if there was no rain, crops would be ruined. And naturally, the peoples anxiety would rise. Rumors could circte that the King wasnt doing anything to resolve this issue. Jin Rim spoke in a serious tone, There is a limit to bringing water from surrounding areas, and rumors are circting. ording to the people, there is a reason why it isnt raining here. It is said that a vicious witch has settled in the Lake near Mount Danseok. A witch? Yes. People say that it hasnt rained because the sky is angry because the witch is doing a lot of nasty things, so we did some investigation and found out that there is indeed a witch there. Mount Danseok was a high mountain range located outside the western border of the city, and the Hwarangs went there to train. In the first ce, it was given that name because it was believed that a rock was split in two with a single swing of a sword. Jin Rim continued, So I called Seo Geom-rang to talk about it. We decided to select a few brave Hwarangs and send them there right away. Yes, good. Zaha nodded as he praised him. I knew that I didnt have to step out and that you could handle this on your own. Then I can leave in peace. Uh? Jin Rim was shocked. Where are you going? He was surprised by this. He was surprised that he said he was leaving, and he thought that he might go somewhere else. Because of me. Seol Young quickly said. Regardless of what the Great Heavenly Pavilion said, we n on going to the oldnds of Apryang. The High Governor said he will follow me until Aha. Jin Rim understood it just then. Then? Did something unusual happen? No. I dont think something has happened yet. Seol Young shook his head. As far as I know, there were no signs. I am just trying to get ahead and do some research. I see Jin Rim trusted Seol Young, so he epted it right away. I get it. When are you leaving? Right now, if possible. In that case, it is better to start with the Blue Dragon Troops. They are heading the same way. Hearing that, Seo Geoms expression changed slightly. Seo Reom-rang, who are you sending? At the Governors question, he immediately said, I will go. He was going? This made Seol Young confused. Didnt the Governor tell him to select a few Hwarangs? Then why was he going alone? Even the Governor seemed a bit surprised. Dont you have work you need to do for your troops? No. Seo Geom shook his head. So I will take a few people and apany the High Governor even until the mountain if needed. You dont need to do that. Zaha tly refused. But Seo Geom was being stubborn. Please let me do it. It has been quite a while since you returned to the capital, but I havent gotten the chance to talk to you or be close to you. I would like to take this chance and go with you all the way. I will start preparing for it. With that, he left as fast as lightning, and it looked like he would follow Zaha until his death. I think its because Seo Geom-rang hasnt been able to see the High Governor for so long, so he said that. Jin Rim added. The atmosphere was now awkward, and refusing him any further would make him look bad. Right. Let him do whatever he wants. Its not that difficult. Zaha casually responded. And so, their purpose for going to the Hwarangs hall was over, and they left. When they reached an empty ce, both of them stopped walking and had strange looks on their faces. Why was Seo Geom-rang acting like that? Strange. It was my first time seeing him that stubborn. Seol Young fell into deep thought. He couldnt figure out his purpose. But Im sure he has some n up his sleeve. Chapter 66: Praying For Rain (4) Chapter 66: Praying For Rain (4) After thinking about it for a while, there was a particrly strange change in Seo Geoms attitude. It seemed like he kept looking more at Zaha than at Seol Young. And Seol Young turned to Zaha, Did Seo Geom-rang figure something out? A reason to be suspicious of something No. We havent met ever since I came back. He frowned deeply. Come to think of it, Seo Geom-rang believed and followed me before. And he was the type to ask so many things. Im not sure about now, but I guess he just really wants to talk. But that makes it troublesome. Seol Youngs face went still. What if he asks a strange question? Like what had happened during the past eight years that you decided to practice alone Seo Geom-rang is persistent, but Zahas expression hardened, and he continued, Well, we can just split up and give some kind of excuse. Didnt you see his expression before? It was like he wouldnt let go of you. But that is just your opinion. Lets wait and see. There is no way he will go with us there. He will give up before that. Zaha said. But was it true? Seol Young wasnt sure, but he decided to be alert. Everyone could clearly see the Hwarangs from the Blue Dragon Troops walking in their blue robes. They are going to catch the demon in Mount Danseok! It will start to rain soon! Everyone stopped what they were doing and followed them. With the blue dragon as their symbol, they were quite popr among the people. Seo Geom-rang! Even young kids knew his name and were running around. Some were even bold enough to get close. Come and see. Seo Geom and the Hwarangs allowed them to get closer and talk with them. Among the Hwarangs, the Blue Dragons were the most arrogant, yet they were kind when dealing with normal people. He entertained the kids one after another and responded to their jokes, and never declined any offer they had Everything looked the same until Seo Geom looked for opportunities. I need to talk to the High Governor But each time he tried, Seol Young interfered. If he tried to hand over some water or towel, Seol Young would intercept him. If he tried to talk with the High Governor alone, Seol Young would suddenly appear out of nowhere. It continued to happen again and again. It was such a strange war of nerves. Before he knew it, they were on the riverside of Mount Seondo. Let us rest here for a while. Seo Geom stopped the party. And a few people could be seen living near the mountain. After recognizing Seol Young, the people approached him. Seol Young-rang! Since the White Tigers base was at Mount Seondo, he was familiar with the vigers here. And Seol Young was d to see them, too. Have you been well? Of course! The peopleughed out loud. We are doing fine with Baek Eon-rang, Song Ok-rang, and Hyo Wol-rang protecting us. Seol Young-rang, where are you going? And arent they the Blue Dragon Hwarangs? The topic changed naturally. As the people of this vige were worried about the dry days, they spoke up. That, Governor said Seol Young talked to them, and Seo Geom watched all of this from a distance. It didnt look like he woulde back anytime soon, so Seo Geom approached Zaha. It was a hot day, so Zaha was under the shade of a tree. As Seo Geom was approaching, he looked at him. What? He would never do something like that. If there is a misunderstanding, I need to clear it up and get rid of the suspicion. Seo Geom thought and said, I have a question. After looking at him, Zaha said, Actually, I know what it is. You know? Is it because of the arrow? Seo Geom was surprised. And he was suddenly confused. Did he already know what I was thinking? He looked at Zaha, looking shocked. On the day of the Sword Dance, you must have thought about the arrow that was cut in half. For some reason, I helped Seol Young-rang and left that behind as evidence. T-That But think about it. If I had been siding with Seol Young-rang secretly and deceived the others, would I leave out such evidence? Seo Geom was more confused. Then? I left it for you to see. Uh? The dragon arrow of the Blue Dragon Troops is not an ordinary arrow, so wouldnt it be retrieved? I believed it would be, so I did it on purpose. I wanted you to take a look at that arrow. Seo Geom felt like his body went numb. It seemed that he had fallen into a trap. No matter how much he thought about Zahas intentions, he couldnt figure it out. And then he bowed his head. It is difficult, so I dont know. Please teach me. What was I supposed to think when I saw the arrow? Harmony is what you should have thought of. Harmony? Isnt it the same being a Hwarang? If you have decided to ept the role, even if it means you will die, you still have to choose to carry it out until the end. After seven years, what kind of game are you ying? Only then did Seo Geom realize it. The arrow was bait. Zaha deliberately left it there and made an opportunity for him to bring it up. He was concerned about all of the five troops, along with the White Tiger Troops. No wonder. It was very much like him. He hadnt seen this man for eight years, and he had forgotten about it. But Seo Geom shook his head. I understand what the High Governor is saying. You are emphasizing that as Hwarangs, all of us should be one. I am d you remember. I thought you forgot. I know this is out of line, but I would like to ask something. Seo Geom looked at Zaha and asked, High Governor, do you know what happened between the Blue Dragon Troops and Seol Young-rang eight years ago? I dont know the details, but Zaha shrugged and said, There must have been a fight. It wasnt just a fight. You need to know that. Seo Geom was a man with pride, so he didnt speak about his feelings to others, but he wanted someone to know. And there was no reason to hesitate if it was Zaha. Eight years ago, after my father passed away, didnt I inherit the leader position of the Blue Dragon Troops? Right. Hyung was the same Yes. Anyway, no matter how hard I tried, I felt like I was stillcking, so I made the decision to head into closed training for a year. Closed training? Yes. The High Governor doesnt know it because it happened after you left. Seo Geom started talking. My uncle took over the position of leader while I was training. And then, due to a mistake, the Hwarangs and the guards on our side ended up killing several innocent subordinates of the Ghost Demon King. That, if it Since the Blue Dragon Troops were located on Mount Toham that day, it was only a matter of time before we had to fight the Ghost Demon King. But I didnt expect it to happen right away. Although no one in our troops had a good opinion of the Ghost Demon King, it was a mistake we were willing to ept. And so, they prepared a gift and sent it to their enemy to convey their apology. But he didnt ept our apology, and because his anger had reached its peak, he demanded the arms of the Hwarangs and the guards who attacked his subordinates. Of course, that request was denied, and as a result, both sides fought several battles. Naturally, there were wounded on both sides, and the fight was finally about toe to an end. One day, we were caught in this massive n made by him. As a result, our main training area, which had generations of memories, was trampled on by the demons. Despite all of this, Seo Geom was still inside the closed training, so he didnt know about any of it. And his training only ended monthster. I dly cleared the rocks and came out. Do you know what kind of sight I saw? The Xuan Xu Hall was reduced to ashes. You mean the library of the Blue Dragons? Yes, High Governor. Even during the war, the books that were known to be the most valuable were lost. It was the same in other ces. Most ces were repaired, but the traces stayed everywhere else. As if the memory of that day was vivid in his mind, Seo Geom pursed his lips. Of course, after hearing that, I didnt want to stay still, but even so, it was the first time that the Blue Dragon True Troops had suffered such a disgrace. He clenched his fist. I cannot help but think. Even if I were there, would I have been able to stop the crimes hemitted? He set the library on fire and pulled down the signboard of our troops and broke it into pieces. The g of our troops was thrown into the mud. It seems bad. Zaha mumbled. I didnt think it was like that. See. No one must have been able to tell such a story. Because the shame we suffered is I know. I know. But since the White Tiger Troops epted such a being as their member, you didnt have the chance to go after his soul. You must have been so upset? As soon as Zaha understood him, Seo Geom looked up. But then he came to his senses. Who was this person? He couldnt forget that fact. No, High Governor. The rules are the rules. Seo Geom said, Honestly, when Seol Young-rang turned into a white-robed Hwarang, it wasnt like I didnt want to fight him. But how can we be rash with the High Governor paying attention to him? And I just wanted to say that the harmony that you expect is not possible now. Right. Right. Zaha nodded. But you see, I didnt expect it to be this serious. Seo Geom-rang deserves to be angry for the things that happened seven years ago, right? Your emotions are He spoke with a serious face. It cant be helped. In the end, I have no choice but to make a decision. Uh? Seo Geom doubted his ears. A decision? That It is fine. All you have to do is not tell the Governor anything. How about it? Zaha whispered in a low voice. Seo Geoms eyes widened. Really? Chapter 67: Praying For Rain (5) Chapter 67: Praying For Rain (5) Meanwhile, on the other side, Seol Young and the vigers discussions wereing to an end. Right. Seol Young-rang has other things to do, so he is on his way to Apryang. Anyway, I am d that the Hwarang troops came here like this. If we catch that beast near theke, it will start to rain soon, so we can put out all our bowls and wait. Seol Young kept ncing at Zahas side while listening to the people. As soon as Seol Young left, Seo Geom approached Zaha as if he was waiting and began to talk to him. But the discussion didnt end there. Seo Geom continued to look at Zahas reaction carefully. And sometimes, there was a questioning look on his face. Is he asking about training? He could see Seo Geom lowering his head and asking for help. Zaha seemed like he was handling it fine, but At some point, it felt like Seo Geom took the lead in the discussion, and his words seemed to have made Zaha a bit shocked, considering how his expression had changed. And he told me all of that! Seo Geom had a tenacious and smart personality. If he found something odd, he would not stop digging into it. Seol Young thought that he should help Zaha, and just then, his discussion with the vigers also ended. Oh my, we caught a person who must have so much work to do. Go ahead. Yes. Thank you. Seol Young hurriedly headed toward them, and coincidentally, their discussion seemed to have ended as well. I understand. Seo Geom said something to Zaha and turned as he walked away. The moment he passed by, Seo Geom looked at him. Seol Young also looked at him. Seo Geom snorted lightly and went to his subordinates, and Seol Young went to Zaha, and asked, How many mistakes did you make? Be honest. I need to think of reasons to cover them up. What do you mean? Do not act innocent. I saw how you were a bit panicked when talking to Seo Geom-rang. Zaha looked away. There was no mistake, just a small crisis. I knew it. Seo Geom-rang is quick-witted. He was very curious about the kind of training I did in the past eight years. He said he wants to learn about itter Zaha touched his forehead. I didnt know how to deal with it. I thought it would be something huge if I said something wrong and he noticed it He nced at Seol Young. I sold you. What? Seol Young was shocked. What did you do? He kept looking at you during our conversation, so I remembered that I didnt know what the reason was, but then he said he was itching to fight you. So I took that as a chance to get through the situation. Through a secret fight. Seol Young was surprised. How is that even possible? Shouldnt Hwarangs only fight against each other at an official event? You seem to forget who I am. You see, if I do it, it bes an official event. Zaha spoke confidently and added, Its just that the Governor doesnt have to know. I am not trying to cheat here. I am just making sure unnecessary information doesnt leak out. Actually, the highest leader of the Hwarangs was the High Governor. And everyone here had to follow his words. But Seol Young shook his head. I cannot do it. Baek Eon-rang asked me not to fight with the other Hwarangs. Ah. Zahas expression changed. Is that so? Then it wont work. It was odd how Zaha just stepped back. He touched his forehead like it was hurting. What do I do? Seol Young wasnt sure what to do. I am not even prepared Originally, Zaha was physically healthy and mentally fine. But the man gave up his life to stop a horrible evil spirit. What would Baek Eon say if he knew of this? Would he praise Seol Young for ignoring the requests of such a man just because he wanted to keep the promise? The answer was clear. Seol Young made up his mind. Baek Eon-rang is a nice person, and he told us to follow our will. If someone is in trouble, then we should help them. That is what the White Tiger Spirit Troops were taught. I guess so. The reason he asked me not to fight was that he was worried about me getting entangled in a fuss. But this case doesnt apply to that. If I inform himter, he will probably say I did a good job. Of course, Baek Eon-rang isnt the type to be stubborn, so you dont have to worry. All I have to do is say something. Zaha said so right away, as if he were waiting. At the same time, it seemed like the talks of the Blue Dragon True Troops was also over. Everyone turned their way. Everyone, gather here. Zaha said. Then Seo Geom-rang and Seol Young-rang are both in favor of this secret sparring, right? Yes. Seol Young nced at Seo Geom, who answered confidently. He knew that this was bound to happen at some point. Of course, this will not be easy. Seo Geom was the leader of one of the troops. And there was a clear difference between Seol Youngs skills and his. No matter how hard he tried, his sword skills would not suddenly improve, so Seol Young was weaker in terms of swordsmanship. And his opponent was not an evil spirit that he could expel with talismans or chants. He could try to strike him, but he couldnt win with simple weapons because this was different from the normal fights he had gone through before. But the thing was, despite all of that, he had to win. Only then would Seo Geom fall. It didnt matter if the fight ended in a draw. And when he was thinking that But lets do the spar in a new method. Zaha said. A new method? Everyone turned to him, and they thought to themselves, Right. He has always been like this. He had a personality that gets easily bored, so he always tried new things. Even though he has trained alone for eight years, he hasnt changed. Everyone looked at him with puzzled expressions. What method? Zaha answered. The usual one-on-one sword spar wont benefit the world, and it will only make one of you shed blood in a crucial situation. It can be called the way of a criminal. Then are you saying there is a sparring that can benefit the world? Sure. Shall we say its the way of a gentleman? There is one where it is not simply a one-on-one spar. Ill set a time limit, and youllpete to see who can catch more evil spirits and demons. Aha. Everyone understood it then. In other words, it was simr to a huntingpetition. Thank goodness. Seol Young felt happy on the inside. This was a lot better than a one-on-one spar. He thought that he might get stabbed too many times in a spar of just swords, and now that concern vanished At the very least, he possessed the skills required to even out the disparity by a small margin. I need to win. Seol Young was determined now. Nice. Both sides nodded. And one Hwarang asked, But in order to do this new spar, shouldnt we first find a ce that has a lot of evil spirits and demons? Yes. Zaha pointed to the mountain to the south. I have been a bit suspicious of that ce ever since we arrived here. It was Mount Byeokdo. The blue top. They say it symbolizes the immortality of Taoism. Perhaps that was why wandering Taoists frequented this mountain. It wouldnt be strange if a strange aura could be felt from there. We will lead the way. The Blue Dragon True Troops took the lead. The group headed for Mount Byeokdo. The sun was shining in the sky, but the moment they entered the mountain, for some reason, a gloomy atmosphere hung over them. The tree trunks were covered with moss around them. And there were holes in the trees as if the trees were opening their mouths. They walked for a long time on the gloomy mountain path. And then the Hwarangs suddenly stopped. The Yin Yang que on their swords began to vibrate, and they all pointed in the same direction. This way! It was the dense bamboo forest beside the path. In the middle of the pitch-ck darkness, where there were too many trees to count, they felt something. And they made their way through it. At some point, their eyes widened. Inside was a copsed fence-like thing and a rundown building. It was a Taoist temple. The ce where the Taoist monks visited to pray and find peace. They didnt know why a temple was built in such a ce. But it seemed like it had been abandoned for a long time. The Hwarangs looked at Zaha. They waited for his orders, and Zaha nodded. Then the Hwarangs immediately scattered around the temple. Each of them took their position and inserted their swords and infused spirit qi into the ground. A bright light shone around them and vanished. That was how they made a barrier, and then they entered. As soon as they crossed the barrier, Seol Young felt it. There are many. The door to the temple fell down, revealing what was inside. Their God was inside. The Seven Star God. It seemed like the seven statues ced in the constetion of the Big Dipper were once amazing things. But such a long time has passed. The colors were all faded, and the faces looked dusty. The trees inside were rotting and looked like they would break at any moment. Perhaps the Taoists had a reason to leave this ce and nevere back. In abandoned ces like this, bad things always happen. This served as a ce for ignorant people to step into, despite the fact that it had been clearly abandoned. And in the meantime, the Seven Star God had been suppressing the Yin qi from leaking out all this time. However, because it must have been exhausted, some of the energy must have been released outside. Everyone exchanged nces. Those who have settled here must be unaware that their hideout had been discovered. Then lets start. Zaha brought out a small bell with a handle. Starting now, you will hunt for thirty minutes. Be sure to leave your spiritual energy on the remains for proof. The one who will catch lesser evil spirits will have to get down on his knees in front of the winner and call him Hyung. Seol Young and Seo Geom were a bit taken aback. I didnt say anything like that, though? And at that moment, the bell rang. Chapter 68: Praying For Rain (6) Chapter 68: Praying For Rain (6) When the bell announcing the start of the spar rang, they couldnt think about anything else. Both sides drew their swords. At the same time, they raised their spiritual energy. Seol Youngs sword shone in blue. Meanwhile, Seo Geoms sword began to shine white. There was no way to tell who was killing which demonic being. They just had to kill them quickly. I need to hurry up. Seol Young started right away. The demonic beings lurking in this ce began to appear. He immediately used his talismans to kill them. At the same time, a flutes melody could be heard. ? When he turned around, Seo Geom was ying the flute. It was the Divine Dragon Flute. It was the divine object that only the leader of the Blue Dragon Troops could use. The flute was known to ward off the evil that was nearby by ying the ritual tune for the patriotic dragon. Seol Young was quite familiar with it. During the fight in the past, he heard Seo Geoms uncle y that flute several times. But It was his first time hearing the tune he was ying. The melody had a force to it, as if each note being yed seemed toe alive. And as if in response to this strange flutes tune, screams came out from the temple. Wooo And soon, ck shadows appeared in twos and threes. These were the demonic beings hiding in this ce, but their behavior was odd. When the melody of the flute went up, their bodies stretched up, and when the melody went down, their bodies shrank. It was like their bodies were moving as if they were dancing. Seeing this bizarre sight, he thought of something. Like Seol Young, Zaha couldnt understand what was happening, so he asked, Seo Geom-rang! What is that? Seo Geom took his lips off the flute and said, A song that has been restored. A song to subjugate a tiger. When they heard that name, a thought came to mind. A long time ago, a poor woodcutter climbed a tree after being chased by a streak of tigers, and as hisst resort, he took out a flute and blew into it, and all the tigers danced to the sound of the flute, and they all fell down and died. The woodcutter made a fortune by controlling the tigers with the flute and selling their skin. It must have something to do with that legend. And Seol Youngs guess was right. This Tiger Song was made by the old ancestors of the Blue Dragon Troops based on the legend. But isnt this more like a quick-paced song? At Zahas words, Seo Geom answered, Yes. And it isnt forbidden Yes. He nodded his head. The songs that could be yed by that flute were divided into the Divine Songs and the Second Songs. The Divine Songs were the ones that called the wind or the clouds and attacked the demonic beings around. These were the sacred ones. The songs that werent on the list of the Divine Songs were just the Second Songs, in the sense that anyone could learn them or not. But after losing seven years ago, feelings of resentment built up inside of him, and Seo Geom began to study the Second Songs little by little. It wouldnt be a huge deal if the songs that I y are the ones that arent used much, right? With such thoughts, he began to learn and understand the Second Songs, reaching a certain level he had not expected to reach. Wooong The demonic beings hiding in this ce began to dance to the flute. Even those that Seol Young was aiming for were dancing to the melody. Soon, the entire ce was full of demonic beings, and Seo Geom changed the tune. Wind Song. The sound of the flute infused with spiritual energy struck the demonic beings, making their bodies explode. Ack! Their screams resounded. Seeing the horrific scene unfolding before them, the demonic beings that regained their senses tried to run. Where are you going? Seo Geom moved his sword before they could respond. A ck wave rose as he swept away the demonic beings. It was truly shocking, as if a divine dragon had cut down the demonic beings. Seo Geom ughtered dozens of them in an instant. Wonderful! As expected, you are good at everything other than the Divine Song. Zaha praised him. Seol Young watched this from the side while killing his own share of demonic beings. Tiger Song. It was something Seol Young didnt like. Seol Young belonged to the White Tiger Spirit Troops, which meant Seo Geom learned it for obvious reasons. I never thought there would be such a weapon. He was a bit shocked at this, but he had to be alert at such times. Because he couldnt just lose like this. No matter how unfavorable the situation was, if he was still conscious, he needed to find a way to live, and opportunities would surely arise. Seol Young believed in it. Ill go there for now. Since Seo Geom was killing the demonic beings in this area, Seol Young decided to go to another side. However, the temple was not that wide. In addition, since the areas for the demonic beings to hide were limited, he ran into Seo Geom again. Puak! His sword cut into the demonic being that was in front of him. Seol Young was almost stabbed, making him swing his sword to block it. The moment the two swords collided, sparks flew. Once again, the difference in their power was clear. I apologize. Contrary to his words, Seo Geoms eyes showed he attacked him on purpose. Seol Young almost attacked him back, but he couldnt because he didnt get the chance as Seo Geom continued to strike his sword. Metallic sounds rang, and Seo Geoms sword cut off a part of Seol Youngs robe. Ah. The Hwarangs flinched. It was exciting at first, but they could see their leaders sword had killing intent. They wanted to do something. Everyone turned to Zaha. Shouldnt we calm down the Great-rang a little? Well Zaha frowned. I cannot say anything about that right now. And isnt Seo Geom-rang cutting down the demonic beings? Rules are rules. Seol Young heard it too. Rules are rules. Right. Use it. Even if I cannot win, I will not lose. There was just one way to bridge the gap in their skills. He had to use what he could. While defending himself from the sword, Seol Young slowly began to think. Was there anything he could use? And he found something. A thing he didnt notice at first. But when he looked at it with spiritual energy in his eyes, he saw it. Good. He saw a way to change the situation. In the midst of being attacked and with no air to breathe, Seol Young barely found time to move his left hand. With a sharp whoosh, the Wind Spirit was summoned. ? Because it was something unexpected, Seo Geoms movement was slightly disturbed. He was barely able to avoid it, and Seo Geom had an annoyed expression. This is why I hate those who use such tricks. That expression was clear on his face. And he turned around. Raising the aura on his sword as much as he could, he struck the floor under the incense burner that was in the middle of this ce. Kiiik! A scream rang. Between the gstones on the ground, therge legs of an arthropod came out. Some gstones were overturned, and its round body sprang out between them. It was a giant spider. Everyone was surprised to see it. Something like that was here. In an instant, Seol Young was trapped between its legs. The talismans he prepared began to explode in session. Then a light shone. However, it was blocked by its armor-like outer shell and had no effect. And its scythe-like sharp legs flew at Seol Youngs head. The wind whistled brutally. Here! Seol Young managed to find a thin gap in the iron armor. He put his sword right into the gap and used his talisman right there. Meanwhile. Eiik! Kuaak! The other side didnt stop screaming. A number of demonic beings fell to Seo Geom. Knowing that time was running out, he was doing his best, and then the bell rang. Stop! Zahas voice made them lower their swords. On one side, the blue aura was raging, and on the other side, demonic beings were affected by the white aura. The Hwarangs were confused. The number of demonic beings that the Great-rang took down is one hundred thirty-six, and the demonic beings Seol Youn-rang killed is sixty-seven They looked at the spider spirit. Sixty-eight. At that moment, everyone thought the same thing. He wasted so much time killing one huge thing, but isnt it just one? But One hundred thirty-six to sixty-eight. Was a huge difference. And Zaha said, Seo Geom-rang won? Seol Young stepped forward. Wait. The outer skin, which was like iron armor before, was now normal skin and was split open. Something spilled out between it. They were demonic beings. All of them had a blue aura, which meant that they died at Seol Youngs hands. ? Everyones expression changed. They could now see that the spider was just a shell. The little things inside were the ones controlling the spider. Seol Young spoke with an expressionless face, And dont say that I did some cowardly thing. Even Chu Nam, the fortune teller, says that one should count the things hidden in the stomach too. Chu Nam was a fortune teller in Goguryeo. The queen put a mouse in a box and asked him to guess how many were in there. He answered eight and was executed. Butter on, when the rats stomach was opened up, seven pups were found inside. ording to one theory, the fortune teller held a grudge against the family and vowed to destroy them by reincarnating in Si. It was a story that the Hwarangs knew. So they were at a loss for words. Zaha told them, Count. Yes. And they began to count the demonic beings one after another. After a while, the results came out. Seventy-two What? Seventy-two? Zaha frowned. There was so many inside? Then I will have to do the math. Even though they are small, they are individual demonic beings And they nced at the spider with its stomach open. If we take away the one from the sixty-eight and then add the seventy-two. It will be? One hundred thirty-nine. What? Did you calcte it correctly? It is one hundred thirty-nine. Then Seol Young-rang won. With a difference of three. Seo Geom was shocked at this. What is this? His gaze wandered for a moment. Seol Young was there with a nk face as usual, and next to him, Zaha was looking at Seo Geom as if saying, What! Werent you supposed to win? Right. I lost. Seo Geom thought. ording to the rules, it is true, but His eyes wandered. In the meantime, all the things that had happened with Seol Young passed through his mind. Did I get defeated again? Chapter 69: Praying For Rain (17) Chapter 69: Praying For Rain (17) -The one who will catch lesser evil spirits will have to get down on his knees in front of the winner and call him Hyung. Before they started the spar, Zaha definitely said that. Seo Geoms mind felt so lost. To go down on my knees. He couldnt think of anything else. With all the blood draining from his face, he just looked at Seol Young nkly. ? But Seol Young seemed unbothered. He was already walking outside. Then you should take care of this ce. You can handle the Mount Danseok issue and go back. After saying that, Zaha left that ce and caught up with Seol Young. Why are you in such a rush? When the other side loses, you need to run away quickly. I have won every match I should have lost, so now he will really want to kill me. But it is Seo Geom-rangs turn to kneel and call you Hyung. Do not bring that up ever again. Seol Young cut him off and said, Because that gives him more reason to kill me. We still have grudges against each other. Yes, right. My thoughts were shortsighted. It is such aplicated rtionship. Seol Youngs feet stopped. There was no way Zaha knew what had happened between him and the Blue Dragons in the past. But then he . he suddenly remembered. You had a long conversation with Seo Geom-rang earlier. Did you talk about that? He spoke about it first. What could I do? I couldnt just stay silent. . During their conversation, Zaha seemed shocked six to seven times. And he said it was because Seo Geom asked difficult questions But it was because of me? The frustrated look. No. Seol Young decided not to think about it and walked faster. They were able to split up from Seo Geom and his troops safely. For the time being, he wouldnt even look at Seol Youngs shadow. And he decided to focus on the facts. But he was worried about one thing Seol Young hurried his steps. Zaha asked, Why do you keep looking back? I feel like an arrow wille flying. An arrow that is identally shot by Seo Geom-rang It wont happen. How could he be so sure? The two walked through the bamboo forest and through Mount Byeokdo. Then they crossed the border. They passed by the military border on the West, and Seol Young and Zaha blended in with the travelers. After going through the military checkpoint, they followed the mountain path until they reached a ce where they could rest. The day was hot. Everyone sitting in the inn was fanning themselves and eating cold noodles. Zaha also raised a fan and began to flutter it. From my memories, I dont recall early summer being this hot. I dont know if the Moon Pce will turn into Changan 1 at this rate. How is Changan? I heard the imperial family has trees carved from ice, phoenixes, deer, and a forest of ice to y with. And the women and eunuchs there carry trays of ice with them wherever they go, just in case the emperor might talk to them. That would be too much. Avoiding the blowing wind, Seol Young said, This summer is not that hot. But it depends on each person. Eight years in a tomb must be cold, so the outside must be too hot. Zaha stopped fanning, and Seol Young continued. Still, it is still much better to sit in a ce like this than inside a lonely tomb, even though its hot and frustrating. Zaha looked at Seol Young. Are you saying that to make me feel better? Cause it seems like the other way around? Yes. The way you talk is quite odd. Dont you feel like saying things like that would make others avoid you? I do not think you have bad intentions, but But you can still understand me pretty well. That is because Ive taught more than a hundred Hwarangs. And you are the most unique out of all of them. That Dont talk. Because it makes it hotter. Zaha got up. Now, if we move a little further, is it Apryang? As I said before, I will handle it from here. So just shut up and follow me. No, its not like I cantmunicate with people that much. Seol Young protested, but if Zaha was going to do it, he didnt have to stop him. After leaving the capital, Zahas energy felt stable. The biggest reason was that he didnt have to use his energy, but still, Zaha seemed a lot morefortable. Also, people began to go outside. His mood changed when he talked with them, and his expression looked like he had gotten some crucial information. Wouldnt that help restore his pride? With such thoughts in mind, they walked and arrived at the oldnds. That is what is most famous here. Zaha pointed to the top of the hilly area. It was a ce with an earthy-looking castle. A fortress? Seol Young looked at the castle. It looked so peaceful with the clouds right above the castle, and the location was good since it seemed like there werent any people there. Wait, is it empty? Yes. Zaha replied. Originally, the castle was given to the n that ruled over Apryang and let them live inside it. But now, it seems like the path has been cut off or that everyone has left Well, it is what it is. Seol Young didnt say much, but he was impressed on the inside. He does have good information. When he lowered his gaze, he could see the viges huddled together. Where was Bakdalgol? They wanted to ask someone, but there wasnt anyone on the road. And after looking for a while, they finally found someone. On the opposite side, under the shade of a tree, there was a child ying with a donkey. The child also noticed them and seemed a bit surprised to see two odd-looking people, and his steps stopped along with those of his pet donkey. Seol Young opened his mouth, Kid, maybe Huh. Zaha blocked him. And then he went and talked to the child himself. You have a nice donkey. He bent down, touched the head of the donkey, and praised a lot of things. Seol Young looked at him without thinking. But at some point, the childs gaze fixed on Zaha, and it was like he was possessed by Zaha. Was it an effective method? Seol Young began to focus on him. First, praise the donkey and then stroke its head and back And Zaha turned back right then and gestured. Seol Young walked to them, and the childs eyes went wide. It is fine because we are together. Zaha reassured the kid and then said to Seol Young, This kid knows about Bakdalgol. Really? You know it? Yes The child answered in a low voice. But Bakdalgol is a vige that no longer exists. I see. Zaha said calmly. But isnt there a ce where the vige used to be? Thend couldnt have vanished. Yes. Thend is not gone Then, can you guide us there? Zaha pulled out a small piece of silver from his sleeve. And the child had a questioning look on his face. He nced at the two again in suspicion. I cannot take it, but please follow me. The child turned around and went back the way he came. And the donkey was in front of him, with the two strangers behind. They all moved up the hill. When they reached the top of the castle, the child stopped along with the donkey. The child pointed his finger down. That is Bakdalgol. The two went silent at that. The kid was pointing to a blueke. On the calm, mirror-like surface of the water, the clouds drifting across the sky were reflected upside down. Thatke is Bakdalgol? At Seol Youngs question, the child nodded. As you know, it used to be a vige. I heard it was cursed one day, and thend was destroyed all over in one night and went underwater. Cursed? Yes. And it is said that when you pass by it in the middle of the night or on a foggy day, you can hear people talking from the water, and if we listen carefully, we can hear singing and bells. The child stared at the two of them again. His eyes looked as if he was searching for something. And I heard that there are weird travelers who asionallye to this ce. The ghosts of those who died a long time ago in thatke, and that they still have a vige down What? Seol Young was stunned and asked back. Was that why the child was giving them such an odd look? It was considered unlucky to ept money from a ghost, so was that why he didnt take it? We are not ghosts. Zaha smiled and handed the silver to the child. It is fine. Buy food for the donkey. The child hesitantly epted the silver and turned away. After a second, they could hear the child running down. I also thought praising the donkey was a good thing. Seol Young mumbled. That child thought of Zaha as a ghost and stared at him like he was possessed. But what creeps me out is that he is half right. Zaha said. That is why I dont like smart kids. If that kid heard all of this, he wouldnt be able to sleep tonight. Seol Young replied and looked down. It was fortunate that they found the location, but this was not what they had expected. That must be why the Yokai from the GO rooms said that. He said thating here is useless in the first ce. Zaha looked down at theke. What do we do now? See through it. Seol Young said, It isnt difficult because Ive done this a lot. I think it will be easy to get it out, like the water ghosts. If not He stopped speaking. Looking at theke, the blue, mirror-like surface of the water filled his eyes. Then his head was dizzy. Wait, this is not right. But he couldnt take his eyes off the blueke. When he stopped talking, Zaha looked at him. If not? You should finish what you were saying. What is wrong? Did you fall asleep while standing? He waved his hand in front of Seol Young, but he didnt even blink. His eyes were focused on theke. It was only then that he realized something was strange.
  1. TL/N: ce known to be the hottest.
Chapter 70: Praying For Rain (18) Chapter 70: Praying For Rain (18) Get yourself together! Zaha pped his hands in front of Seol Youngs eyes. However, Seol Youngs eyes didnt move from theke. What is it with you acting all creepy? What is wrong? Nothing is wrong. Finally, Seol Young opened his mouth and responded. There is nothing wrong. Rather, it is right. What do you mean? Do you not hear it? What? This voice. What voice? Am I the only one hearing it? What are you even hearing? This sound. It has been calling you since earlier. You didnt even listen. It kept calling you, and you didnt Seol Young mumbled as he stared at theke with unfocused eyes. Suddenly, the tone of his voice changed. There was a creepy look on his face. That is not good. What are you saying when I am the only one here? Seol Young wasnt even listening to what Zaha said, and he stepped forward. I need to go. Go where? I need to go. As he went down the hill, he stumbled a bit, but he quickly bnced himself and kept going. Wait! Zaha chased after him and grabbed his arm, but Seol Young shook it off. I said that I needed to go. To thatke? It is calling. So you are just going in there? I need to go. Come to your senses! He blocked Seol Youngs path. How can you just lose it? How do I get you back to normal? Move. Seol Young was still fixated on theke, despite Zaha trying to block his path. Think about this. Looking straight into Seol Youngs eyes, he asked, Is going into thatke all you can think about? Yes. Why did wee here? I dont know. Who am I? I dont know. Who are you? I dont know. It is strange that you dont know! Do you think this makes sense? It isnt strange at all. Seol Young calmly replied. It is amon thing among shamans. When we hear someone calling us in the middle of the night, we get this urge to go and dig somewhere. If we dig all night long, a divine object is said to appear in that ce. And are you a shaman? I am not. But I seeded in summoning the Tree Spirit God once before. So maybe I can do this. Now I can hear the voices of the Gods. Just like how one starts talking after meeting at a certain ce. Zaha was speechless at this. It is surprising that you can still calmly exin those things despite being in a situation like this but still, lets calm down. He raised his hand to p Seol Young, but Seol Youngs hand moved faster. It was an impossible speed. Move! After saying that, he began to walk down the hill faster. Stop! Zaha followed him again and grabbed his arm, but Seol Young threw him away. I need to go. In an instant, he was at theke. Wait. Zaha interrupted him again. How are you going to get your senses back? I am fine. Zaha hurriedly grabbed him as he was about to leave. Fine. Everything is fine Do you know how to swim? Seol Young answered. No. Then NO. Why? Are you asking because you really dont know? People who dont know how to swim will drown if they enter the water. Die. Aha Seol Young nodded and walked away again, only to get caught. Aha You are going to die! Do you not know what it means to die? If you die Zaha struggled to make sense of it, and came up with one thing. You know Baek Eon? Seol Youngs eyes changed. Baek Eon? Yes, Baek Eon-rang! If you jump into thatke and die, Baek Eon-rang will know about it. But is that all? Song Ok-rang and Hyo Wol-rang will find out about it as well. The four of you are like real brothers, so how sad will they be? They might pass out. Um Seol Young thought for a moment. But he soon responded, It cant be helped. They will be sad, but they will say I did well. Because following that voice is the most important thing in the world. This is serious. Zaha drew his sword. Seol Young-rang! This is an order! Stop! A golden aura surged from his sword, and a barrier blocked Seol Youngs path. But Seol Young didnt care at all. He tried to break through the barrier that was made out of pure spiritual qi. However, if he passed through it in an unconscious state, he would suffer a great blow, as if he had been hit by a rock. What are you doing? Zaha was shocked and pushed Seol Young away, and he copsed on the ground, but then he asked, Why do you keep interrupting me? He also pulled out the Blue Rainbow sword. And he swung without taking his eyes off theke. Do not interrupt. At the same time, he drew talismans with his other hand. All of these talismans contained strong spiritual qi and attacked Zaha. In the meantime, Seol Young went straight to theke. Zaha just looked at him, shocked. Fine. Do whatever you want. However, seeing that Seol Young was already in the water up to his knees, he went back and grabbed him. Seol Young didnt even look at him, and said, I told you not to intervene. I am not intervening Zaha blocked his path. He looked straight back into his eyes and said, Fine. I get it. Will you let go now? Yes. I get it. Zaha said, The desperate voice from theke. It is a sound that only you can hear in this world, so you need to go there, right? Right. Seol Young nodded. Will you let me go? Yes. I wasnt going to stop you from the start. It was because of one problem. Problem? You said you couldnt swim. Then you will die, really die, and you will not be able to go to the ce where the voice ising from, right? Seol Young listened to his words. No. Right? And I have something else to ask. Do you like water? No. Seol Young answered right away. I hate water. Cold and suffocating. Right. So what do we do? I dont know. How? I have a nice idea. Lets take a boat. Boat? Seol Young seemed to think. Theres no boat. I will bring it. Seol Young thought, and Zaha asked him, Youre grateful, right? At those words, Seol Young nodded. Right? Zaha unsheathed his sword without taking his eyes off Seol Young. Seol Young urged, Where is the boat? I will bring it. First, take this oar to paddle. Paddle? You need an oar to move the boat, right? Right. Seol Young held his hand out and took the sword. I really did everything. But you still didnte to your senses. So there is nothing else I can do. Give it fast. You cannot say anything aftering to your senses. Because this is the only way left. As Zaha handed over the sword, he summoned darkness into it. Then a pitch-ck darkness wrapped itself around it. Seol Young epted the sword without knowing anything. The next moment, he was startled. Beyond the oar there was this foreign energy in his body. For the first time, he took his eyes off theke and looked at the sword. ck mes began to appear in Seol Youngs eyes. The focus that had disappeared came back. ! Seol Young was startled. The sword in his hand fell down, and there was a ssh. He looked down, shocked. ? For some reason, he was knee-deep in theke. He couldnt figure out how it happened. Until a moment ago, he was on the hill looking down at theke? Ah. He remembered, I was enchanted. The moment he realized it, he was scared. He forgot everything, and he just wanted to go straight to theke. And then He remembered everything that had happened. Zaha continuously grabbed him, but he insisted on going to theke. And then he pulled out his sword and attacked him. He even used his talismans. So He looked down. Seeing the red sword submerged in the water, his face changed. He had to use that power. He was speechless. . When he looked up, Zaha was staring at him. There is something I am curious about Zaha asked, Do you remember thest thing you said before this happened? Seol Young was shocked. T-That. Chapter 71: Praying For Rain (19) Chapter 71: Praying For Rain (19) Of course, he remembered it. It isnt difficult because I have done this a lot. It would be easy if it is the water ghost. As soon as he said that, he was possessed. It couldnt get any more embarrassing. S-So This was just an example. If one person gets lost, the other person has to keep his or her mind straight. That fact that I showed it like He was making excuses, but nothing worked. Do you think that makes sense? It was strange from the first time I heard about it from that Yokai in the GO rooms. I thought that the guy was cheating and told us to act alone. The one we need to exorcise is right inside! Zaha snapped at him. I am d you remember it all. If you hadnt, wouldnt you have said I lied about everything? What are you talking about, how could I do such a thing, and you are framing me for Seol Young turned away. T-Th are you fine? Shouldnt you take care of yourself? You used that power all of a sudden Are you worried? Its quite embarrassing. Since he only raised his sword for a short time, it seemed like the Guardian Spirits calmed him down quickly. But Seol Young wanted to hide. Even monkeys fall from trees. The person who shouldnt be deceived by the spirits was possessed by them and did all sorts of things. It was humiliating. I-I need to get this. Pretending to be calm, he reached out his hand to pick up the sword from the ground. His face, reflected in the water, was stained red with embarrassment. Seol Young sshed the water to erase the image. Anyway. How good is this? With this, everything is now clear about theke Besides, the God seems to have a strong power here. It is the first time I have been possessed to this extent. Saying so, he picked up his sword, wiped off the water, and handed it to Zaha. Now that it is like this, I will do anything to get it. It was time to show his ability. Seol Young swung his sword and hit theke. At that moment, the water rose up like a wave. It was a great response. He backed away, even more startled. I understand. Calm down. Zaha said. He calmed down by drinking some water. But you really didnt hear anything? I didnt hear it. Then it would be right for me to bring it out. Seol Young lowered his hand. White clouds floated in the sky. A huge shadow of clouds passed over theke. And from somewhere, the carefree moo of a cow could be heard. Everything felt peaceful. When he calmed down and looked at theke again, it felt mysterious. I cannot believe the body of a powerful ancient God is sleeping right here. It appeared to be safe, even if it was sunk deep into theke. No one knew about this. It kept calling until now, but no one heard it. It was probably thest body of a God that was left on thisnd. I will try it again, and I will do it right this time. Seol Young kneeled down in the shallow water and sat down. Maybe he was too confident before. But one has to be humbled before God. Tree Spirit This time, he spoke politely. A human who can feel your mighty power hase. I am the only one who can summon you so that you can appear back on this earth again. As he said that, he stretched out his hand to the water. Silence passed. Shadows of clouds passed over their heads once again. Far away in the woods, a turtledove chirped. There seems to be no response. Zaha said. Seol Young took his hand out of the water. Strangely, nothing seems to be happening today. Can I try? Wait. Onest thing. If this doesnt work, then there is a real problem. Seol Young came out of theke. Finally, he was thinking of using the tool. He went around and began to gather strong twigs. Then he tightly tied them together to make a long pole and attached a pouch to its end. And he sat near the water and dipped it down. Blue energy spread through the water. It stretched down in a beam of light to the depths of theke. But there was no response. I am now certain of this. There is a problem. Zaha, who was sitting under the shade of a tree, said, You heard it earnestly call for you? Then why isnt iting out when you try to take it out? Maybe Seol Young threw the pole aside. Its not that it isnting out. It seems that it cannote out. Then Their eyes turned back to theke. There is just one conclusion. Zaha got up and went near theke. Now that he saw it, the relics of the ancient Gods were not simply sunk at the bottom of theke. It seemed that something was happening down there. I should probably go in. Yes. But I get it. Instead of being dragged in like earlier, maybe we have to open the door from this side and enter. As soon as Zaha said those words, he struck the water with his sword. Then a strong energy ran over the surface of the water. It seemed like a golden water snake was moving. A wave followed suit. In an instant, arge whirlpool was created. As expected, the energy within him was too strong. It was a mysterious power that Seol Young was familiar with. I can feel the energy of the Spirit God. Look at that. Something so simple Zaha stopped talking. His gaze lingered for a moment in the middle of the whirlpool that was ck. Seol Young asked, Why? Is there something there? No. He shook his head. Come to think of it, I guess I dont like water very much either. Then, on this asion Seol Young couldnt finish his words. Waves covered him. He was out of breath, and his mind went nk. He wanted to say, Lets try this out. It is too much. That was hisst thought. How long was it? Kuak. He said as he took a deep breath and opened his eyes. The sun was shining down on him. He was in the woods. He was lying down, almost hugging a rock. This is Seol Young stood up and looked back, and Zaha was also getting up. He brushed something off his clothes and looked at the sky. There is something in theke, for sure. Seol Young also looked up. A in sky with the sun. But it was actually the surface of theke. Thinking like that made it more strange. Seol Young looked around. What is this? The memory of the God? A conscious world? Someone elses memory? First of all, the important thing is how far our power works here. We need to figure it out. Zaha drew his sword. There was a charred tree right in front of them. And when he swung his sword, the tree was cleanly cut. Well, there is physical power. What about spiritual energy? Seol Young also tried to write in the air, and a shape was clearly forming. However, it didnt work. The light didnt burst out. Where? Zaha tried to raise the spiritual qi on his sword, but there was no response. Its just the physical power. Then we need to move carefully. Seol Young lowered his voice. For now He pointed between the trees. There seems to be a vige over there. They went closer. There were roofs with grass. And they could feel some presence. Amon vige. However, there was something unusual in the middle of the vige. A dead tree stump. The thick roots exposed above the ground looked like the fingers of a giant. The moss had umted so much that it seemed likeyers of soft green skin were forming on it. And there were kids sitting on it and ying. That is it, the Birch Tree. Yes. It is a giant tree that was the guardian God of thisnd and was once its home. The two went closer for a better look. How is it? Zaha asked. Seol Young closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. I cannot feel anything from the tree. But the body of the God seems to be somewhere else. Where? Maybe that way? Seol Young approached the vige cautiously. But then.. Wheik! Came a sharp sound. Something came out of the ground and moved like a whip. What is that? Zaha immediately drew his sword and cut it. They all broke off and swayed in the air. Seol Young looked up. Rope? At that moment So it is you! Footsteps echoed with shouts, and the vigers rushed toward them with weapons. In an instant, the two of them were surrounded. Among them, someone stepped forward. The person was wearing a long red shaman robe and huge earrings. The person wore heavy makeup on their eyes, and some parts of their hair were unusually white. Who are you? When Seol Young heard her voice, he thought the person was a man. No, was he really a man? Not a human. Seol Young and Zaha exchanged nces for a moment. An evil aura shone from the man in heavy makeup. -I heard it was cursed one day, and thend was destroyed all over in one night and went underwater. Seol Young remembered the words of the child who guided them. This shaman must be the culprit behind the trouble this vige fell into. Chapter 72: Praying For Rain (20) Chapter 72: Praying For Rain (20) As Seol Young and Zaha exchanged nces, the vigers asked again, Didnt I ask you a question? Come on! Answer me! Seeing that they arent answering, they must be the spies from Baekjae! Spies from Baekjae? No. We Seol Young was about to answer, but Zaha quickly intercepted, We are the Hwarangs from the golden castle. We came to Apryang because we have something to say to the military officer. Then he took out the jade seal from his sleeve and showed it. It was our first trip, so we took the wrong way, but we stopped by to see if we could take a break at a nearby vige. The seal belonged to Zaha, but the people didnt seem to know what it was. At first nce, Zahas appearance looked like that of a high-ranking person. The vigers looked at each other. I see. Then everyone lowered their weapons, and the shaman named Sabiso said, We had no idea. Pleasee this way. Have they gotten past the crisis? The vigers took the lead, and they went to the vige. Dozens of thatched houses were huddled together around the stump of a giant tree. The vigers led the two of them to a small ce that looked like an annex. We will bring you some simple snacks. When they left, Seol Young sighed. The vigers were beings who obeyed thews of this unknown world. It was better not to provoke them if possible. It seems that the situation here is really bright. And lies usuallye out fast in such ces. It is not a lie. It is a skill. Zaha said that with a slightly triumphant face. Memorize the words I will say quickly, because if what we say doesnt match, it wont work. Before everything, Apryang served as a base to keep Baekjae in check. They appointed military officers from the Hwarangs who were known to be skilled in military tactics It was then. ck! ck! . came the sound of the iron grill near the window. In the blink of an eye, the window was blocked. At the same time, the door was locked from the outside. What are you doing? Seol Young protested in surprise. And a loud voice was heard from outside. Do you think we didnt know? That you came to steal the mysterious jewel of Mr. Sabiso! What? I didnt even hear anything about that! And the shaman Enough! Stay locked up in there silently until the ritual is done! The vigers left after screaming. The people from the viges in the countryside were always known to be scary, but they never imagined they would stab them in the back. Now that this has happened, this is war. He looked at Zaha, but he didnt answer. He just stood still. Are you that shocked? Because the vigers fooled us? Shh. He pointed to the grill. What? Seol Young looked out with a puzzled face. Who was there? Someone was hiding behind the wall of the house and spying on the side. It was a girl around sixteen years old. She was wearing a sky blue long skirt with a white jacket and a five-colored belt. Looking at her clothes, she looked like a shaman too. But just from one look at her, unlike the man who was called Sabiso, she was a truly born shaman. It was impressive, but there was something that surprised him. Can you see it? At Zahas words, Seol Young nodded. The ne on the girls chest. It was a round que of wood with the face of a monster engraved on it. Is that it? It is. Seol Young answered without taking his eyes off the ne. It must be thest body of the ancient God. How do I get my hands on it? I will try having a conversation with her. Then Seol Young beckoned for the girl. Miss? The girl was startled. I am not a bad person. I am someone who does simr things to what you do. Seol Young drew a talisman in the air to let her know the truth. Even though he couldnt exert its power, it still took the shape it was supposed to have. ! At that moment, the girls face turned red. It was definitely a shame. As if she had seen something she shouldnt have, she turned away and ran. Zaha clicked his tongue. What the hell did you do? Do you want us to be considered criminals and be locked up here for a hundred years? No! I didnt do anything strange. I just drew a simple Seol Young regretfully said. Its strange. Hundreds of years ago, maybe the simple spell would have had a different meaning. If we have a shrine maiden, we can find out. Zaha replied and pulled out his dagger. Seol Young asked, What are you doing? Escape. With what? Then what? While Seol Young grumbled about losing face, Zaha inserted the dagger between the cracks of the door and began sawing it down. His physical power was surely working. Since the dagger was an unusual weapon, the wooden lock was chipped off bit by bit. In the meantime, Seol Young just watched. A few men came in and went, but soon they didnt seem to care. The entire town seemed busy. It seemed that they were preupied with something important. Come to think of it He noticed that each house had put something out. Fromrge pots to rice bowls, it was as if they had brought out all the dishes from their houses. Ancestral rites. Seol Young mumbled what the vigers said. They are experiencing drought here too. So they are holding a ritual for the rain. And speaking about the mysterious jewel. The one that grants wishes. Zaha said as he cut open the door. Arent those the beads that grant wishes? Cintamani? It seems like the fake shaman is trying to make it rain here After struggling for a while, Zaha was able to cut the lock. The two cautiously opened the door and got out. They saw three to four tall men, and neither of them noticed anything before they were hit by the hilts of their swords. Is this all of them? Theres something strange there. Seol Young pointed to the other side of the vige, where there seemed to be amotion. The two of them hid behind a thatched roof and sneaked closer. And shortly after, they found an altar built of stones at a corner of the vige. The vigers had gathered there. We need to hide somewhere and take a closer look. Zaha looked around to find a warehouse. In the blink of an eye, he unlocked the doors lock and entered. Come inside quickly. Even if I quit the Hwarangs, I wont have to die of starvation. Seol Young went inside, admiring him. They observed what was happening outside through a hole made for air cirction. There were seven gs on the altar. Six of them were pointing to the sky and fluttering, while the seventh was on the ground. And the vigers were praying with their hands sped in front of them. Dragon God. Please let it rain, Dragon God. Let the drought in thisnd end. This is our wish. Let it rain heavily. Let the water flow and fill up this parchednd. On one side, Sabiso, the shaman, was ringing a bell and shouting. The seven days of prayers have reached the heavens! There will be answers today! Hearing that, Seol Young and Zaha could guess what had happened here. Sabiso had the beads that granted wishes. When there was a drought in this vige, the people made a wish on that stone. Everyone was praying earnestly, and they seeded in raising the gs one by one. If all seven went up, their wishes woulde true. And it was the seventh day. See that! It is going up! Thest remaining g slowly rose towards the sky. The vigers were excitedso excited that they bowed to the g and prayed more desperately. Nice. Sabiso looked at them and nodded, and after saying something to the people behind him, he went into the shrine next door. But at that moment, a hugemotion erupted. The beads disappeared! The vigers scattered in all directions, and soon there was a loud noise from the other side. They ran away! Catch those thieves who stole the jewel! Things took a weird turn as the two were used of something they didnt do. Zaha frowned. I will say you did it. Who will believe that? Anyone can tell that you are the superior But before they could do anything I found the bead. With a loud shout, someone was dragged in front of Sabiso. The girl. The girl with the body of the Tree Spirit God on her. The vigers surrounded her. Jung Myung! Did you really steal it? Why did you do it? Its not that I dont understand your feelings, but The girl called Jung Myung was so scared that she cried. No! I did not mean to steal Mr. Sabisos beads Take her! Sabiso shouted loudly, and the girl couldnt resist the people who were dragging her away. Dragon God. Dragon God, please end this drought. And the rain ritual started again. But there was nothing more to see. The shrine maiden. The two left the warehouse. The annex from earlier seemed to act as a prison, so they went there. Please remain silent in here until the ritual is over! A scolding voice could be heard. The vigers hurriedly locked her up and ran back to the altar. Once they left, Seol Young and Zaha broke the lock outside and entered. The girl, who was crouching, looked at them in surprise. Shh. Seol Young made the girl silent. We are here to help. Her eyes went wide as she looked at them. You are the people who were arrested this morning. I know you. You are not ordinary people. You are the ones who shouldnt be here. It doesnt matter. Seol Young pointed to the que around her neck. Do you know what that is? This is just a ne Ive had since I was a child. Can I see it for a minute? No! The girl clutched the ne right away, as if she didnt trust them. Zaha had to intervene. It is because it is simr to something we know. I did not steal it! The girl bowed her head. Since I stole the bead, you wont believe me now Why did you steal it? Seol Young asked. No. I know why, even if you dont answer. Didnt you try to stop that ritual? The girl raised her head, her eyes trembling. Right. We need to stop it. That is not a rain ritual. When thest g rises At that moment, the sound of drums rang out, and the voices of the vigers cheering were heard. This is bad! The girls face turned white. Chapter 73: Praying For Rain (21) Chapter 73: Praying For Rain (21) It has to be stopped! By any means, that evil sacrifice! The girl jumped up and mmed the door open as she ran out. The two ran to the other side of the vige where the ritual was happening. Rain ritual Ake Seol Young felt like he knew what the curse this vige was subjected to was. The wish came true! In front of them, Sabisos voice rang out. Water will flow onto this drynd! An earthquake urred with a roar as the trees fell and the houses copsed. Water began to gush out from the cracks. The people who were staggering were swept away by the water. Euk! The girl was frozen. N-No Miss! Come this way! Seol Young grabbed her hand. Zaha opened up a path by cutting down the fallen trees, and the two of them took the girl in the opposite direction of the mess. Climbing onto the slope, they managed to escape to the outskirts of the vige. And then they looked back. The path to hell had opened up in front of their eyes. Bakdalgol was nowhere to be seen, and the whole ce was filled with blue water. There was debris, uprooted trees, rocks, and stones. In the midst of all this, the vigers were being swept around helplessly, and they struggled to survive with the water swallowing them. Mother! Father! Where are you?! Help me! Hold on to me! Screams of desperation rang out. Olddy! Master! The girl hurriedly ran away, and she shouted at Seol Young and Zaha, Help! They were about to reach out, but they couldnt hold onto these people because it was an illusion. But ? Zaha soon managed to lift an elderly person and went stiff. What? Seol Young asked. When we came here, I saw a whirlpool, and then It is because of the hallucinations people get froming here. Are we hallucinating now? Seeing that only I can hear it, I dont think it matters very much. He sighed and stretched out his hand to help the people. Something is really strange. For now, they had to save Seol Young has put that thought aside for now. Hold on to this! He shouted at the vigers and held out a thick branch, but it didnt work. The current was too strong. Once they were caught in the water, they couldnt escape. NO! I cannot catch it! Even if they managed to hold the branch, they didntst long. They were swept away by the strong current and sank. And after a while, one by one, the corpses floated up. They all floated helplessly in the water. NO! The girl slumped to her knees. In the end, it ended up like this! Its all my fault! I knew everything, yet I did nothing! She burst into tears and coughed out blood. I could have saved them! If only I could turn back the time! At that moment, the water swallowed her. Miss! Seol Youn ran out to catch her, but he couldnt catch her. Only water slipped through his fingers. Then there was a strong wave of water that swept them both away. Wait, is this what it is? From somewhere beyond the waves, Zahas voice sounded panicked. It seems so. This, this world Seol Young couldnt say anything more. The water was choking him. As I thought, I hate water. That was thest thought he had before he lost consciousness. How long was it? He heard the sound of birds chirping and felt something hard on his cheek. A rock. . Seol Young opened his eyes to see the sunlight shining down on him. He was in the woods. He was lying face down on a rock and looked around to see Zaha get up. As I thought. The two stared at one ce with terrified eyesthe ck, burned tree. As soon as Zaha approached it, the tree he had cut down with his sword before was standing in front of him again. Its back to that morning again. Right. Seol Young touched his shoulder. Thedy shaman cried out for thest time before dying. -If only I could turn back the time! Because of that, the world went back to the way it was a day ago. Thest day, when the vige was destroyed, was repeated once again. It would be like that over and over again for a very long time. That was the real curse of Bakdalgol. I get it now. What the Tree Spirit God wants. It wants us to end this. So we Can only go out when it is all over? The two looked at the forest. The vige could be seen through the trees. It was a quiet and peaceful ce, and that ce would be destroyed today. They couldnt believe it. Zaha shook his head. This happened because of the rain ritual. Their wish to water the drynd caused the disaster. It was all done by Sabiso. There are times when evil people gather the wishes and malicious feelings of others. They get their strength from them. Seol Young recalled the past memories and said, We need to help the shrine maiden and defeat him. Fine. The two drew their swords and walked as silently as they could. Now they knew what was hidden in this ce. If the trap activated again and the vigers came running, they would waste precious time. So they managed to infiltrate the vige without activating the trap, and Zaha lowered his voice as he said, Find the energy of the Spirit God. This way. And so they moved very slowly, avoiding being noticed by the vigers. And shortly after, they found it. A small house at the corner of the vige that was isted. They saw it for the first time. They didnt expect the ce to be that shabby. They could see the faded, five-colored string hanging from under the roof. It was the shrine where the shaman resided. The two looked around for a moment. The vigers gathered near the altar, where they wouldter pray. Avoiding their attention, they silently moved closer to the shrine. And when they were almost there, the door suddenly opened. A foot in a white sock came out, and the person was checking if it was quiet outside. The hem of that persons sky-blue skirt came out. The maiden cautiously went outside, but She found two men waiting for her. Shocked, she covered her mouth so she wouldnt scream and barely asked, W-Who are you? Maiden, it is useless even if you steal the wishing beads. She was taken aback at Seol Youngs words. I made a mistake! She fell to the ground right then, and it looked like she would pass out from begging. Seol Young was shocked. You went straight to the point. Zaha rebuked him and quickly approached the girl. We are not bad people. We are here to help. Right, you can think of us as people who are not supposed to be here. Not supposed to be here? She blinked her eyes. There was a strange light as she looked at them. Aha. She said it as if he understood. I see. You are the people who shouldnt be here. Right. We are people who will be born a hundred yearster. Seol Young added. But a powerful shaman had summoned us. Aha Her face darkened. Then you havee to the wrong ce. The shaman is on that side. You need to head to the altar there. She pointed in the direction where Sabiso was. No. Seol Young shook his head. What kind of shaman is that evil being? It is the maiden who called for us. And he looked at Zaha. Right? Right. Arent you the very nice shaman maiden who called us? She was surprised. Nice shaman? Her eyes teared up at those words, but she wiped them off quickly. Sorry. It is the first time I have heard of such a thing since I was born Zaha frowned at this, and he whispered to Seol Young, How can that be? Just by looking at her, one can tell that she has an amazing spiritual power? Something must have changed. Seol Young drew a fortune-telling talisman in front of her, making her face turn red. It was because of shame, but Looking at her up close, there were other emotions as well. Envy. You are amazing. She said. To draw a talisman in the air and not on paper. A foolish shaman like me cannot have such skills even if I studied all my life. A foolish shaman? Seol Young asked in shock. Who called you that? I did. She said, feeling sad. I am foolish. Why? Because I cannot hear or see God. She cried. I am sure that God is there, but I cannot see or hear him. So what you were talking about cannot be me. Seol Young was silent. Now he knew what had happened. Thest shaman of the old Gods. That was the identity of the girl in front of him. The shrine maiden, the shaman who was born with powerful abilities. Chapter 74: Praying For Rain (22) Chapter 74: Praying For Rain (22) Do not cry and talk to me slowly. Zaha handed her a silk towel. Yes. The shaman, Jung Myung, wiped her eyes. I have no parents, siblings, or even an aunt to teach me. But I know what it means to be a shaman. A shaman is someone who sees the invisible God and rys his message. But you cannot see that God nor hear his voice? Yes, it is all my fault. Sometimes he appears and says something, but I just dont know Her voice was trembling now. As a result, I couldnt even read fortunes correctly, and when people asked me questions, I didnt know the answer. I couldnt do anything right. No one says it out loud, but deep down, they think I cant achieve anything. Jung Myung shook her head, bursting into tears. The two of them just let the girl vent her pent-up emotions. It is quite an unfortunate thing. Seol Young said softly. The Tree Spirit God doesnt read fortunes or answer questions. He is a powerful God who holds great power over rituals and exorcises evil spirits. Even though I have such a great God to serve, this happened because no one taught me. That is right. Still, if youd had a few more years, you would have found your way on your own. You are too young. The Tree Spirit God is already disappearing from this world, and it couldnt spend much time with you. The girl could have be a great shaman if she had had a couple more years. She stopped crying and looked up. Still, everyone in this vige is kind. They never hated me, so I was able to live happily with them The problem started half a year ago. Jung Myung said. Six months ago, a powerful shaman named Sabiso arrived in our vige. With his unique powers, he won the hearts of the people. And then came the drought, which didnt stop Did Sabiso say he would hold a rain ritual? Yes. He told us that he had a wishing bead, and if we made a genuine wish for seven days, the Dragon God would grant it. She bit her lip. But isnt it quite strange? A shaman is a being that connects the Gods and the people. All we need to do is connect the link between the two Then why use a bead? A wishing bead out of everything? Then, isnt it the bead and not the God that is taking the prayers of the vigers? Seol Young nodded his head. You are right. It would be great if everyone listened to me as you did. I went around the vige and held everyones hands, but they allughed at me. They thought I did that because I was envious of Sabiso. Jung Myung let out a sigh. In the end, they continued with the ritual, and yesterday was the sixth day. I get anxious with each day, andst night I had this vivid dream. What kind? I do not have a perfect recollection of it It was a dream in which a terrible disaster came upon us. I dont know what it was, but everyone will suffer terribly. I couldnt do anything and woke up in tears. Her eyes were red again. As soon as I opened my eyes, I had this scary thought. Prevent the disaster that is about toe at any cost, and stop the ritual. It was as if someone had ordered that in my head. However, with my strength and power, I couldnt stop them. So the wishing bead of Sabiso? Yes. Thats how it happened. She said that, and Seol Young looked at her. But you cannot steal it. Sorry. I really am sorry. She couldnt raise her head. No. I didnt mean that. Zaha lifted the girl up. What this man is saying is that a good shaman like you shouldnt get your hands dirty. You are different from the fake Sabiso, so why bother? Jung Myung raised her head. Then? Instead of answering, Zaha turned to Seol Young. I was wondering why we were called here hundreds of years ago, but such a thing happened? Right. If that is the case, then we will have to stop the ritual by following the order of the person who summoned us here. And the two turned to the girl. Be confident and kick them. You need to prove to everyone who the real shaman of this vige is. You are right, but The thought of doing it seemed to scare her. Its fine. We are here. They pushed her ahead and led her out. At the same time, the ritual was in full swing. Let it rain heavily! Let the water take over this drynd! The sound of everyone praying together echoed everywhere. And together with that sound, the seventh g was raised. Ah! Jung Myung was restless. I will talk to them first. What will you say? Seol Young threw his sword at the altar. Blue Rainbow flew over the vigers heads and went straight for Sabiso. However, the opponent wasnt a normal person. ? Sabiso didnt even blink an eye in the face of death. He just responded with the long, red-tipped de in his hand. A metallic sound rang out. The sword that bounced was embedded in the altar. What? The vigers were shocked. They looked around, wondering what had happened, and found the maiden. Jung Myung! What is happening? Who are those warriors with swords? Why are you trying to spoil Sabisos ritual? T-That Jung Myung was shocked when all the vigers turned to her. I will exin. For now, stop the ritual Insolent child! Sabiso shouted. How dare you disturb the sacred altar and the ritual?! He pulled out a bundle of talismans from his sleeve and threw them. The talismans flew around, and fierce energy shot out like arrows. Soldiers! Tie up those insolent people! Numerous skeleton soldiers rose from the ground and wielded spears. Ghost soldiers? Zahas sword swept them away. All of them copsed in the blink of an eye, but they rose again. What? Sabiso is the strongest person in this world of consciousness, and no one can match him. In reality, he couldnt have been this strong. So he has stronger power here? Shit. I will stop the soldiers, so Seol Young turned to Sabiso. Okay. The ghost soldiers attacked again, and Seol Young swung his sword to knock down five to six of them. He has dealt with a lot of them in the past, so he was used to how they moved. He couldnt use his spiritual power, talismans, or summoning spells, but he was able to read their movements beforehand. In the meantime, Zaha attacked Sabiso. Come on! Sabiso swung his long de and counterattacked. The blue de gleamed, and its red tassel fluttered wildly. His sword skills were quite good, which meant he must have learned the sword from somewhere, but even so, he couldnt be Zahas opponent. Sabiso had been performing such a splendid sword dance, but when Zaha fought him seriously, his defeat was revealed after a few shes. Shiiing! Sabisos longsword was pushed back, and the back of its de was touching his forehead. His posture gave way, revealing a loophole in his right leg. Zaha kicked that leg and knocked him down. Before he could even pick himself up, Zahas sword went for his head. The vigers screamed. Mr. Sabiso! In an instant, Sabisos eyes shed. His eyes seemed to have an eerie glow. You He was angry and dodged the sword as he screamed at Zaha. Now that I see it, you are someone who should have disappeared a long time ago! The moment he pulled his hand out, something shed, and ck smoke rose. Are you trying to run away? Zaha stabbed the sword right in the middle of the smoke. Then he went stiff. For an instant, his eyes were fixed on the ck smoke. Seol Young was puzzled. What is it? He opened his eyes wide and looked through the smoke. A shape loomed, and a voice could be heard from inside. [Will you kill me again?] [Are you going to kill us with that sword again?] It was the voice of many men and women of all ages. They seemed to be weeping, full of resentment. Seol Young was surprised. What was that sound? All he had to do was subdue the guy and cut him down, but now Zaha was giving him the chance to kill him, and Sabiso wasnt going to miss that. You! A sharp de protruded from the ck smoke, and a red tassel was attached to it. ? Zaha moved and avoided it, but it was toote. The dagger that came through the smoke struck him on the shoulder. Die! Sabiso yelled. A powerful energy rose from his hand, then an aura like a bright red snake hit Zahas body. And Zaha fell to the ground right away. Jung Myung screamed, Mr. Spirit! Chapter 75: Praying For Rain (23) Chapter 75: Praying For Rain (23) Seol Young and Jung Myung ran toward Zaha. Mr. Spirit, are you alright? He seems fine Seol Young shook Zaha with a confused face. Get up! But there was no response. It seemed that he hadpletely lost consciousness. What did you do? Mirror. Jung Myung replied. I think looking at Sabisos things is like looking into a strange mirror. He used it just now, right? And that smoke was like a mirror, which She stopped talking, and her gaze was fixed in the air. Seol Young looked in the same direction. The seventh g was raised in the sky. The heavens have answered the prayer! The vigers cheered, and Sabiso spoke. The wish hase true! Water will overflow on this drynd! NO! Jung Myung stood up. At that moment, the ground shook. There was a powerful earthquake that shook everything. At the same time, water burst right from the middle of the altar. They didnt have time to do anything. In addition, they were in the middle of it this time. Seol Young was caught by the current and was out of breath. I hate He didnt even have time to look at the other people as his body was pushed into the violent whirlpool. He was swept away like a fallen leaf, and at some point, he inhaled heavily. ! The sun was shining down on him, and he got up feeling dizzy. I will kill you! Zaha stood up from behind. He was still in the mindset of attacking Sabiso. Right now, his body was fine, and it was fortunate Wait. Seol Young blocked him. Answer me first. What was it? Mirror. I know that. Looking at him, Seol Young could feel that Zaha was trying to avoid talking about it. So Seol Young was confused. I am not asking about that. I was asking what those strange voices of resentment were. Will you kill me again? and all of that. Zahas face changed. The light in his eyes sharpened, and it became opaque, as if a curtain had been drawn behind his pupils. Other people might step back, but Seol Young knew what it meant, Zaha was being defensive. So he didnt even blink. Illusion? Hallucination? Projection? It doesnt seem like that You almost caught the guy but failed at thest minute. Shouldnt we make the right move next time? The right move? Zaha got up and sat on a rock. The voices the voices of the people I killed. For real? Seol Young showed an expression of disbelief. Ive heard many times about what you did during your time as the Governor, but I never heard anything about you killing civilians. Besides, you would have been punished. Well, it is true that they died because of me. How? Because I didnt handle it properly. That evilness. Zaha reluctantly brought up the story. I wonder if that God of Cataclysm also has an effect on Yokais ^n1[TL/N: Yokais are beings that look like humans] There was a time when strange things kept appearing. Seol Young just listened to him. A demonic beast appeared on the beachside. It tried to catch people and drag them into the water, so I ran and cut off its head Zaha frowned. I still dont understand what happened that day. I think it had two heads. One was in the water, and I couldnt see the other one. There was a disagreement between the two heads, so they were fighting, but I cut off one of them, so I ended up helping him instead. The other head popped out right then and swallowed the people. And as things went wrong, people were coughing out water, and everyone drowned. Was he done? Zaha nced to one side. Well, it happened because I kept thinking about it. It wasnt the first time I thought of those people. When the water began toe up at theke Did you see them there? Seol Young remembered. Even when I reached out to save the people who had fallen into the water, their faces ovepped. It all just sounds like I am weak. Zaha stopped talking. Sabiso got away once, but I know what he will do. So you will not be taken down again? Well, I wont turn a blind eye to the mistake I made, and a person can have dozens of faces. Zaha jumped up as he said that. This is not the time to think back. And we need to find her. Come to think of it, the maiden must have started making her move again. Seol Young looked at Zahas back and thought for a moment. Should we try it? With a n in mind, he hurriedly headed for the shrine. Sure enough, the ce was empty, and just like the conversation they had, she had gone to steal the bead. Still, Jung Myung must be moving carefully, so they were able to spot her and catch up with her. Maiden! Jung Myung was shocked to be caught on her way to steal the bead. Who? Seol Young answered. We are here to help. Taking advantage of what happened before, he didnt surprise her this time and spoke naturally about the whole story, and they were able to break into the rain ritual right away. Insolent brats! How dare you monsters disturb the sacred altar! Sabiso summoned the ghost soldiers. And this time, Seol Young stepped forward. Lets change this time. He entrusted Zaha to the ghost soldiers and attacked Sabiso with his own hands. The mirror will not work on me. The Blue Rainbow sword was shining. But then Sabiso disappeared. He escaped by using a disguise. Where is he? There! Jung Myung shouted. The guy was in front of Zaha. Changing the n didnt help. Sabiso aimed for Zaha from the start, but Seol Young didnt care. You should have disappeared a long time ago! ck smoke rose from the mirror, and this time, it seemed blurry for Seol Youngs eyes too. There was a huge beast, and there were people caught by its numerous legs. They asked him in a voice full of resentment, [Are you going to kill me again?] [Will you kill us again with that sword?] Zaha raised his sword as he looked at the beast. At that moment, If I had known in advance, I wouldnt have made that mistake. A clear voice was heard. But I did make the mistake, and that changes nothing here. So look at what I have done. I will regret it for the rest of my life and pay the price for it. It was Zahas voice. No Jung Myung mumbled nkly. Before she knew it, she was holding the que of the Tree Spirit God against her chest. You cannot think like that. Numerous shadows rose at Zahas voice, and in the blink of an eye, they hit him. Die! Sabisos dagger came out of the darkness. Seol Young threw his sword to block it, and he attacked Sabiso, who was wielding a long sword. At that time. Look over there! The g is raised! The vigers cheered. Our wish hase true! Sabiso eximed. Water will overflow on this drynd! At the same time, thend shook. Another fail. Seol Young inhaled calmly, not panicking. But to no avail. A strong current swept over him. He could not resist, was swept away, and lost consciousness. The sunlight stung his eyes. He jumped and turned to see that Zaha was awake. Why did his method change again? He burst into anger. Lets go. We can try again. As many times as we No. Seol Young shook his head. I dont think this is right. As long as one was bound to the past, one would inevitably have a gap in his heart. And despite their strength, their emotions would falter, which was enough to take a man down. What was the reason? It was because, right now, Zaha was one with his sword. But Zahas sword was not aimed at the enemy but at himself. It was a situation where Sabiso decided to target Zaha alone, so repeating it a hundred times wouldnt make any difference. They couldnt get out of this ce. Then what do we do? Zaha asked. A thought appeared in his head. He knew it wasnt right, so he was thinking of other ways. He couldnt stand it. Everything was going wrong because of his guilt. What can I really do? Well, this was surely not the right way. As Seol Young was about to speak, they heard a rustle from behind, making them turn. Someone appeared through the bushes. A sky blue skirt and a white jacket, and a five-colored belt worn at the waist. Jung Myung. Ah. She was surprised and hid behind a tree. Someone was really here She nodded her head. I didnt think it would happen. I just came to check. She mumbled something. Hmm. Excuse me. I am the shaman of this vige. I am not a good one, but the moment I woke up today, I felt a strong urge that I had toe and visit this ce. And when I came here, it seemed like someone needed my help. Jung Myung said that and looked at the two. Do you need my help? Although her expression was timid, her eyes were shining with sincerity. Right. Something was changing. In the endless repetition, another small flow was created. Seeing that she went to them, Seol Young had an idea. It should be fine, right? Chapter 76: Praying For Rain (24) Chapter 76: Praying For Rain (24) Maiden, just one minute. After Seol Young asked Jung Myung for her understanding, he looked at Zaha. There is no point in doing the same method again. Your sword cant go as fast as your heart, and as a result, a gap is created, and he continuously tries to dig into that gap. It was embarrassing to even think about it. However, it seemed like Zaha hadnt thought much of it, probably because he didnt expect Seol Young to talk like that. So, any good ideas? This is not a matter of will. There is just one wayto train. Train? Didnt you say that you could do it a hundred times if needed? Then, I really want you to do that. Seol Young looked at Jung Myung again. The maiden is pretty strong too. Uh? Me? No It is true. So I am asking the maiden for help. I am not sure if it will work It probably wouldnt. But lets try it once. Seol Young looked straight at Jung Myung. You said you felt the need to help us, right? Why? Why did you feel that way? Did you see something? Or did you hear anything? There is no way a fool like me could have seen or heard But Her eyes turned clear. Her gaze turned to Seol Young and then to Zaha. That one. Jung Myung said. Looking at the painful memories of a soul is a shamans job. I looked into something of his and heard something. It is odd. When was it, though? I met you for the first time today Can you show it? I dont know. I can try. Jung Myung sighed and closed her eyes. She put her hands on her chest as she focused. And the next moment, the surroundingndscape changed. The forest vanished, and the sky was gray. And then came the sea. Help me! There was a demonic beast in front of them. A being that was driven by all the evil in the world. It was the size of arge ship, with several rows of sharp teeth protruding from its mouth. People were caught on its legs. Please save me! The people were struggling and screaming at the same time, and Jung Myung was shocked. I-I did it Everything was so clear. Rather than recalling his memories, it was as if he had re-entered the scene of the disaster in the past. . The expression disappeared from Zahas face. To experience the memories that he didnt want to recall as reality again was certainly something that required a lot of determination. But he didnt look away. Zaha looked straight at the demonic beast screaming in front of him and drew his sword. It was his duty. Hsss! With a sound, one of the beasts legs flew his way. Zaha cut it, and he jumped up to swing his sword at the screaming head. Do not avoid it. Its my fault.. The moment Zaha heard that voice inside his heart, Seol Young loudly said, But it is not your fault! The demonic beasts head flew off. Zaha looked at him from the other side. His eyebrows furrowed. What did you say? Dont bother. I was talking to myself. Seol Young replied. Blue blood gushed out from the neck of the beast. It screamed as if it were going mad. Thank you! The people tried to quickly get away from the legs of the beast that caught them. But the next moment, another head popped out. Seol Young looked at the scene and said, They were the ones who were determined to deceive the people from the start. Thats just it. Its not your fault. It just happened that way. The head that had just risen opened its mouth wide. When the other head that it didnt get along with was cut off, its movements became swifter. In the blink of an eye, it began to grab the people and shove them into its mouth. Seol Young said, It is not your fault. Zaha looked up. Why are you saying that? I am also practicing. Seol Young answered calmly. So far, I have been lucky enough to avoid it, but I might end up facing something simr to this in my life, right? If so, what should I think then? As a result of my hard work. Bodies floated up in the sea. I have decided to think that the things I cant control wont be my fault. Seol Young said that and looked back. Jun Myung looked at him with wide eyes, as if the situation made no sense. Maiden, can you do it again? Ah, yes. Although she didnt understand why, the kind-hearted girl immediately closed her eyes and put her hands on her chest. The scene from earlier reappeared, and the people began to scream. Help me! It isnt your fault. Seol Young calmly said. Zaha cut off the head of the beast, just like before. Stop being stupid. He said that and looked at the people who thanked him. Do you think I dont want to get rid of those thoughts? I just cant shake it off. Who said so? You are free to think what you want to think and do what you want to do. If you believe that you can change someones mind with just a few words, thats arrogance. Another head rose from the sea, making the people go stiff in fear. Who doesnt know that its useless to say anything? Seol Young looked at the people being dragged and said, No matter what we do, we cannot change the past. You cannot change what has happened, no matter how much you regret it. You cannot change the decision you made that day, and the dead cannot be brought back to life. The demonic beast swallowed the people and coughed them up. Seol Young looked back. Maiden? Yes. Jung Myung summoned the demonic beast again. And everything was repeated again. You cannot change the past, no matter what. So change the way you think. The past is dead, but you are still alive. A sharp sword was shed in front of Seol Young, and the head of the beast was cut off. You cannot shake it off? Seol Young mumbled. Then dont even bother shaking it off. You just have to think in a louder voice than that. Another head rose from the water. Its not your fault. Everyone would have done the same thing at that moment. The people were dragged, and Zaha turned to Seol Young. So resentful. Seol Young said. Certainly, it will be hard to forget what you have seen with your own eyes. Still, you cannot help it because it is not your fault. The beast appeared again, and Zaha cut its head off as blue blood gushed out. Stop. Now. He lowered his sword. I get it, so stop. Seol Young looked back. Jung Myung was standing there. Tears flowed from both of her eyes. Those people couldnt be saved Its not your fault. The girl mumbled and came back to her senses. I am sorry. I dont know why I am tearing up. She said that while wiping the tears with her hand. There was something different about her now, as if she looked more relieved. I dont know why the two of you are doing this Jung Myung spoke again. Why? I feel like a huge burden has been lifted. I feel like Ive been tied to a rope and escaped. For some reason, my strength is increasing. Then she looked at them with clear eyes. I have one thing to tell you. Actually, today in our vige. The moment she said that, a powerful current flowed from somewhere and swept them off. Soon, the time was up. Seol Young thought as he felt suffocated. This time, this time for sure. His consciousness was cut off. And he opened his eyes to the sunlight. This time he wasnt on a rock, but he was just lying down. Zaha was looking down. When Seol Young opened his eyes, he immediately said, Get up. He had a blunt expression. However, his eyes seemed to have changed a bit. Was it an illusion that he looked a little morefortable thanst morning? Seol Young got up. His heart ached. It seemed that his lungs were still full of water. Wait, calm down. He took a couple of deep breaths At that moment, they heard a loud rustling sound, and the two quickly looked in that direction. The branches were being snapped. At the same time, someone came into view. It was Jung Myung. The look of fear and timidity she had before was nowhere to be seen. With her eyes wide, she walked towards them confidently. She even had a knife in her hand. It was arge knife that shamans normally use. I am Jung Myung, the shaman who inherited the traditions of this vige. Jung Myung stood in front of them and spoke clearly. I came because I felt the presence of spirits here that could help me. I dont know where you are from The girl slumped to her knees. She put down the knife she had brought in front of them and looked up at the two men. Something wrong has entered this vige and is about to cause a great disaster, so please lend us your strength! She made a bold request. Both of them were shocked. This was way too different. Chapter 77: Praying For Rain (25) Chapter 77: Praying For Rain (25) There was nothing more to talk about. Fine, maiden. Seol Young got up and brushed his clothes. Lets go and end this matter. Yes! Jung Myung took the lead. I will guide you to the ce where that being is. Come this way! Ah, there is a trap there, so be careful. It was to the point where they could now avoid the traps with their eyes closed. They rushed ahead and reached the altar. Sabiso and the vigers were preparing for the ritual. They invaded the scene, and everyone looked at them in shock. Jung Myung? Those people Insolent thing! Sabiso took out the mirror right then, and the spell was activated. But at that moment, Zahas sword pierced the mirror and lodged itself into Sabisos chest. Without hesitation, he cut him down. .! Sabiso wasnt even able to scream and copsed to death. Mr. Sabiso! The vigers were shocked. How could such a thing happen? Seol Young looked at Zaha with a face of disbelief. What? And Zaha looked at Seol Young with a calm face, as if he just did what he had to do. Everyone. Seol Young walked to them and kicked Sabiso. And something fell out of his clothes. It was the shattered wishing bead. Oh! The vigers screamed. How can this happen? Since the wishing bead is broken, everything is over! Calm down and look at this! Seol Young pierced Sabisos cor with his sword. A ck, hairy torso could be seen through his robe. And then he flipped his face over and pointed to his mouth through his hair. It was a monster that looked like a roon. The vigers, who were noisy, went silent, like they had been hit with cold water. And then it became noisy again. Sabiso? Oh God! That.? Right! He fooled everyone! Jung Myung shouted and turned around. You two, please destroy that altar quickly! What is happening The vigers were too shocked to see Sabisos real face. Even when the outsiders armed with swords were destroying the altar, everyone just stared nkly at them. And this too! Jung Myung touched the long knife in her hand and swung it at the seventh pole. But the pole didnt budge. Rather, it rose up straight. Uh? Jung Myungs face changed. It was really shocking. Sabiso was dead, the bead was broken, and so was the altar. There was still some evil left. It tenaciously gathered the power of the wishes that had already spread throughout the vige. It was trying to make the wishe true. Late. Both Zaha and Seol Young felt it. Of course, Jung Myung too. And she made the decision. She turned to face the vigers. Everyone! We need to evacuate right now! Evacuate? The vigers were shocked again. Jung Myung-ah! What are you talking about now? Why evacuate? We need to get out of the vige first! Quickly! Then we should get our things We dont have time! Jung Myung shouted. We need to leave right now! She had a firm and dignified attitude, and everyone looked puzzled at her. One by one, they began to move as if they were possessed. Lets head out first! Ady with a child on her back said, and an old man hurriedly helped her. This side! Seol Young and Zaha also helped the vigers. They made sure that everyone could evacuate without pushing each other. Hurry up! Come! Jung Myung took the lead andmanded them like a leader. The moment they got out of the vige and walked ahead. Puah! There was a loud noise and an earthquake. The vige, which was fine until then, waspletely destroyed. And water gushed out from the ground. Oh my! Everyone was shocked. They couldnt believe it, even when they saw it with their own eyes. They were shaking their heads and pinching their cheeks. What is happening? How can our vige be like this? You might have seen it before Jung Myung exined it to everyone. Sabiso was not a human. He deliberately came into our vige to bring that disaster to us. Then the rain ritual A hoax. Sabiso gathered the wishes of the vigers and turned them into evil energy, saying that he would hold a ritual for rain. Let water overflow into this drynd is what he would say to make that wishe true in a wicked manner. And this is the result. Ah The vigers only then understood what had happened. They couldnt believe it, but the sight before their eyes was the proof. No. Everyone was surprised by this. We didnt know that, and we were just praying as he told us to! I thought he was a true shaman because he was good at fortune-telling and talking! All of us would have drowned there together without even knowing that! They all rubbed their arms at the shiver that ran down their bodies. Jung Myung saved us! When someone said that, everyone nodded. Right! If it wasnt for her, it would have been a huge problem for us! She said that guy was suspicious, but She had been saying that since before! I should have listened to her sooner! I am sorry. I thought you were just jealous of him. How frustrating must it have been toe out and say a person is suspicious but not be taken seriously? Everyone surrounded her and tapped her on the shoulder. You turned out to be a great shaman! Jung Myung looked around at everyone. An inexpressible emotion flooded her face. I just wanted to hear that. She mumbled and turned her gaze. The two uninvited guests of the vige stood aside for a moment. They were resolving their problems, but Jung Myung approached them. We did it! Are you happy? You have suffered so much And then she continued, It is strange. We met for the first time today, but why Mumbling nkly, the memories seemed to collide with each other. Thank you! Thank you! The faces of the vigers who were thanking her became confused. Right. How do you know them? Have you met them before? No. Seol Young shook his head, and Zaha asked, What do we do now? Well Jung Myung thought. It is sad that the vige turned out like this, but it is fortunate that everyone survived safely. And there is another thing that is good. She pointed to the blueke. There is water here. Wouldnt this solve the problem of drought in this area? Right. That is true. The vigers chimed in. It will be difficult, but since we are alive, we can think of a way to somehow live again. Jung Myung said so. Then she looked at the vigers as she said, Now then, are we going to look for a new vige? Yes. Lets do that. I will take the lead! I will try to find a good ce. Jung Myung turned around. Wait. Seol Young called her, making her look back. What is it? Didnt the maiden say that you could neither see nor hear the voice of God? But that isnt it. It is just that the bridge between the two hasnt been built yet. Uh? Jung Myung was surprised. How do you know that? Your God told me. Really? She looked at Seol Young with wide eyes, and Zaha also nodded. He told us. Jung Myungs face brightened. As I thought I believed in you! The girl turned around again. Then lets go! She stepped forward with confidence. At that moment, the world turned white, and the maidens appearance turned into light. A father holding a child by his hand, grandchildren supporting their old grandmother, a mother with an infant in her hands Everyone turned into light. The soul of the young shaman, who felt sorry for not being able to save the vigers, had been repeating the same day every day for hundreds of years. And thest shaman, who could nevermunicate with her God, repeated the same lonely day. Her two sides were now free. And the souls of the vigers who were tied together were finally set free. A round halo of light spread in all directions. It got smaller and shinier and disappeared slowly. Seolyoung watched without a word. It was different from the normal light that could be seen, and then the light began to fade away. He looked at the souls, which now seemed like twinkling stars. No matter how many times he saw it, he never got used to it. Zaha also watched it quietly. The twinkling lights left an afterimage in his eyes. How did it look in the eyes of someone who had already experienced death? And when their eyes met, Then At that moment, the world around them began to tremble. ? Zaha immediately drew his sword. He tried to attack the center that was showing strange movements immediately. Seol Young quickly interrupted him and said, No. This is the God. Something that had sunk into the depths of the world was slowly emerging. A dazzling light spread out, and vibrations that felt like an earthquake shook the area. The mask he had obtained was simrly strong. But it was even more powerful in a unique way. Even though he had expected it, Seol Young was still surprised. It was like this ! Chapter 78: Praying For Rain (26) Chapter 78: Praying For Rain (26) Seol Young stretched out his hand toward the powerful being. The moment the body of the Tree Spirit God touched his fingertips, the light that spread everywhere began to swirl and rose up like a pir in a gigantic form. Tree. The figure of a giant tree appeared in front of his eyes. Seol Young was shocked. Do you see that? I do. Zaha said. His gaze was on the giant tree, too. The old tree It seemed to reach the sky. Deep green leaves grew thick from its distant top and cast a huge roof over the ground. The sunlight spread brilliantly through the green leaves. And there were children ying at the roots of the tree that rose above the ground. The adults were leaning against the trunk and resting in the shade. Some were praying, and some were singing. Seol Young looked at the scene as if he were possessed. That is the Tree Spirit God. The ancient Tree God who lived in harmony with the people and protected all of them The light that had been spreading brilliantly suddenly changed. And then it turned into a sharp spear and surrounded Zaha. What is it? Stay still. The Tree God in front of them, like the others, hated evil things. She had a strong will to punish those who touched thend. That was why, when she felt an unknown energy from Zaha, she must have reacted. But soon, the light changed again. The pointy part of the spear became round and softer. I guess she knows what happened. Seol Young conveyed the will of the God. It wasnt a God with a heart that hated evil, but one that knew gratitude. She had a strong will to protect the people. So the light touched Zaha. I think she likes you. Seol Young said. The power of the birch tree could crush evil spirits. Yet she also had the warmth that gently caresses people with the shade created by its lush leaves. She was a God with two powers. A God who had a brave figure like that of a mother and who protected the various races of thend. [Prosperity of Family] Ancient people called the God that way. Nuri. Seol Young called out the name of the God. At that moment, the world shook violently. It seems like the Great Mother has made up her mind after the long search. How? By trying to cross this world. She was trying to get out of the world of the dead and step into the world of the living to save and help people. Seol Young extended his hand. Here. The mighty power of the ancient God passed through his hand. But at that moment, a shock as if his bones were being broken passed through his body. Zaha asked, What? What is the problem now? It seems we are a bit out of sync. Seol Young frowned. Too many years have passed since the God stepped foot in the world of the living. She tried to cross over, and Seol Young willingly epted her, but they didnt match. The giant tree in front of them was blurring, and the two worlds slowly began to drift apart. I cannot let this chance go. All the hard work they put in might have been in vain. Seol Young impatiently stretched out his hand again. But then the small lights that were around them gathered toward the tree. The blurry figure of the giant tree became clear in an instant. Both worlds came together once again. Zaha saw it too, and his eyes shone. The people of the vige? It seems like it. Their souls had remained in theke, and they were giving Seol Young one more chance. Thank you. Seol Young thanked them from the heart. Thanks to their help, the God managed to cross their world properly, and Seol Young seeded in epting her into his hands. Done. Seol Young gripped it tightly. The moment he epted the power in his hands, the two worlds, which seemed fine until then, went out of sync. The figure of the giant tree that reached the sky vanished. The people also vanished, and so did the light. Everything vanished in an instant. And A violent whirlpool rose beneath their feet, and their bodies were being sucked again. No A voice could be heard from across the water. It wont be the same once we open our eyes, right? No. Seol Young felt anxious, though. Then I will destroy every Calm down. At that moment, he opened his eyes, and the sunlight was shining down on his head. Really? Seol Young was taken aback for a moment, but It was cold below his knees. It wasnt that damned forest. He was standing on the shore of ake. The sky was reflected upside down on the water as clearly as a mirror. Only then did he feel relieved. I got out. This time. Seol Young looked at his hands. He clenched the ne tightly. It was the same one that Jung Myung, the shaman, wore around her neck. Phew A long sigh escaped from his lips, and the tension in his body until then was released as he sat down in the water. We barely made it. Right. Zaha also sat down. Days had passed under theke, but not outside. The clouds were in the same position as before, and seeing that the sky was turning red, it must have only been a couple of hours. They just wanted to rest like that, but they had important things to do. Seol Young got up. I need to test it out first. When he got up, the ne in his hand spun in the air. Zaha straightened up and stepped back. Put that thing away. It was an expected reaction since the mask he had once hated Zahas energy and tried to attack him. But Wait. Doesnt something seem odd? What? You can see it from the outside. Zaha realized it just then. Right. Thest time, the mask was invisible to the eye. But this time, it was different. Even though they were out in the real world, they could still see it, as if the God was trying to show them. It must be fine this time. Seol Young pressed on the ne. It was true. The strong power of the divine item surpassed that of the mask. Even so, it didnt seem to show any aggression toward Zaha. As expected Zaha tried to wear it around his neck, took his sword out, and swung it. Then a golden light shone brightly. It was taller than before. If two different energies were present and one rose, the other would also rise, resulting in a collision. But this time, such a thing didnt seem to happen. The Tree Spirit Gods body was in perfect sync with the aura of the God of Cataclysm. Enough now. He shrugged his shoulders. Our hard work was worth it then. His face was full of emotion. It was as if he was thinking about the hardships he had gone through. Coming all the way here and arriving at theke. As soon as he began to think, he frowned. He had an arrogant look on his face. Lets go. Wait. Lets do the ritual and go. Yes. Even after all of the things were over, he had to do the ritual to soothe the souls. And it seemed that Zaha knew what ritual Seol Young was about to perform. Seol Young took out a piece of talisman paper. And he drew something with red water. Several houses were drawn on it. Zaha looked up and asked, Vige? Yes. They said they were looking for a new vige. Maybe they couldnt find it and wandered around. So he drew a nice vige with big trees and a well. And he also made a pce as big as the vige. After ovepping the two sheets over one another, he picked up a stone. Then he tied it tightly with a string and carried it into theke. He went in as deep as he could and then threw it. There wasnt even a sound. Not even a drop of water sshing. It just vanished quietly. Seol Young stood for a while and prayed. May all of you be reborn. The stone, with the talisman and the picture, began to sink into the deep blue water. Eventually, it reached the dark ground below. He could somehow see it from above. Seol Young turned around and came out of theke. Now, this ce will also drain and turn back to normal. Then we can collect their remains and bury them. This needs to be brought up with the Governor. Zaha said that while looking at theke. But it looks to be pretty deep. Are you fine with the water now? Seol Young thought for a moment. No. Not at all. Not at all? I hate it even more now. For the time being, I dont even want to look at this ce. honestly, me too. The two turned around. And they quickly walked over the hill and stopped. Across the street, the child was returning to his vige with the donkey by his side. It was the child who guided the way. . The child froze as soon as he saw the two. Would he run away? Or was it toote to run? Those two thoughts were evident on his face. I will do it. Seol Young approached the child this time. What is your name? Se-Seobi. You look The child tried to look at them with a straight face and not be frightened. Yes, Seobi. Seol Young looked down at the child. Did you think we were ghosts? Uh? What do We are not ghosts. You shouldnt suddenly suspect that anyone is a ghost. Didnt the adults teach you? There is a way to tell a ghost from a human. What way is that? Shadow. If there is a shadow, it is human, and if there is no shadow, it is a ghost. When in doubt if it is a human or ghost, check the shadow. Aha. The child nodded and looked at Seol Youngs shadow. But there was no shadow. And he looked back up in surprise to see the terrifying face of a goblin in front of him. ACK! The child was so scared that he fell down on his butt, and Seol Young was back to himself. I surprised you now so you wouldnt forget the lesson I taught you. Be aware that doing it wrong can put your life in danger. He said that to the child. You talked to me even though you thought I was a ghost. You shouldnt have done that. When a ghost talks to you, never listen to it. No matter how curious you are, you should never listen. Got it? Yes. You are brave for your age, but bravery brings problems too. If you stick to what I said, you can live a long life. Seol Young said that in a cold tone. Still, you have the qualities to be a beginner warrior. If you do be one, the leader of your troop will have an easy time. And he took out his own que to prove his identity. He smeared some of the leftover ink from earlier onto the que and pressed it onto a piece of paper. We are Hwarangs from the capital. If you are interested in what I said, bring this to the capital. He handed the paper to the child, who was now getting up. Zaha asked, Why did it take you so long to tell him you were not a ghost? Stories normally take a long time. And the que? If a talented Hwarang appearster, make sure to thank me for it. Now it felt like he had done everything he needed to do in this ce. Seol Young walked lightly. Chapter 79: Praying For Rain (27) Chapter 79: Praying For Rain (27) While going back, they deliberately took a different route. They were just passing by anyway so was there something they could do? Maybe there was someone in trouble? Did something strange happen again? So they walked slowly and listened to the rumors. Then, when passing by the Dodong region, a story caught their ears. I was talking about a ghost in front of a mirror A woman was speaking. Mirror? Zaha asked. A ghost story? Seol Young asked him back, and the two of them approached the women who were talking and asked, What are you talking about? They listened to the woman tell them the story. A murder urred in a rich house in this area, and it became a haunted house. People went inside and stole some household items and some other things, but none of them touched the only mirror that was there. That mirror was the problem. If one entered that house in the middle of the night and talked about ghosts in front of the mirror, a real ghost would appear. As word spread, many people became curious and secretly visited the ce. Then, it was said that one or two people had passed out after seeing the ghost. For such a thing to happen Then, they had to visit as Hwarangs and investigate it. In addition, a haunted house meant free lodging, so they decided to stay there that day, and no one questioned them. The house, which was once wealthy, was now full of negative energy. A mirror was ced in the middle of the hall, which was now full of spider webs. It was so full of scratches that it couldnt even y its role as a mirror, and it was leaning against a piece of wood. Ive set up a seat for us here. The two sat in front of the mirror. They put a cloth there, along with a bundle of talismans, a rope, and many more items for summoning the ghost. Seol Young spoke to the mirror first. Once upon a time, a certain rich family was possessed by a ghost. The parents didnt know what to do, so they put the child into a sack, tied the child up, and locked the child in the storage room. Three dayster, they went inside the storage room, thinking the child would be dead, but the bag wriggled. Seven dayster, the bag continued to wriggle. Twenty dayster, they wanted to see the child dead, but the bag was still wriggling. The parents didnt know what to do, so they abandoned the house, and they said the sack was still wriggling in the warehouse even then. Seol Young finished his story. Zaha asked, Is that all? That is it. That is not scary at all. Besides, it feels like it was copied from a ghost magazine, right? The things that happen in the capital are the scary ones. Then do it yourself. A man promised to meet the woman he liked in front of a stone shrine, but no matter how long he waited, she never went. He thought that she liked another guy and tried to forget her, but he couldnt stand it because the womans beauty shone in his eyes. Eventually, the man went to a shaman and asked him to cast a spell. A spell to make the woman go to him on her own feet. And that night, he heard the sound of water dripping next to his futon. When the man opened his eyes, he saw a wet, swollen woman standing there. As it turned out, the woman had drowned while she was on her way to him on the promised day. The man was scared and tried to cancel the spell he had cast, but he couldnt stop what was activated. The woman visited him every night. Each time, her appearance became more rotten. Is that the end? No. This is thest part thatpletes this story, Where doesnt the sound of dripping watere from? Silence fell. Seol Young evaluated it coldly. That doesntplete it. You just made the story even more pitiful. Then what is not a pathetic story? Seol Young-rang, who is so well versed in ghost stories, you talk again then. This time, both were female ghost stories, so it would be nice to change the mood to a male ghost story. And so the stories about the ghost of a young master, one of an incense burner, and a ghost that wandered around the city hall of Sorabeol were told one after another. But nothing happened. After taking turns again, they talked, but nothing happened. It doesnt seem to be showing up? Seol Young began to check the energy around the ce. Was it that insignificant? Zaha went to the window and peered out. Through the round window, one could see the garden. And among the overgrown weeds, there was a willow tree with its long hair hanging down. Id be more afraid of the garden. Zaha sat by the window. Its because we keep talking nonsense. Then lets talk about something really scary. A really scary story? Zaha thought for a second. I didnt see it myself, but I did hear about it Eventually, he opened his mouth. The beginning of such stories is always ordinary. A day when nothing special seems to happen. That day was the first day for the rookies training, and it was going to be canceled due to the rain, but then the rain stopped, and the sun rose, so they continued. Seol Young listened without saying anything. Throughout the day, the training went fine, and in the evening, because of the training, they prepared a night trip. Among those, they prepared a special item for the trip. A wooden doll will be tied up in a small house, halfway up the mountain, and they will have to rescue it. A senior Hwarang went to demonstrate what to do, and they heard a scream from inside. The rookies were surprised, but they remembered what would happen on the initiation day, the day they were told about and trained for. And if they jumped in and it turned out to be a trick, they would be ridiculed all their lives, so they just waited. . The screaming stopped, and then they went in. As soon as they opened the door, instead of the wooden doll, they saw their senior tied up and dead. His body was grotesquely twisted in the most horrific ways. No one could exin who did it or why it was done. There was no sign of someone breaking in. That person died alone in that way, and not long after, the same thing happened. Another Hwarang died in the same empty spot. And it was called the Puppet Murder Case because their bodies were twisted like puppets and killed. In the end, after much suffering, they sought my help, and I found out what the cause was and got rid of it. No, I thought I solved it at that time. I didnt know at the time that it wasnt a solution but just the beginning. I dont know how many times I thought of that rainy dawn after that. Would it have changed if I had known in advance? How different would things have been? Silence passed. He looked at the garden in the dark, and the willows hair was swaying to and fro. The ghost isnting, even though I told a scary story Seol Young said nothing about the story and said, It must have run away. There was a flint in the corner of the room that someone had thrown away. It might still work, so he rubbed it. Then it was so quiet that he looked out the window. Zaha had his eyes closed. His head was tilted to the side, where the window frame was. Sleeping? There was no answer. Upon closer inspection, his breathing was slow and regr. A dead person breathing like that. It was strange every time, though Aside from that, it seemed like the new Great Mother was taking good care of him. Since the two energies within his body werent fighting, he seemed to be at peace. For him to suddenly fall into sleep meant that his body and mind were at ease. Little by little, the heavy burden he carried must have been released. On a closer look, doesnt Zaha seem like a dead man? If Seol Young had met him when Zaha was alive, maybe he would have never understood the man. But maybe it was because Seol Young had always tried to understand the minds of the dead, so he felt like he could understand Zaha. Seol Young sat there thinking that, but no ghost appeared. As expected, it must have run away. Seol Young turned the mirror upside down. He removed the cloth, the rope, and the talisman, and he made sure to purify the ce so that the ghost would never return. Then he quietly went out and closed the door. He wandered around the haunted house alone and looked around. He saw the head of a wooden doll with its paint peeling off and a silk shoe with only one pair lying around. He went from room to room to get a closer look. Lucky. A bed. Seol Young climbed up and closed the door as he fell asleep. Nothing special happened in Dodong. They walked without stopping and reached the border of the kingdom in the evening when the sun was about to go down, and they mingled with the people who were hurrying to go inside. And when they arrived at the capital, it struck them. Seol Young mumbled, What happened to the Blue Dragon True Troops? I am sure they have all headed back. Zaha answered as if it were obvious, and then his gaze stopped. Every house along the road had a full yard. There were bowls ced outside. What? Seol Young, realizing that it was strange, went there and saw a family that was having ate dinner outside, so he asked them. Has it still not rained? Yes, it hasnt. But was the demonic beast on Mount Danseok caught? Well. We didnt receive any information that it had been caught. We only know that the Hwarangs went there to catch Zaha, who heard that, frowned. They havent caught it yet? The Blue Dragon True Troops were known to have the power of a dragon, which meant they were skilled in fighting in water, and even their leader was with them. And while the two of them went to Apryang and returned, there wasnt any news of them? It was weird. Maybe we should head there. Zaha said. The two immediately headed back there. As soon as they reached the border of the mountain, they halted. A sharp whisper could be heard. It was the sound of a Hwarang requesting help. Seol Young immediately felt something. It is strange. I didnt hear anything when we were outside the mountain And the two hurriedly ran towards the mountain. Chapter 80: Praying For Rain (28) Chapter 80: Praying For Rain (28) As soon as they stepped into the boundary of the mountain, they began to hear the sound of a whistle. As they ran after the sound, they saw theke. It was a sight that made them speechless. That was how serious the situation was. The ce was so full of demonic beasts that it was hard to tell which part was theke and which was thend, and in the midst of all of that was the sh of swords with Ack!Kuak! and a series of screams burst out. It was so chaotic that one couldnt tell what was happening, but it was clear that the Hwarangs were struggling. However, there were just too many enemies. If they killed one, two woulde out. Even when the heads were being beheaded, the demonic beasts kepting. Seol Young felt a sense of dj vu witnessing this. He remembered the demonic beings he met in the tombs. The ones abnormally moving with hostility. Isnt this simr to that? As they were getting closer, they could see the Hwarangs now. Everyone was struggling and exhausted. Still, they clenched their teeth and went back to shing down the demonic beasts, and at the same time, they were sending out a request for support. The two joined them. First, Zahas spiritual qi soared from his sword, and it turned into a huge halo around theke and lit up the entire ce. It was the Golden Wheel. The light pierced the eyes of the demonic beings, making them bow their heads and scream. ACK! And at that, Zahas sword mercilessly pierced through them. Everything shattered in an instant. Now, under the protection of the Great Mother, Zaha could move without hesitation. Seol Young wasnt going to lose to him. He used his talismans to burn down those who were far away and his sword to cut down those who were close. .! When their saviors appeared, the Hwarangs regained their strength. Both sides joined forces to cut down the demonic beings. Finally, the tide turned. Compared to their speed of regeneration, the speed at which they were dying became much faster. Burning, exploding, crushing, slicing They handled the situation that way, and soon thest one fell down as well, and the Hwarangs copsed. Everyone gasped for air. Zaha asked them, What just happened? The demonic beings? There. Seo Geom pointed to theke. There was a huge corpse floating around. After a fierce battle, I killed him. But at that moment, these demons suddenly appeared and came in huge numbers, but there were just five of us, so we couldnt handle all of them, and so we asked for help, but no one came. I can see how that happened. We barely heard the whistle once we stepped onto the mountains boundary. What was that? No, why At that moment. Dududdu. ..came a loud thumping sound. Uh? Everyone looked up, and rain began to pour down. It was a cool downpour. Seo Geom shrugged his shoulders. His face was exhausted. Well Right. Now that the mission has beenpleted, lets all head back. Yes, High Governor. The Hwarangs, which were all stretched out on the ground, got up. And two of them approached the corpse. Great-rang, here. And they pulled out the flute that they had brought. Right. Seo Geom took it and wiped it with a silk towel. But then ? Seol Young suddenly sensed something. What is it? And he turned in one direction. A thick water curtain began to rise due to the rain, and from beyond it, someone appeared and walked toward them while yelling. Is it there? Seo Geom flinched. Um? A Hwarang took out a me talisman and shone it in that direction. It was also a Hwarang. He had long spiky hair that was messily tied up, and although he looked normal, his face that nced at the bunch looked bad From the Blue Dragon True Troops? Seol Young was shocked. The man was wearing the same robe as them. Was there such a man with them? He wondered and looked back. . Everyone, including Seo Geom, was shocked. Their faces were pale, as if they couldnt even think of blinking. And it wasnt just them. Zaha also seemed surprised. Seo Jun? A name that he had never heard before popped up. Seol Young asked, Who is that? Seo Geom-rangs elder brother. Brother? As he was about to ask, he felt something odd. Heavy rain was pouring down, yet not a single strand of the mans hair got wet. And not even his clothes were wet. And then he vaguely remembered hearing about it when he fought them in the past. Seo Geom-rang had a brother, but he died While on a mission with the other Hwarangs, he was killed by the God of Cataclysm. That was what he heard. So how did he appear here now? Ah. While avoiding the light that was dazzling his eyes, Seo Jun said, I was wondering who it could be. You were the ones sending the signal? He looked around, and his gaze stopped at theke. It seems to be a strong one. But it looks like the situation has been handled. And he shrugged. He looked fine. He looked like a living person, but there was this energy about him that couldnt be exined. Seol Young looked around. A small cave was visible through the trees, and after winking at Zaha, he went inside by himself and prepared for anything to appear by raising his spiritual qi. Zaha stepped forward. Seo Jun-rang. Um? Seo Jun turned to him. Governor! His face shed with happiness. Was it the Governor who cleaned up the demons? I guess I didnt have to rush here. He was grinning. Seo Geom and the others silently watched him. Seol Young realized one thing. After Seo Jun appeared, Seo Geom didnt speak. A dead personing back was such a strange thing. But werent they brothers? He should have missed him, or his unspoken feelings should have been ring up. There should have been such feelings, but nothing could be felt on Seo Geoms face. He was just hard and cold. Even though his younger brother was showing feelings close to hostility, Seo Jun didnt seem to care. Well, what kind of help can I even do in While talking, he suddenly frowned. But it is odd. It seems like I am forgetting something important. Should we head over there? Zaha cut off Seo Juns words. The cave there. Shall we go and talk there, away from this rain? Ah, yes. Seo Jun brushed his hair, which wasnt the least bit wet. It is really pouring down heavily. It rains a lot this time of year. Even on the day that I left the kingdom And he paused. The expression on his face vanished, and his face looked like he had a mask on. Seo Jun-rang? Zaha called him. Governor. Seo Jun looked at him nkly. I know what I forgot. With nk, dead eyes, he turned his way. I, I I. His lips twitched like he wanted to say something A powerful force began to rise from his body. ACKKKKKK! He screamed like he was in pain, and a light shone in both of his eyes. He was brandishing his long nails like he had gone insane. Seol Young stretched out his hand. Puak. A blue talisman moved from the cave and exploded on Seo Juns body. Then the talisman turned into lightning and struck him. A crackling of lightning could be seen on Seo Juns body, and he staggered in shock. Zaha hit him with the handle of his sword. Euk! Seo Jun copsed. Done. Zaha raised his sword and pressed it against his throat. The scream of a ghost could be heard. Seo Jun tried struggling, but in the end, his energy ran out, so he slumped. The light went dim in his eyes, and his huge nails were back to normal. Seol Young came out of the cave, and everyone in the rain looked at Seo Jun. Why. Seo Geom mumbled. What is this? Seol Young knelt down and put his hand on Seo Juns body. This is an entity. 1 Zaha asked. Is he alive? No, he just exists. Not like you said Seol Young with his eyes. He doesnt breathe or have a body temperature, but his body has a spiritual form like the spirits. But it doesnt mean he is an evil spirit. Seo Jun-rang is really here. It makes no sense. Seo Geom mumbled. His body has been cremated, so how He looked down at the man. He wasnt his older brother. He was something else. And then he looked up. What do we do? He turned to Zaha and asked. For now Zaha looked at Seo Jun, who was on the ground. I have to do something before someone sees him. His gaze moved somewhere. There is a way. Follow me. Yes, High Governor. And so the Hwarangs dragged Seo Juns body and followed Zaha. The rain fell hard, and the misty air hid their appearance.
  1. TL/N: The raws used the term entity specifically because the body isnt wounded and holds its form before he got killed.
Chapter 81: Flute Of Foreboding (1) Chapter 81: Flute Of Foreboding (1) The roadside to the capital had houses with tiled roofs on both sides. Because of the heavy rain from the night before, puddles of water remained, and the procession of the Hwarangs could be seen. People came out on the road and whispered. The beast on Mount Danseok has been captured. What? The demonic beast? Someone pointed to therge lump of iron at the end of the procession. They were escorting an iron box. It was sealed up inyers of chains and locks the size of a forearm. Because it was made of iron, what was inside couldnt be seen. Thud! Thud! Thud! The only thing they could hear was the sound from inside of it. Mom. Some kids who were close to it were startled and backed out. Be careful. The Hwarangs smiled. Slowly, the number of Hwarangs decreased, and the people watching noticed it. Among the Hwarangs who were dressed in blue were two men with odd clothes. One of them looked like a high-ranking Hwarang who had a ck robe with a golden pattern, and the other one just wore a white robe. The two men had contrasting clothes and moved a bit far from the group. What could it be? They are Seol Young lowered his voice. Not yet. Zaha replied with a snort. On their way, he handled everything well. The iron box and the symbols. While everyone was devastated by Seo Juns sudden appearance, Zaha remembered that Danseok was a ce for the Hwarangs to train. So they headed there to imprison the demonic beast. Thanks to this, they managed to hide Seo Jun and bring him back to the capital. But they had to ovee many more things. Seo Geom approached him. High Governor, what should we do now? He asked, pointing his head. With no time at all, they began to move toward the pce. Zaha said, What do you mean? Everyone will behave normally, and I will handle it with the Governor. Yes. I understand. Seo Geom moved andpletely trusted him. Do you see that? Yes, such great Seol Young pped his hands a couple of times and nced back. Seo Geom was moving farther from the procession. But about Seo Geom-rang. Isnt he being strange? Strange how? His reaction. It just feels cold The two of them didnt get along. But the other Hwarangs are also being strange. It seems like they are hiding something. You think so? What is there to hide? It must be about his death. I heard he was killed by the demonic beast at that time, but is that really true? Well. Zahas brow furrowed slightly. Come to think of it, I have only received reports about it. I didnt actually see the scene. Is that so? The conversation ended right there because they reached the capital. Outside the northern pce, Jin Rim and the officials of the Great Heavenly Pavilion were there. They couldnt enter the pce with a monster in their hands, so they came out instead. You havee? Jin Rim greeted Zaha and looked at Seo Geom. I heard you ended it safely. Yes. It was a lot tougher than expected, and we also struggled for a while, but then the High Governor arrived and helped us out. Is the thing in there the demonic beast, then? No. We just captured it because it was unique. Hmm. The Governor nodded. It wasmon to hunt and capture unique things. You did well, Seo Geom-rang. After congratting him on his hard work, he turned to Seol Young. It is fortunate that Seol Young-rang also achieved his goal. But when you were away, Baek Eon-rang was looking for you. Uh? For me? I heard that about six months ago, the White Tiger Spirit troops sent someone to the Kigun district to order a simr jade for four people. And I heard that it has arrived. Ah Seol Young remembered. Half a year ago, he never thought he would be pushed out of the group. Thanks to that, they were able to find someone skilled enough to do it, but the times were not good. I will visit him soon. With Seol Youngs answer, Jin Rim seemed shocked. It concerned the White Tigers, yet Seol Young was dying the visit. That was the kind of look he had. At the same time, Zaha nced back. Jin Rim recognized it. Something happened. No matter how nave he was, he wasnt the type to not notice it. In the past, when Zaha was the Governor, and Jin Rim was his assistant, they would often exchange eye signals. Then. And so Jin Rim took the officials and turned around. The Pavilion also seems worried with His voice faded. Together with the officials of the Great Heavenly Pavilion, they quickly disappeared into the pce. And the Blue Dragon troops were dismissed. Seo Geom approached them. Then lets go. Ah, yes. We will lead the path. The Blue Dragons turned around and surrounded the iron cage, and on Seo Geomsmand, they headed to the east of the pce. Come to think of it, Seol Young-rang. Looking at them moving away, Zaha asked, It is a pity that we couldnt run to Mount Seondo right away, so are we going to another town instead? He seems excited. Seol Young threw him a cold nce. They say that what happened to the Ghost Demon King was a disgrace to the Hwarangs. So I dont know why this man is so happy about it. The destination of the procession was now Mount Toham. Mount Toham was the mountain on the eastern side of the city. It was said that its name came from the fact that it would swallow or hold onto the clouds and mist that thickly covered the Eastern Sea. Seol Young could walk around such a ce with his eyes closed. Of course, he knew very well where they were going. It was the main base of the Blue Dragon True troops. A magnificent gate stood overlooking the spectacr view, and arge drum was hung on the door. When people who needed help visited, they would beat the drum, and the Hwarangs inside would help them. The two disciples who stood by the drum to guard it were about to shout, but when they noticed Seo Geom, they hesitated. Governor? Then, when they saw Seol Young walking next to them, their eyes doubted it. Why did the Ghost Demon King set foot in this ce? They were stunned and almost yelled out. However, the expressions of Seo Geom and the others were odd. Then the two realized the situation and guided them inside. What? Who ising? Seo Geoms uncle jumped out in shock the moment he met Seol Young in the middle of the yard. He was surprised and embarrassed to the extent that his eyes looked like they would pop out. He had focused on helping his nephew and teaching the Hwarangs, so he had never set foot outside this ce. He had only seen Seol Young again after seven years, but he recognized him right away. This person. He had a puzzled expression. He opened his mouth wide to say something, but Zaha quickly intercepted him. Euljae. Ah, yes, High Governor Euljae exchanged nces with Zaha and then threw a look of doubt and confusion at his nephew. Seo Geom avoided his gaze and ordered the others. Tell everyone to gather in the basement of the training room. Yes. They carried the iron box and went into the training room in the basement. It was a ce where they kept the demonic beings and Yokais that they had caught and observed. Everyone in a circle. At hismand, everyone went around and held a chain with hooks in their hands. Do not give it a chance. In Seo Geoms words, everyone was nervous without knowing why. Inside the iron box, there was a thumping sound. And the iron box was reaching its limit in its ability to restrain what was inside. You need to catch it the moment it is opened. After saying that, Seo Geom looked at Zaha. Then please. Zaha nodded as he stood at a distance and threw his sword. The sword flew towards it and broke the lock. Then the chain that wrapped around it was undone. Ah! Came a scream. The beast came out with a thump, breaking down the lid. Its hair was scattered, and it prepared to attack by showing its long nails. Catch it! Everyone from the Blue Dragon troops threw chains with hooks. Some of the chains snapped, but they managed to catch it. Kuak! Immobilized, it screamed and struggled. They could glimpse a humans face beneath its scattered hair. And at that moment, everyone was shocked. That face? It was only then that the beasts clothes became visible. It was torn and damaged, but it was the same blue robe they were wearing. Seo Jun-rang! Everyone was shocked. A dead person came back to life as a monster that had lost its reason. Of course, they were surprised. But is that all? Seol Young looked at their reactions. He didnt miss this moment because of his instinct. And as he thought, they werent just shocked. A heavy silence fell. There was a strangely ufortable and awkward atmosphere. It couldnt be simply exined by the fact that Seo Jun and Seo Geom werent on good terms. Look now. They are all hiding something. There was definitely a secret hidden behind Seo Juns death. And he had to figure it out. Seol Young turned to Zaha. Chapter 82: Flute Of Foreboding (2) Chapter 82: Flute Of Foreboding (2) Zaha turned his gaze to Euljae. The guy looked like he was in a dream. Seo Jun was back. As soon as he realized it, his face turned pale. High Governor! How did this even happen? I, I, I. Yes, I understand. Seo Jun-rang appeared at theke in Mount Danseok. Hearing the distress signal, he appeared there on his own two feet. I-It cannot be! ording to Seol Young-rang, Seo Jun-rang is different from normal evil spirits because he is an entity. And we need to calm him down from this state first. Yes, yes. The Blue Dragon troops all put their hands forward, and their hands began to glow in white. The pure spiritual qi of their troops headed right for the middle. It was directed around Seo Juns body, which was entangled in chains. But nothing happened. Kwaaak! Seo Jun screamed louder and struggled. Seol Young keenly observed them. The spiritual qi of the Blue Dragon troops didnt even enter Seo Juns body and was scattered in vain. It isnt absorbing it. Even though he wasnt human, he definitely existed, but that means that the qi in his bodypletely changed. Zaha asked, Is there any other way? Yes. Seo Geom took out the flute. As he blew into the flute, a soft melody yed. It was something that Seol Young heard for the first time. When he looked at Zaha, he mouthed, One Wave Moves A Thousand Ways. Ah. Was it the famous song? It was known to be the most sacred of the sacred songs. It was known to calm the mind. It softens the temper of the evil spirits and exterminates the evilness within their hearts. In theory, it should definitely work, but even that had no effect. Its usage seemed to be the problem, not the music. Crudity. Even Seol Young, who didnt know the song, felt that the melody was quite rough. It was different from when the guy yed a melody in theirpetition at the temple. The music he was ying now was uneven and shaky. Stop. Zaha interrupted. Come to think of it, the only way Seo Jun-rang can be suppressed is with Seo Geom-rangs flute, but no matter how much you blow on it, it seems to be useless. I am sorry. It is alright. Even if Seo Jun-rang had be like this, he was a member of the family, so it might be ufortable. It would be right for an outsider to step in. Seol Young, try it. Yes. Seol Young stood in front of Seo Jun, who was tied up. KUAK! The guy screamed, and Seol Young threw a talisman at him, who ran away. But what is this now? All of them fell. As I thought. Seol Young wasnt too shocked at this. A huge guardian deity appeared with his top naked on the training ground, and the deity gripped Seo Juns shoulder with his hands. Euhhh! Seo Jun wriggled to resist. But the guardian deity didnt budge. It held him harder. . The Hwarang troops and everyone present watched the scene without blinking. In their eyes, it seemed like Seol Young was just standing there. But that wasnt true. It is stronger than before. Now Seol Young was applying spiritual power to Seo Juns body through the guardian deity. The proof was that the hands of the deity were glowing blue. However, Seo Jun didnt seem to be weakening. His strength seemed to be closer to physical strength. Zaha looked at him from the other side. His brows twitched slightly. He is being stubborn. It was that kind of gaze. Put your head down and do something. With the protection of the Great Mother, you dont have to worry about the aftermath, even if you use your strength. Wouldnt it be better if you took over? He was thinking that, but Zaha wouldnt step forward, so Seol Young shook his head. I need to do this on my own He steadfastly infused spiritual power without changing his facial expression. Memories of theke came rushing to him. Applying the technique that Sabiso used, he made a thin line with spiritual energy in the air and used talismans. It worked. Seo Juns body, which was standing straight, finally became limp, and the light in his eyes vanished. Even his long, outstretched nails retracted. Seol Young managed to do it. Phew All the Hwarangs who were nervous could rx now. Everyone sighed. This should have bought me some time. Euljae put shackles on Seo Juns limbs and turned to Seo Geom. Let us go out and talk. Everyone turned around. Then, Seol Young said, Wait. ? Everyone turned around. Seol Young picked up the talisman that fell to the ground on his first attempt. It is quite strange. Zaha asked. What is? These talismans should appease the spirits of the dead. However, as you saw, none of them touched Seo Jun-rangs body. What could this mean? You used the wrong talisman? True. In other words, Seo Jun-rang wasnt killed by an evil spirit. The faces of all members of the Blue Dragon troops hardened. Seol Young continued, Not just that. The attitude of the Hwarangs of the Blue Dragons towards Seo Jun-rang was quite strange. It seems like there is something hidden about his death. This means you were covering something up. Everyone went stiffer at this. They couldnt intervene because Seol Young was talking with the High Governor. Seol Young-rang, what do you mean by that? Zaha asked. At the time, I received a report from the Blue Dragon troops as follows Six Hwarangs from each troop, including Seo Jun-rang, had lost their lives after being killed by the God of Cataclysm outside the capital. And is Seol Young-rang now iming that it is not true? I do not know about that case, so how can I talk about that? However, something is quite odd here, so please investigate it. However, there is no way you are trying to say that it is the Blue Dragon troops who had concealed the identity As if that werent the case, Zaha looked at them. All of them were pale. In the next moment, all those below the level of Seo Geom bent down, and Euljae too. He screamed, scared of Zaha. Is this true? High Governor! Euljae spoke in a trembling voice. No. It may seem like a coverup of the truth, but how could we have dared to do that? We just couldnt tell the High Governor at that time about the death of What do you mean? How did he die? Was it not because of an evil spirit? That Euljae was unable to speak, so Seo Geom said, My hyung killed the five Hwarangs who worked with him. What? Zaha was surprised, and Seol Young was too. He thought that there was a story behind it, but he never imagined such a thing would happen. When we found him, it was already over. Seo Geom spoke calmly. The sight was horrid. And it was obvious that Hyung was the one who stabbed the five Hwarangs with his sword. Some of the corpses even showed signs that Hyung used his skills on them. Everyone was shocked by it. Euljae continued from there. I thought there must have been something that had happened there. So several of us wanted to visit you and discuss it. At the same time, something bad happened to you, and we were not in a hurry. He said. Not good? What happened? Seol Young was nervous. But Euljae didnt continue talking about it. That was why we didnt tell you, and after that, we tried to reveal the truth, but there were too many evil spirits running around, and it just skipped my mind After I finally came to my senses, you told us you were leaving the capital His tone hardened. Its not that we did that on purpose, but please consider the circumstances and understand why we had to do it. We had no intention of lying to the High Governor. We will dly admit the sins wemitted. Zaha said nothing. He looked at Euljae, who had his head down, and said, Euljae, that is enough. I was just surprised since it was my first time hearing it, but what do you n to do right now? It was also my fault that I left too abruptly in the first ce. No, High Governor. But even though it is clear that Seo Jun-rang killed Hwarangs from the other troops, no one was charged with murder. Everyone hid it until now. That I get it. Yes, High Governor. Euljae nodded. As you guessed it, looking at the situation at the time, several troops came to this conclusion: Seo Jun-rang was said to have turned into a Disfigured Spirit. A Disfigured Spirit. Seol Young looked at Euljae. That was something he hadnt heard in such a long time. It referred to the soul of a person being transformed. It was rare for people to go through it. At least, it was onlymon for people who had frequent encounters with evil spirits. He heard that eight years ago when the God of Cataclysm was running rampant, there were many Hwarangs who had lost their lives. And so, did they feel it? Or did they think that the unknown energy was from Seo Jun? A Disfigured Spirit happens when a soul bes tampered with, so anythingmitted after that will not be charged as a sin. No wonder many didnt want him to be charged with the crime. Zaha nodded. That is understandable. But I havente up with a solution. And if he returned like that from a state of decay, what should be done? I dont know. I have never seen a Disfigured Spirit either. Seol Young thought for a moment. Anyway, we need to find out why Seo Jun-rang came back and solve it. I think everyone agrees with it. And then he looked around. You would agree that it would be difficult to let him escape. In fact, Seo Jun-rang is not a living person, but he can freely move. Just like how he first appeared. Everyone sighed. He thinks he is a living person and chooses not to leave a certain ce, so it is better to act carefully around him and not trigger him. And we need to work on that. Seol Young thought as he drew a talisman in the air and attached it to Seo Juns body, which was unconscious. And then he drew a small version of the same talisman and put it on his wrist. With this, when he wakes up, I will notice it right away. Seol Young asked, Id like to look up some old records. Can I use the library? All the people present turned to Seol Young and just stared at him. The fact that Seo Jun, their eldest, had ended up like this was a huge scar for the troops. And just because the problem was hidden doesnt mean no wrong wasmitted. So they had to reveal with their own mouths what they had erased from their memories for the past eight years. And they had to do it in front of Seol Young, whom the troops had hated in the past. I pretended so haughtily to him. They knew Seol Young wouldugh in their faces. But he didnt. Without another word, he only thought of helping them out. Rather unexpected. Everyone was so lost that they didnt answer. May I use the library? Ah, of course. Euljae answered first. Then Seol Young began to walk away. Me too. Zaha followed. Hey, Seol Young-rang! Do you even know where the library is? Ah, I get it, since you broke it down And then they continued to talk. Seo Geom just looked at their backs and turned around. Uncle, go to the prison and prepare it. And he ordered the other Hwarangs. Make sure to do the seal right. Yes! The Hwarangs ran. After a while, the door of the Blue Dragons base was firmly shut. Chapter 83: Flute Of Foreboding (3) Chapter 83: Flute Of Foreboding (3) House of Nothing, the library of the Blue Dragon Troops. The mountains that could be seen through the window were beautiful, and the back of a great blue dragon with bristling scales seemed amazing. Seol Young mumbled. The scenery is nice. Actually, he didnt really go to the library for the records. He wanted to be in a quiet ce away from the others. And since there wasnt much about the Disfigured Spirit, it was much better to learn about it from someone who had witnessed it firsthand. Wasnt there someone who hade across it? When he looked back, he saw Zaha waiting. It sounds like the scenery is nice. Did you see anything nice? My eyes are working fine. It didnt seem like that before. Dealing with his spiritual power like that, dont you realize that even if you go out of your way, it wouldnt be worth it? The one who doesnt know anything is the High Governor. Seol Young answered. For me, this ce is like the center of the enemy lines. I wouldnt look down on them just because they showed me their weak side. Otherwise, I might really turn into a target for their arrows this time. For that reason alone? Zaha said, as if he couldnt understand. I wonder if they can still attack you now that their troops have a big problem? You never know. How can you be sure that they wont be angry or attack me first just because theyre quiet now? Even if you are on alert, it cannot be helped Zaha was about to say something. What was wrong with being alert? Seol Young looked around. This library was the ce where he had previously ordered his demonic beasts to be destroyed. How was he sitting here like this? As expected, you never know what happens in the world. With that thought in mind, he looked at Zaha. Anyway, I tried to be moderate this time. It seems like the spiritual power of Seo Jun-rang is bing stronger, and if he wakes up again, it will be difficult to calm him down. We need to get clues soon. He was deep in thought and looked serious. Zaha said, The more I think about this, the more confusing it is. Six Hwarangs returned from a simple investigation mission and were attacked by the spirits but the truth was that Seo Jun-rang killed them? Zaha mumbled as he walked through the bookshelves. Does a Disfigured Spiritmit suicide? Right. Of course, I know that there are cases where the spirit returns in a short time. But this is Seo Jun-rang we are talking about. Seol Young turned to him. What kind of person was he? Seo Jun Zaha said. He hated the sword. A Hwarang? So what? It might not be the right fit for him. Then he should have stopped. How can the eldest son of a famous family do that? It was painful for him. Because he was the type of guy, who hated swords and liked poetry and jokes. He was someone who couldnt bepared to the brilliant younger brother he had. He added that right away. It may sound like an insult, but I actually liked Seo Jun-rang. Because he wasnt sane? Do you have to say that? There is nothing wrong with wanting something else. It was surprising that he liked someone for the personality that they had. When Seo Jun-rang did well, I would congratte him, saying, Ah, you did great. Even when his father would scold him, the man never gave up. I see. Not just me. But many people actually liked him. However, Seo Geom hated his brother. He couldnt stand how he didnt have any talent. Seol Young didnt have to see it to know, and he asked, Was there anything strange about Seo Jun-rang before it happened? Not at all. Zaha shook his head. Its normally like that. First, it happens without warning. A person who has just beenughing and talking suddenly turns into an evil spirit and hurts their family and friends. And the second? Too many forms. There is no big change in their appearance. Only their eyes change, or they turn into monsters. In some cases, they even grow horns, and their nails be longer. And the third? It is impossible to turn back. From the old days until now, there has never been a case where a person who had lost his nature returned to his original state. Because their souls havepletely changed. Zaha looked out the window. And because of that, everyone was afraid of bing a Disfigured Spirit. As the evilness intensifies, one never knows when it will change and turn into something crazier. That is why I began to look for the Yin-Yang que. Right before a soul bes tainted, at least the Yin-Yang que can show the signs of it. Seol Young listened and asked. Then what did you do? If the que showed signs I was prepared to kill them. And what about the exceptions? No. Zaha said. Anyway, the important thing is this. It is true that the que changes when a Disfigured Spirit gets close, but just because there are abnormalities in the que doesnt mean everyone is tainted. For example, you. Yes. So Seo Jun-rang seemed to be the same to me when he first appeared. He seemed fine. Zaha spoke. All of the times I used my sword to cut them down were done neatly. Was it because he didnt die at my hands and killed himself? What Euljae had said came to his mind. -At that time, the High Governor was going through tough times, so we didnt rush Looking back at his face as he said that, he felt a sense of dj vu. He had a cautious attitude, as if he didnt want to talk about something personal. It reminded him of the attitude Jin Rim had when he met Zaha. -And his sister had a third child Jin Rim said that, but then he regretted saying it as well. Is it something bad rted to his sister? As Seol Young thought about it, Zaha looked up. He seemed to notice it. Did you think of something just now? Seol Young was shocked, but Do I have the time to think about something else? Instead, he hardened his face. At that moment, a blue light shone from Seol Youngs wrist. Seo Jun was waking up, which shocked them both. Already? They thought he would be asleep, at least for the night. They hurried outside, and it was already noisy. HAAA. Seo Jun was in the middle of the yard, yawning. When I opened my eyes, it was already morning, I should really drink in moderation. Seol Young doubted his eyes. How is he out? Could it be that he had already begun to break free of the constraints of space? I dont think so. Sa Hyun, the 4th member of the Blue Dragon True Toops, said with a pale face. Looking at the situation, it seems like he did it on his own. Seol Young asked in disbelief, On his own? If it is Seo Jun-rang, it is possible. What do you mean? When Seol Young turned to Zaha, he didnt seem to know anything either. We forgot one important thing. What is it? Seo Jun-rang was a genius when it came to escaping, and since he was young, he would always run away from home. Uh? His father locked him up too. So the way he would escape always changed. He was always modifying the shackles and locks He never thought of this. Seol Young was lost for words and looked at Seo Jun. Yawning again, Seo Jun looked at his clothes. Look at this mud. Where did I roll aroundst night? Did they kick me out because I didnt pay for the drink? He didnt even know why everyone looked so shocked Seo Jun spoke and acted normally, like a living being. It will be a mess if he sees He looked around and found the trainees. Can someone get me clothes before my brotheres? As soon as possible! The trainees were shocked. That, clothes What about clothes? There are no clothes. What? My room should have lots of clothes! Go! Seo Juns voice rose a little. They should never provoke him. Everyone knew that, so they didnt know what to do. At that time, Gyeon Yun, the third member of the Blue Dragon True Troops, ran hurriedly and stood in front of the frightened trainees. You asked for your old clothes to be thrown away, and you said that your new clothes had to be tailored for the festival. He responded wittily and held out someones robe. Ah, right. Now Although the situation was creepy, Gyeon Yun mustered up the courage and tried to put clothes on Seo Jun. But the moment he was about to touch his hand Do not touch me! Seo Jun yelled. A strange aura rose from his body, and his face twisted. Is he going rampant again? Seol Young was about to jump out. But Zaha blocked him. No. He pointed at Seo Jun. His face, which looked like it would explode, went nk. What was it? There was something very important Seo Jun mumbled like he had something to say. Then he moved his lips a few times as if to say something, and then he stopped. His strange aura slowly subsided. Well, thank you. He quickly put on a new robe and tied his hair. I just realized now that even my shoes are a mess. As was his habit, he put his hand on the tree next to him and tried to take his shoes off, but he stumbled. Uh? Where did the tree go? The tree I nted? That. I took it down. A cold voice said. Seo Geom walked with the Hwarangs, and he looked straight at his brother. That is too much. Seo Jun shook his head. I was the one who came drunk. What did the tree do wrong for you to cut it down? It was such a precious tree It wasnt cut down. It died. Died? No, why did a tree that was fine until yesterday die? Seo Jun asked, puzzled, and his gaze stopped in one ce. What happened to the library? Why did you tear down a perfectly fine building and build a new one? He looked horrified. Where did my music sheets go? They burned. Seo Geom said. Seo Jun was shocked. Did you. I didnt burn it. Seo Geom looked at his older brother. There was tension between the two. And Seo Juns face changed. Come to think of it, I forgot something important He mumbled, and the unknown energy began to grow thicker again. Seol Young stepped forward again. Zaha nced at him. Did you forget what you just said? You said you were going to let go of it this time. I tried, but I didnt think it would be like this. This is my responsibility. The idea that the Blue Dragon Troops gave him a reason to burn down the library didnt change, but if Seo Jun-rang was someone whose truth had to be uncovered, then he needed to help. Because I was the one who ordered the spirits to run rampant here. Seol Young thought so and stepped forward. I burned it. Seo Jun looked at him. Who? Im Seol Young, a Hwarang. Ive never heard that name. Seo Juns eyes shed. What were you thinking when you came here and burned down my music sheets? A strange aura rose. It felt like his negative emotions were fueling it. Dangerous. Seol Young raised his spiritual qi in one hand and confronted Seo Jun. Meanwhile, in the Moon Pce, Jin Rim was having a meeting with the three Hwarangs of the White Tiger Troops. The festival ising soon, so I hope you will all pay special attention to He thought for a while and added, Ah, Seol Young-rang hase back. Is that so? All three of them looked happy. We should go and see. If it is about the que, I already told him. But right now, he has a task on his hand. Are you saying that his trip to Apryang didnt go well? No. I heard that it went well, but they went straight for the Blue Dragon Hall because they had something else to do. The Blue Dragon Hall? The three were startled. They couldnt say anything with the Governor right in front of them, so they greeted him goodbye and went out. Is it about the supernatural cmity? Hyo Wol mumbled, being a bit on the edge. At the Blue Dragon Hall Seo Geom was not the type to hide his ill feelings toward Seol Young, so everyone was aware of them. Song Ok looked at Baek Eon with a hardened face. Could it be that something bad happened? Is Seo Geom-rang hurting Ah, would he do something like that? At Hyo Wols words, Song Ok said, I dont know. He is an insane person. I dont know what he would do with Seol Young. And then they turned to Baek Eon. Lets try to find out why he went there. He thought for a while and then nodded. Finding out about it wasnt wrong. Coincidentally, some Hwarangs were passing by, and Baek Eon grabbed one of them. Have you seen the Hwarangs of the Blue Dragon True Troops? We saw a few of them a while ago, but they were in a rush due to a summons order. They all said. It looks like they are closed. Closed? Yes, we dont know what is happening, but it seems like everyone apart from them is being prohibited from entering. Then what about the visitors? They said things like, We cannot let anyonee. What? The three of them were shocked. We need to go. Everyone hurriedly turned around and followed Baek Eon. Chapter 84: Flute Of Foreboding (4) Chapter 84: Flute Of Foreboding (4) At the same time, things were bing more unusual for the Blue Dragon True Troops. Why did you burn my music sheets? Seo Jun asked again. The emotion in his eyes was hostile. Seol Young hesitated. How do I answer? He didnt change his thoughts about the responsibility he wanted to take, but he was worried about how to respond back to Seo Jun, who seemed clearly hostile. At that time Seo Jun-rang. Zaha suddenly came out and said, You left and came back, so not everything will be the same as before. Seo Jun was surprised only then. Governor. He put aside his angry expression and bowed. You came here. It was such a pity that we had to part ways at Mount Danseok yesterday suddenly He said it with a smile on his face, then paused. Mount Danseok? Wait, was I drinking there? What Danseok? Yesterday, we met at the ce next to the bridge. Ah! Right! Seo Jungs face was nk again. But what are you talking about? The music sheets. But it was because of a fire. Forget about it. I will ask for the music sheets to be made. No. Then go buy some alcohol. No. Seo Jun nkly replied. I shouldnt drink alcohol. Why? I dont know. I just feel like I keep forgetting something. Something Something? No one shoulde close to me Seo Jun began to back away. His lips twitched as if he wanted to say something. What was he trying to say? Seol Young stared at him. And his lips that were struggling finally made a sound. It was not a word. But a whistle. Seo Jun tried several times to make a sound, then shook his head. It isnt working well. And he looked at his younger brother. You remember? When you were seven years old, the two of us went somewhere together. Seo Jun asked. Remember? Remember! Seo Jun shouted. An unknown aura thickened around him. It looked like he would lose himself soon. It should have been He raised his empty eyes and mumbled. And then he tried to whistle again. Seo Jun-rang. Zaha spoke calmly. What happened to what I ordered? I told you to find out who harmed the people in Angang. Ah. Seo Jungs expression changed again. His eyes brightened and went back to normal again. The dangerous atmosphere disappeared. Right. You told me to go and take a look So, did you go there? T-That. Did you forget again? N-No. Lets go inside and talk. Yes. Zaha took him and turned around. Everyone sighed, but at that moment, they suddenly witnessed the door of the hall open. They could see a tablet on a wooden tform. It was the memorial tablet of his father, and next to it was a memorial tablet with Seo Juns name written on it. There was no time to stop him. Seo Juns gaze was nailed in that spot. That? It is nothing! Zaha said so, but it was toote. Upon seeing his name on the memorial tablet, he felt frustrated. The light in his eyes shone. Kuaaak! A groan erupted from his mouth, and he went berserk as he swung his huge ws. Hyung! Seo Geom couldnt stand it any longer and drew his sword. Why are you doing this? Is it still not enough after the disgrace you caused our family? How long will you be doing this? He cried out loudly, and at that moment, Seo Jun hesitated. However, he screamed and attacked Seo Geom. Before there was even time to respond, he picked up his younger brother and threw him away. Seo Geoms bodynded on the ground. Demon Resisting Godly Palm! At the same time, Seol Young activated his technique. A topless giant had appeared, pressing Seo Jun down. But what was this? Seo Juns ws cut him down. As expected. He was bing stronger with time. If one could get out of the constraints of their original space, then it would be even more troublesome. Seo Jun-rang! Get yourself together! Zaha brandished his sword and attacked. It wasnt to hurt the man, but to subdue him. However, there was no way Seo Jun could understand it, so he just rushed over. I said, get yourself together! Seo Geom jumped up. Everyone attack! He shouted while wiping the blood from his mouth. That is not the Seo Jun-rang whom you know. Kill him! Everyone jumped in, and a chaotic situation began. The techniques of the Blue Dragon Troops poured out, but Seo Jun was too swift. shing in the east and then in the west, he was able to trample on them. Seol Young-rang! Try luring him! Zaha shouted. Seol Young summoned the Thunder God. Right in front of Seo Jun, blue lightning shed. Seo Jun tried to avoid it, but Zaha blocked him. He used a sharp sword attack, and Seo Jun was surrounded. Got him! Many shouted. But at that time, arge stonentern flew up from where Seo Jun was. Seo Jun, who was driven to a corner, showed his wit. He blocked Zahas attack and, at the same time, attacked the side. Ah! Everyone fled in surprise. In the meantime, Seo Jun quickly turned to the back. He is running away! Stop him! Seo Geom gritted his teeth and shouted. Never let him go out! No matter what! Yes! Everyone ran after Seo Jun. Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Blue Dragon Hall, two disciples stood in front of the tightly closed door. Because they were given an order by Seo Geom, they guarded it with a stern face. They looked to the side at the same time, and there were peopleing up along the mountain road. They were Hwarangs in white and ck patterned robes. Then the faces of the disciples changed. Arent those Baek Eon-rang, Song Ok-rang, and Hyo Wol-rang? They politely bowed. What are you doing at our hall? Baek Eon, who received their greetings, said, I came here to talk about something with Seo Geom-rang. The two disciples went pale. I am sorry, but our hall is currently closed due to some circumstances. No one can go inside until our leader gives us the order. But this is important. Go and tell Seo Geom-rang that Baek Eon hase to meet him. The two disciples had troubled looks on their faces. We cannot do that. We have been ordered not to let anyone in. Baek Eon spoke again, maintaining a soft tone. Arent the entire troops of the Hwarangs one? If there is something big going on inside, the three of us will do our best to take it down. If Seo Geom-rang understands our intentions, he will not say anything. If he shouts at the two of you, I will take full responsibility. And then he stepped forward, but the disciples blocked him right away. No! It is not possible at all! It felt like something really bad was happening. Baek Eon was trying to stay as calm as he could, but he was bing more and more suspicious. Are they really doing something unjust? On the other hand, Song Ok and Hyo Wol were losing it. What is Seo Geom-rang intending to do? The Hwarangs have to be fair in everything, so what the hell is this secret thing that is happening? Song Ok spoke harshly. Baek Eon-rang is on the same level as Seo Geom-rang! Even if you are from the Blue Dragons! Are you saying that you will listen to the words of one leader and not the other? Hyo Wol also protested. The two of them were the type to speak first and listenter. As they raised their voices loudly, the two disciples were losing it. But still, they held their ground. It is not possible! Well, even if you say that! Absolutely not! While arguing like that, a noise suddenly rose from inside the fence, with people shouting and swords shing. And all three of them were surprised. When they looked up at the roof, it was sparkling. A blue light shed. ! All three of their faces changed. Wasnt that Seol Youngs technique? Are you still going to stop us? They broke through the door, and it was a mess inside. Swords shed in all directions, with the Blue Dragon Troops lying here and there. Song Ok grabbed one of them. Where is Seol Young-rang? T-That. The Hwarang was out of breath, and it was then. This way! Catch him! Do not let him escape! They heard themotion. And the three hurriedly ran towards it. The moment they arrived in the backyard, they saw a shadow in front of their eyes. And all of the Hwarangs were chasing after it. Stop! Baek Eon blocked their path. Song Ok and Hyo Wol hurled themselves to surround the shadow. Seol Young-ah! We are here! It is alright! They grabbed the arm of the shadow and looked at it. At that moment, he raised his head, and through his hair, they could see his eyes were shining. Euk! What is this? Song Ok and Hyo Wol screamed at the same time. Chapter 85: Flute Of Foreboding (5) Chapter 85: Flute Of Foreboding (5) Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol all went pale. What is this? Where did Seol Young go, and from where did this monstere? While they looked shocked, the monster attacked. Long sharp ws cut through the wind and attacked. The three of them raised their swords and struck back. It wasnt an ordinary monster. It seemed like the monster was using both its hands and feet, but there werent any loopholes. It wouldnt be so difficult to surround it if they hadnt mistaken it for Seol Young. Just what? The three were shocked and attacked, and their swords began to encircle the monster. Like a tiger attacking its prey, holding it tightly in front of its paws, they overpowered the monster and knocked it down in an instant. The moment they barely took a breath Eldest-rang! Second-rang! Third-rang! Seol Young was surprised and ran. He heard the voices of his hyungs and ran to see them. How nice! Besides, it seemed like the three of them were able to catch Seo Jun, so without waiting, he swung the Blue Rainbow sword. Seo Jun screamed. Hearing that, Zaha ran over, and a golden aura flew like a whip and hit Seo Jun. No matter how tough he was, he couldnt remain unscathed after receiving such blows in session. Hooo Seo Juns body staggered. At that moment, Seo Geom ran. Where?! Here! The Hwarangs of the White Tiger Spirit Troops eyes widened. What is this? The ce was a mess, and one thing was certainthis was miles different from what they were thinking. First, Seol Young wasnt alone here; Zaha was here too. Second, Seol Young wasnt being chased by the Blue Dragon; he was chasing something with them. And the target was a monster dressed in the robes of the Blue Dragons. Baek-Song-Wol finally understood. Seol Young came to help catch the monster. The reason the troops closed the doors to their hall was not to let the monster out. The three knew nothing. We made a big mistake Song Oks face was red, while Hyo Wol wanted to crawl under a stone. Baek Eon was so embarrassed that his earlobes were all red. Seo Geom looked at them. They thought Seol Young was being imprisoned here and came in without another thought In the end, it was a good thing. Seo Jun was very familiar with this ce. He knew every corner since he grew up here, so he could run wherever he wanted. He had an idea of where the holes and side roads around the ce were. His family was a mess because he managed to sneak out every time. And while they struggled to catch him, the three Hwarangs from other troops were able to catch Seo Jun. Thanks to them, he was caught. Thank you. Seo Geom bowed his head and greeted them. Entering through the closed gate was something no one should do. The three were relieved only then, and Hyo Wol stood tall. Well, this why is this ce a mess? How did this happen? What monster is that? Allow us to take a look at what it is. Silence fell. The Hwarangs of the Blue Dragon Troops had aplicated expression. What was wrong with what he said? Hyo Wol was puzzled. Seo Geoms sword was raging with spiritual qi, and it turned into a me and wrapped around the de. It was a technique that Seol Young had never seen before. What? You dont know that yet? Zaha said. Look at the center. As instructed, Seol Young looked at the center of the me. And he was surprised. Is that clear qi? Clear qi was the essence of the soul. It was the most precious form of spiritual qi. Right. That is the Asura mes of the Blue Dragons. It is a technique that requires sacrificing ones life to burn down the opponent. In terms of its principle, it is like giving flesh to burn down bone. Do you know what that is? Of course, he knew. He had seen it in Zahas memories. It was a technique of luring evil spirits and imprisoning them inside ones body, thenmitting suicide. It was a way to annihte enemies by giving up ones soul. This was the same. Zaha said. Of course, Seo Jun-rang isnt even up to the level of the God of Cataclysm. Even if he uses the Asura mes, he will be able to recover it back. However, for those who consumed their clear qi, it was not something that could be easily resolved. Everyone wants to continue living, so who would want to shorten it? It would only happen when one hated the opponent. Seo Geom pointed the sword at his brother with a face of resentment. Both Seol Young and Zaha opposed what he was nning, but they just watched him. The tip of his sword was trembling. At that time, Euljae came running and cried out in shock, No! Seo Geom barely managed to pull it out. Baek Eon and the others were shocked. What is happening? Who is that monster? He looked at Seol Young. Do not be surprised. Seol Young said. It might be someone youve never imagined. Zaha also added, and he strode over and brushed off the scattered hair of the monster, which had fallen to the floor. His face was revealed through his hair. ? Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were shocked. As if they had been hit on the back of their heads. A familiar face appeared so suddenly that it gave them a headache. The name was buried deep in their memories. Seo Jun-rang? Zaha nodded at the strangely muttered name. Right. It is Seo Jun-rang. Uh, how The eyes of the three looked helpless. Then they headed back to Seol Young. What happened? Seol Young sighed lightly. I will exin everything. They went back to the library to talk about what happened. How they had run into Seo Jun, how they caught him, how he was running berserk Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol couldnt keep their mouths shut. They were the same. Until now, they knew that Seo Jun-rang was killed by an evil spirit on his way back from a mission. I cannot believe this Baek Eon expressed his sincere regret. Killing five Hwarangs and thenmitting suicide. He couldnt imagine what it would be like to go through something like that. He thought Seo Geom had be too violent and cruel for some reason. But such a horrid thing happened. Baek Eon opened his mouth. When we briefly ran into each other, I didnt think Seo Jun-rang was a human Yes. Seol Young replied. Even though he acts like a living person, at some point, he loses his reason and runs out of control. Even then, when he wakes up, he is fine. And he carefully voiced out what he had been thinking, Looking at this, he doesnt seem like a Disfigured Spirit. In order to be a Disfigured Spirit, the soul needs to changepletely, right? And no matter how we look at it, Seo Jun-rangs condition goes back and forth between being normal and not. If he is a Disfigured Spirit, is that possible? But Seo Geom spoke with a strange look on his face. Unless its that, my brothers condition cannot be exined. In what way? First, his sword skills. It is impossible for him to stab five Hwarangs to death. It would only be possible if he had been possessed by a spirit that gave him strength. Seo Geom spoke in a calm tone. Second, at the time the five Hwarangs were stabbed by my brother after a fierce confrontation, my brother wouldnt have been able to endure the injuries. It can be exined that his nature changed after being possessed. And if he isnt a Disfigured Spirit, then arent we talking about a bigger problem? Do you think he could kill five people on his own? That is a delusion! Seo Geom-rang. Zaha called out. Just because we want it doesnt mean that it is the truth. The more you look into it, the more you think there is more to it, right? We need to find the truth behind this at all costs. He was in deep thought. At that time, a total of six people, two from each troop, left for the mission. I remember that it wasnt a difficult task Yes. Seo Geom, who clearly remembered those times, nodded. The mission was to head to Bihwa and find out the cause of the frequentndslides. And as feared, it wasnt some spirit but a natural urrence. But it happened on their way back Silence fell again. Then, suddenly, the sound of a flute flowed through the wind. The melody was very calming and pleasant to listen to. Was it Master Euljae? Seol Young understood it right away. In the past, when he fought with the Blue Dragon Troops, he heard Euljae y the flute many times. Did you give the Divine Dragon verse to your uncle? At Zahas question, Seo Geom nodded. Yes, Uncle requested it. As the High Governor knows, I am not great when ites to ying soft notes, so he said he would do it. Judging by the sound, it seems that the transfer has just finished. Transfer. The confinement. A prison for the most serious crimes, where there will be no escape. Seo Geom stood up. Then lets go to Uncle. He greeted Zaha and looked at Baek Eon. Shouldnt the White Tiger Troops alsoe? How can we not? Bae Eon shook his head. This isnt an incident that only concerns the Blue Dragons. It is for the entire Hwarang troops. In order to reveal the truth behind Seo Jun-rangs death, I think it is right for the White Tiger Troops to do everything in their power to help. And he sighed lightly. At that time, our people werent selected for the mission because of our small number, and so the others had to send in two. However, if the circumstances were different, then it would have been us and not your troops who might have gone through it. Then Seo Geom-rang would havee to help us, right? He showed his intention to help fully. Seo Geoms pride wasnt touched. Seol Young, who was listening, remembered something. Wait. The words that Baek Eon-rang just said. They contained meaningful information that he hadnt thought of before. Right. Thats what it was. Chapter 86: Flute Of Foreboding (6) Chapter 86: Flute Of Foreboding (6) At this time, Song Ok and Hyo Wol were making the same expressions behind Baek Eon. They knew that everything he said was right, and they would obey him unconditionally. Seo Geom looked at them for a moment. The rtionship between these two troops was awkward, and everyone knew it. Seo Geom nodded his head without saying a word. Then I will leave. Then Zaha went out of the library. Only the outsiders were left inside. Seol Young looked at his three hyungs. Sorry for worrying you. First, he apologized. I heard from the Governor. That the que had arrived, and as soon as I heard that, I really wanted to go, but first, I thought that the issue about Seo Jun-rang had to be handled Of course! Very well done. Baek Eon said that right away. If you had abandoned everything ande even in such a situation, we would have been disappointed. We didnt teach that to you. But it was wrong of me to make you worry. I have thought about writing a letter, but Seo Jun-rangs business was too sensitive for the Right, right. Baek Eon smiled. It isnt right to divulge such things anywhere. You did the right thing. After hearing his praise, Seol Young felt relieved. In his heart, he wanted this moment tost forever. But The situation was bing moreplicated as the realization that he wasnt a Disfigured Spirit became clearer. Seol Young looked outside. No matter how difficult things get, I will make sure to solve the secret behind Seo Jun-rangs death. Yes, yes. So, I guess I need to leave. I also need to ask Seo Geom-rang about something. Um? The expressions of the three changed a little. Seol Young looked at them. Right. Do it well. Baek Eon said. Seol Young nced at Zaha before leaving. In the past, he would have never left Zaha with his hyungs, but now that he knew his story, he was no longer as cautious as before. But still, it wasnt like he was leaving three rabbits in a wolfs den. Then, High Governor, I will leave. He greeted him properly, but his heart felt other emotions. He wont bother my hyungs, right? Seol Young looked at Zaha with such questionable eyes. And finally, he looked at Baek Eons face before he left. Zaha mumbled, I am quite shocked. He looked at all three of them, who were silent. Together, they were all staring at where Seol Young had left. Zaha asked, What is it? Ah, that Baek Eon smiled. This is a bit unfamiliar. In the past, he wouldnt have done things like this He wouldnt have done things like this? Who is the other one? Isnt it the Blue Dragon True Troops? Hyo Wol continued. When we think of the past, he wouldnt have cared what happened to them. He no, with Seol Young-rangs personality, he wouldnt even bat an eye if this ce was destroyed. He would even help knock it down. Right. That is why it is weird. His enemy is in trouble, so why does he care? He didnt evene home. He came here, saying he would catch Seo Jun-rang along with them What could this mean? Is it because he loves catching ghosts? But keeping it a secret is surely strange. Song Ok said. To think that he was so considerate of the other party that he dyed meeting up with us. It is such an odd situation. When I heard about it, I thought, Who is this guy? Besides, what does this mean? He used to avoid even seeing the shadows of the Blue Dragon True Troops Hwarangs, but now he goes and casually speaks with Seo Geom-rang Baek Eon mumbled, unable to believe it. How can he change like that? Right. Song Ok, and Hyo Wol chimed in. Only one thing has changed. All three of them turned to Zaha. From the moment they saw Zaha in the Hwarangs Hall when they were just kids, they liked the man and followed him everywhere. Baek Eon smiled. It has been a while since Seol Young-rang left the White Tiger Troops and received good lectures from the High Governor, and he has now changed like that. As expected, you are amazing. Can you tell us how you changed that stubborn guy? He looked at them. My only role is to watch him. Do not think about anything else. He told them clearly and then arrogantly added, But since my personality is good, he couldnt help but be influenced by me. You mean Baek Eon smiled again. Does this mean that you admit that Seol Young-rang is not the supposed evil being that will ruin this nation? I guess you all want to believe that. The High Governor is much more intelligent than us, so you must have seen through everything from the start. However, you continue to follow him without saying anything about him being suspicious. Doesnt that mean that you have something to say? I dont have anything to say. I dont even believe in myself. You must have been wanting to ask that. But the three didnt back down. Rather, they got closer to him, making Zaha quite shocked. What are you doing? Hyo Wols eyes shone. Since we are already here, I would like to ask you something. Meanwhile, Seol Young was going down the narrow stairs of the training grounds, guided by the Blue Dragons. When they reached the end, a stone chamber could be seen. He is your brother. Euljaes voice could be heard. I need to find out why he has returned like that and it is true that Seol Young-rang had solved many supernatural cmities When he heard their conversation, he felt a bit embarrassed to enter, but then the Hwarangs announced his arrival, Seol Young-rang hase. Euljae went silent. Seol Young entered the stone chamber, and he looked at the ce that was illuminated with candles. It was a prison. But there was a transparent wall where the iron bars should have been. And he could see Seo Jun tied up, unconscious, behind it. Seo Geom, Euljae, and two other Hwarangs were keeping their eyes on him. Seol Young looked at the transparent wall. This is? A prison that confines those who havemitted the greatest crimes here. It is the Crystal Prison. Seo Geom responded. This is not a real solution to the problem. This is a wall that cannot be broken down with weapons. Even if all of the ck Tortoises came, it wouldnt break. He drew out his sword and struck it against the wall. Kang! There was a loud roar, and the wall shook greatly, but there wasnt any scratch on it. There are no locks in this prison, and only the person who cast the spell on it can put the prisoners inside and bring them out. Hence, those who are trapped inside have no way out. I see. Im asking just in case. What is Seo Jun-rangs experience of escaping from that prison in his life. None. Then it seemed like he really couldnt escape. Then. Euljae put the Divine Dragon Flute in his mouth and began to y a song. The melody felt songuid. Leaving everyone else behind, Seol Young and Seo Geom went outside. Seo Geom grumbled. Even if we do this, he cant escape. If that ever happens, I will run out of patience. Arent siblings known to test each others limits? Seo Geom nced at him. If he escapes, I will catch him. If he escapes again, I will catch him again. Isnt it normal to be tired? Not really. Talking to the dead isnt always easy. Besides, Ive made up my mind to uncover Seo Jun-rangs story somehow, so no matter how difficult it is, I wont be exhausted. Why? You have never met my brother Do I need a specific reason? Its just because I believe its the right thing to do. Seo Geom-rang, you dont follow your own principles? Silence fell. Would this guy shoot Seol Young in the back? Such a thought crossed his mind, but Seo Geom just stayed silent and didnt say anything. Seol Young looked at him. Anyway, does Seo Geom-rang agree that there is a story behind it? That is probably why he hesitated. . He didnt answer. Seo Jun-rang behaves the same as he did when he was born, but he isnt entirely the same. For example, did he hate others touching him? No. Why does he keep whistling? The living can act without meaning, but the dead cant. Each of their words and actions has a meaning. There must be a reason why he brought up the story of your childhood. No. That is all a lie. Where would I have gone with my brother when I was seven years old? There is no such thing. Seo Geom cut him off. He had a rough tone, and his attitude was stiff, but he was still answering all of Seol Youngs questions. Considering how he viewed Seol Young, it was quite surprising. If he did something wrong in such a situation, everything would be a mess. Any keepsakes? Taking advantage of that, Seol Young asked him. Do you think there would be any? I got rid of all of Hyungs things. What about the sword he used? Shouldnt it have been kept separately? Dont say such a thing! Why would we keep a sword that tarnished the name of the Hwarangs? Its been a long time since we got rid of it. But maybe there are other swords left? Since the other swords didnt tarnish the name of the Hwarangs, they must have been enshrined in a Sword Tomb. What are you talking about? What other swords? My hyung just had one sword. The sword of the other Hwarangs. I heard what Baek Eon-rang said. He said that at the time of the incident, there were two Hwarangs from your troop and two others from different troops who went on the mission. Seol Young said what he had been thinking about. In other words, in addition to Seo Jun-rang, there was another Hwarang from your troops. Even if his body was returned to his family, wasnt his sword enshrined in a Sword Tomb? Seo Geom responded, Yes. A Sword Tomb was a grave for swords. It was a safe space where the sword of a deceased Hwarang was kept so that no one could touch it. If Seol Young said he wanted to see it right away, Seo Geom wouldnt have allowed him. However, Seol Young first spoke about Seo Jun and then guided the conversation. He was forced to admit the existence of a Sword Tomb. Hae Cheon was the name of the Hwarang, but he lost his life at the hands of my hyung. The sword he used was ced in the Sword Tomb. Then we can read something through that sword. It is called Memory I know. I saw it too. Seo Geom cut off his words. At the time when the Demonic Sword incident happened, Seol Young used the corpse to show what had happened, and they realized the murderer had taken the form of Sa Daham. But it is too old. It does not matter. If a strong spiritual power is infused into it, we can see traces of decades or even centuries of memories. Seol Young spoke confidently. It is clear that Hae Cheon-rang was killed, so there must be a strong impression of his thoughts left on his sword. If we can use his sword, then we can take a glimpse at what happened that day. Seo Geoms eyes shook slightly. It was a bit tempting. Chapter 87: Flute Of Foreboding (7) Chapter 87: Flute Of Foreboding (7) Seol Young could see that Seo Geom was interested in what he was saying. So he uttered it again. Its not that I am taking the sword out of the Sword Tomb, I dont even have to take it off its stand. Then? I just have to touch it once. In addition, arent the swords being cleaned regrly? Its not much different from that. Even if I perform a spell, there wont be any problems. Seo Geom looked at him without a word. Seol Young was really talking a lot. He didnt have the usual nk face that he had. There was a glint in his eyes as if he wanted to know the truth. Is he really sure of this? The Sword Tomb was like a shrine. But it wasnt a ce that Seol Young couldnt enter. He was also a Hwarang. And he said he wouldnt take it off the stand. Wouldnt it be fine to try it out? Just like what he said, unless there was a problem with the spell But can this mans words be trusted? What happened seven years ago was still clear in his heart. But he had the desire to clear the doubt. Was there no other way? I get it. Seo Geom finally nodded. He turned and headed deeper into the chamber. After walking for a while, a shrine came into view. There were trees that twisted and coiled like the body of a dragon, guarding the surrounding area. The ancient pirs were dyed red under the setting sun. In the most solemn ce in the shrine, there stood a square door made of stone. It was the Sword Tomb that enshrined the swords of the Hwarangs. The Sword Tomb was a sanctuary for the troops, so outsiders were not permitted to enter. The Hwarangs were the only ones who could see it. That was why Seo Geom had to open the door himself and guide Seol Young. Come in. Seol Young followed him inside. Inside, thenterns were bright, and there was a smell of old stones and a faint smell of incense. After passing through the front room and the passage, the Sword Tomb came into view. The swords of all the Hwarangs of the Blue Dragons who died with honor were enshrined there. Here. Seo Geom immediately went to a certain spot. This is the sword that Hae Cheon-rang used during his entire lifetime. He pointed to a sleek, long silver sword. Judging from the fact that he found the sword at once, it meant that Seo Geom visited this ce several times. It was probably because of the guilt that someone died because of his brother. Then start. Yes. Seol Young stood in front of the sword and bowed to it. I am Seol Young, who once worked for the White Tiger Spirit Troops, and I am a simple Hwarang now. I am here to reveal the secret behind Hae Cheon-rangs death. After introducing himself, he knelt down in front of the tomb and bowed. He bowed with sincerity, and his forehead touched the floor. Seo Geom looked nkly at him from behind. He isnt starting right away. Seeing Seol Young bow politely despite their bad rtionship, his stone heart softened a little. On the other hand, when Seol Young saw that Seo Geom was being silent, he felt wary. Wasnt he in the middle of the enemys base? Seo Geom fell for Seol Youngs words for a second, but he didnt know when the man would change his mind. He might suddenly stab or kick me. He thought that it was too quiet. Still, it was clear that Seo Geom wanted to know the truth, so he wouldnt kill Seol Young right away. He got up with that thought and straightened his back. Then let us start. First, he gathered spiritual qi in his hand. The blue light that gathered lit up the stone wall on the other side. Seo Geom saw it and asked, It seems to be old. Can you use such a strong power? Isnt it different from normal bodies? Seol Young looked back and said, At that time, I looked into the memory of the time of death, but we will go further back this time. Further back? Yes. If Seo Jun-rang isnt a Disfigured Spirit, then what really happened then? That is what I will try to find out. Seol Young turned back to the sword. If there are still any shadows left, Sword Spirit, please let this junior know. What was the reason that the six Hwarangs died? What is the truth He reached out his hand as he spoke politely. He supported his arm with one hand and carefully ced his fingers on the sword. The cold, smooth sheath touched his fingers. Show me. Seol Young closed his eyes, and a buzzing sound entered his ears. The metallic sound ringing in his ear was louder than he thought. Some thoughts vanished, and some began to surface. Suddenly, as if a fog had been lifted, he could see clearly. The day after tomorrow, we will arrive at the capital. Someones voice came up. With that sound, a certain vision began to appear. Some Hwarangs were walking in front of him. As he looked at them, he noticed there were two Hwarangs from the ck Tortoises and two from the Vermillion Birds. They are on their way back from the mission. Seo Jun-rang? Just as he thought that, a hand approached him from the side. The hand was holding a bottle. Hae Cheon-rang! Thirsty? It was Seo Juns voice. Thank you! The guy reached for it and soon brought it to his mouth. Euk! He said that as the smell of alcohol stung his nose. Everyone burst intoughter. The Hwarang from the Vermillion Birds looked back. Seo Jun-rang! You cannot fill your stomach with alcohol. Dont do such things for a while! They saw several thatched-roof houses along the foot of a mountain. It seemed that a small group of vigers lived there. Is anyone here? The Hwarangs entered the fence and called out, but no one answered back. Is anyone here? The door was left open. The Hwarang from the ck Tortoises looked inside and shouted, Look at this! Beyond the wide, open door, corpsesy face down. It looked like they were killed while trying to run. All of their faces were stiff with fear. The wounds? Everyone looked at them in shock and went outside. They scattered around, searching the other houses. There is a body here too! Here too! They saw corpses strewn everywhere. None of them were hurt. They were just dead, with stiff faces of fear. Seo Jun looked around too. Just what happened here? This is bad. It would be better for us to leave this ce for now and report this to the Governor. The ck Tortoise Hwarang said that with a serious look on his face. And with Zaha being the Governor, they nodded. Right. That is right. Come on, lets get out of here now. They all turned around, but then Umm A thin groan could be heard from the piled-up bodies. The Hwarangs were a bit shocked, and they stepped outside. They pushed away some of the bodies and pulled out an old man. He is breathing! The two Hwarangs of the Vermillion Birds pulled out the old man. Elder! Are you awake? He looked around and shouted in surprise. What is this? Hae Cheon also approached them. What is that? He tried to peer over their shoulders, and Seol Young also looked as Hae Cheon-rang moved. At that time, Tak. There was a small spark, and the field of vision turned ck. And then the Memory Projection ended. Why? Seol Young opened his eyes, feeling odd, and Seo Geom stood there, looking confused. You said.. It wasnt a failure. Seol Young said. It is not umon for the spell to be halted with force at times. Either it offended the spirit, or there was something at work that made the soul repulse it, or it was something we werent allowed to see. So what did you see before it was stopped? What was it? Something happened on their mission, on their way back. They passed by a vige at the foothill Seol Young briefly recounted what he had witnessed. Seo Geom listened to him. At that time, all six of them didnt return from the mission. No one knew what had happened until the moment of their deaths. So it was his first time hearing about the vige. Such a thing happened? Seo Geom was lost in thought. Everybody died with terrified faces? Was there just one survivor? And what is strange about the old man? Why are you surprised? There is no point thinking about it here. Let us try again. Seol Young stood, facing the sword. We need to uncover the truth behind Hae Cheon-rangs death. Please help us one more time. He bowed again, and the Memory Projection resumed. All sorts of chaotic scenes happened. But this time, it felt like he could uncover something. Soon, his eyes brightened. I am too weak Came a voice. The two ck Tortoise Hwarangs wereying the old man on the ground. He is dead. The old man seemed to have stopped breathing right away. A Hwarang of the Vermillion Birds shouted in surprise at the shock, and his colleague asked, Is it bothering you? It seems strange. We cant be mistaken, though, right? Something must have happened here. Let us talk about it after we report it. Did you record it? Yes. I tried to record it as urately as I could. Would you like to see it? The two looked at the paper and exchanged their opinions. One survivor was foundan old man. That was what was written down. I need to see it. Seol Young gathered more spiritual qi into his fingertips and infused it through the sword. The scene in front of him became clearer. Seol Young concentrated on the paper. What is that? Chapter 88: Flute Of Foreboding (8) Chapter 88: Flute Of Foreboding (8) However, even after pouring out so much spiritual power into the sword, the paper was still opaque. It was because it was just a projection. Even the best of those who could see through memories couldnt see much beyond the memories of the dead. In other words, Hae Cheon didnt see the contents of the paper even until his death. Even so, there had to be a reason why the sword was showing it to him. I shouldnt forget this. That paper Seol Young made sure to remember it and focused back on the memory. Hae Cheon looked at the two Hwarangs right then and shouted, Seo Jun-rang! Its finished. We can leave now. But no answer came. Hae Cheon mumbled, Did he sleep somewhere again? He left his colleagues and headed to a house. He passed by the house they had first discovered and hesitated a little. He could see Seo Jun-rangs back, who was standing. Hae Cheon asked, What is it? Did you find anything? Seo Jun looked back and smiled like it was nothing. Just looking around. I was curious what a vige house would be like. Such carefree words. I do not wish to stay here any longer. They told me that we can leave now, so lets go. The two got out of the house. However, when they returned to where the party was, they saw something strange. Now, here. One of the Hwarangs was passing something to the other three. They couldnt see what it was. What is it? Seo Jun approached them and asked, making all of the Hwarangs turn to him. How about we show it to Seo Jun-rang and Hae Cheon-rang? Im not sure. It may or may not be true. They both wouldnt know either. They werete earlier and didnt even get a good look. Enough. It is all because we are on edge about all of this. Lets head back fast. And they headed their way to the road. Seo Jun no longer cared and walked away, but Hae Cheon couldnt do that. He approached the ck Tortoise Hwarang and asked, But what is it? What happened? It is nothing. The man shrugged. It was just that His answer was so low. Sounds of scratching could be heard, and at the same time, the vision began to fluctuate violently. ? Seol Young frowned a little. It was strange. The sword that he connected with was very cooperative with his touch, but strange things continued to happen. It meant that there was some other force at work. I am sure I will be pushed out again soon. But he wanted to watch it a little longer. Seol Young infused pure energy into the sword through his fingers. Since it was a skill used by the White Tigers, the energy didnt collide but helped it instead. Please hold on a little more. The blurred vision became clear. It was raining. The ground began to be uneven as the rain continued to fall, and red eyes shone through the thick mist of water. Demonic beings. Various demonic beings sneaked up on them, but they brought them down with their swords. Blood and rainwater sshed in all directions, and lightning shed. It was unreasonable for them to go further like this. Then someone pointed to one ce. Isnt that a hut? There was something resembling a small hut in the pouring rain, and the group hurriedly headed there. It was an abandoned hut with no one inside. It was old but strong enough to withstand the rain. The group barely caught their breaths. They took off their wet robes and lit a fire. They took out dry things to start a fire and cleaned the ce. We can pass the time here. Since everyone was exhausted, they all either sat down orid down. Hae Cheon alsoid down. At the same time, he nced to the side, and Seo Jun was staring at a Hwarang from the ck Tortoise. What was with him? He wondered, but he was too tired to care about such things. Hae Cheon fell asleep right then. How long was it? He heard strange noises in the middle of his sleep. It was the sound of something being stabbed and a groan. .? Hae Cheon got up, and in the dark, someone drew a sword and stabbed a Hwarang. Hae Cheon was shocked. Seo Jun-rang! His shout woke up the others. What happened? Turn on the lights! Someone hurriedly tried to turn on the mes, and after a tter, the hut shone. At that moment [Open your eyes!] Came a loud roar. A voice was shouting at Seol Young from beyond the space. And Seol Young opened his eyes in shock. ? Stone dust fell from the ceiling. The ce was shaking like there had been an earthquake. All the swords in the tomb were rattling. Thenterns also flickered as if they would go out at any moment. You said it would be fine! Seo Geom was angry and aimed his sword at Seol Young. Seol Young pointed to the side. It was supposed to mean, Its not because of me. Even if he was violent by nature, his eyes werent blocked. He looked up and recognized it right away. The problem was outside. There was this bloody feeling of death that was creeping into the passage from the stone chamber. Seo Geom lowered his sword, the Half-Dragon Sword. What is that? Well. Probably. Seol Young used talismans against the bloody mist that was flowing inside. The fog dissipated with a sound, but it soon gathered again. Something outside seems to have caused this Numerous things appeared and swayed around thenterns. Shadows began to rise. One, two, and then ten, which soon became twenty. The stone walls were filled with shadows. The next moment, a sword that was enshrined came out of its sheath by itself. It began to move and Swish! It cut through the wind and attacked them. Chang! Seo Geom blocked it. At the same time, another sword came, and Seol Young hurriedly knocked it down, but his wrist felt numb from the collision. What? Why are the Sword Spirits attacking us suddenly? There is a misunderstanding here. Then! Seo Geom put his hands on his sleeve, only to realize that he had left his flute to his uncle. He raised his sword instead. I am the leader of the Blue Dragon True Troops! He showed it to disy his authority. Immediately, the Sword Spirit took the form of a huge blue dragon. It pierced right through the mist and ran wild, spreading its energy everywhere. The vibrations slowly subsided, and it became quiet. As expected. Seo Geom said. All the swords in the tomb floated. ck, ck. And they came out of their sheaths. They all rained down on the two. At that time, on one side of the library, the voices didnt stop. Right. I wondered why the money pouch that I had given to Seol Young was with the High Governor. And that child gave it to you himself? Right. Which means he gave it. Eh, as if that can happen. That guy values what we give him far too much. Even if the emperor himself gave it to him, he wouldnt care much about it. And giving such a valuable thing like that to the High Governor That is why you stopped me. No. It means that at that time, he was already full of respect and admiration for the High Governor. Surely you get it. At that time, did you see Seol Young-rangs expression or hear his tone? Was it for me or for the three of you? We have known Seol Young for ten years now. We are right. Song Ok and Hyo Wol took turns talking to him, while Baek Eon said nothing. However, his expression clearly showed that he agreed with what the two were saying. In the past, the opinions of the High Governor and ours were always at odds. Well, lets get it over with. The next Next? You said there was only one thing. There is something else I am really curious about. What if Enough. Zaha blocked their words. I really want to ask something. How the hell has everyone been? As far as I can remember, you people were the most decent ones of the troops, so why do you lose your temper when ites to Seol Young? These three were stingy with their emotions. And then evening all the way here too It wasnt my order, so it doesnt concern me. There. You know now. Zaha looked at the three and said, Baek Eon seems like he is kind to everyone, but you have clear boundaries in your heart, so you do not allow anyone to step in. Song Ok judges a person very quickly. . Hyo Wol gets along with everyone, but in fact, you have better insight, and you will never allow anyone to get close to him unless you approve of them. All three of them couldnt say anything. It was the right analysis, as if he had seen through their characters. I dont understand how it has turned out like this. Apparently, it has been like this for thest eight to seven years, so isnt this the right time for you to turn back to your original selves? If it is hard, I can help. Lets see how many. When he said that, something wriggled in Zahas chest. He paused and put his hand inside. The ne of the Tree Spirit God was trembling as if it wanted to say something. Seeing Zahas face change, the three of them asked, What is it? It seems like something happened to your youngest. Uh? The three of them jumped up in surprise. Chapter 89: Flute Of Foreboding (9) Chapter 89: Flute Of Foreboding (9) At that time, the sound of metal resonating loudly could be heard from inside the Sword Tomb. The swords continued to sh with sparks shing. Senior! Calm down! It is me! Seo Geom was shouting as he hit the flying sword. Six to seven of them would attack and bounce back. And they would crash to the walls, only to fly back at him again. Seniors! Stop calling out seniors Seol Young threw a demon-breaking talisman and stepped back. As expected, the talisman fell without causing any damage. It was because the opponents were not evil spirits but sacred swords. What? What is That means we need to run. Seol Young swung his blue sword. And it shed with the other swords. This way, fast! But Seo Geom didnt even move. Wait! He looked at the swords flying around them with sharp eyes. Isnt this the right time? We cannotmunicate with those seniors anyway. We need to go out, find the culprit, and get rid of it. He barely managed to break through the onught, and Seol Young turned around to get out. But then Not yet! Seo Geom pushed Seol Young aside with all his might. Was he nning to use Seol Young as bait and get out alone? The thought crossed his mind but that wasnt it. Dozens of swords suddenly appeared in the spot that he thought was an escape route. They poured mercilessly at the spot where Seol Young was just about to pass. It was as if silver rain was falling. Oh, God. Seol Youngs heart went cold. If a human had been there, they would have been shredded to pieces. How can that be? A sword suddenly appeared out of thin air. It is the Death Door. Seo Geom replied. Seol Young finally realized it. Werent those swords flying randomly? How can a Sword Spirit move that randomly? It is a Sword Formation. Among them, it seems to be the ancient he Hundred and Eight Cloud Dragon Great Sword Formation. Judging from Seo Geoms tone, it seemed that he himself wasnt entirely sure. Then how could Seol Young know about this Sword Formation? If Seo Geom didnt push him away, then he could have been gravely hurt. I was so shocked. He ended up saving me! Seol Young decided not to say anything about it. Seo Geom-rang, where is the Life Door? Damn it! That is the problem. My father passed away too soon, so I didnt learn all the techniques. The two of them blocked the swords, but it was only to escape the crisis from time to time, and it did not bring about a big change in their situation. The Sword Formation continued to change. They were pushed into a corner, and the swords continued to attack. A sharp, booming sound echoed right next to Seol Youngs face. One sword grazed his head with great force, and Seol Young urged Seo Geom while blocking it, Seo Geom-rang! I am an outsider, so I dont know anything about this formation. Lets try something quick! If we are found dead here, who will uncover the killer? Hearing those words, Seo Geom raised his energy to the limit. A low glow shone all over the chamber. If my calctions are right, the Life Door is there! And then he ran ahead while blocking off the swords. Seol-young hurriedly followed and continued to observe the surroundings. He didnt learn the Sword Formation or know anything about it, so it was useless for Seol Young to continue observing it. It was clear that he couldnt do anything, so he just gave up. So instead, he looked back at the bloody mist. The flow of the fog caught his eye. It was spreading, stopping, and then spreading again. It would be still and then move It felt like it was moving, be still, and then moving and bing still again. It wasnt unfamiliar. That is that it? Seol Young suddenly remembered and shouted. Seo Geom-rang! I think I know! What? I know what made them all move. I saw itst time. Do not talk nonsense. Where in the world did you see the Sword Formation that is our troops secret? Not the Sword Formation, but the fog. The movement of the fog isnt so unfamiliar, so I thought about where I saw it and at the temple on Mount When the story of him being humiliated during the match against Seol Young came up, he flinched. However, he immediately straightened his expression and asked coldly, What about the temple? The flute that Seo Geom-rang yed. The flow of the fog is so simr to the sound that controlled the demonic beings. How can sight and hearing resemble each other? It does. It is a melody. A melody that controls the Sword Spirits. Then A creaking sound cut off Seo Geoms words. Sparks flew, and his body was pushed back a step. The Sword Formation had changed once again. The swords rushed at them again. There was no time to exin further. Seol Young quickly mumbled. answer the call! A gigantic figure appeared in the stone chamber, which glittered with sword light and aura. It had a mane that zed like mes and clear eyes. It was a lion with a wide chest. The Sword Spirits of the Blue Dragon Troops flew like rain and pierced the body of the lion. But the lion didnt care as it opened up its mouth and roared. Kwaaang! The sound created an echo, and the Sword Tomb shook. The sound hit the walls, creating endless waves of sound. At that moment, the swords that were flying toward them began to fall at once, and a nging sound echoed in all directions. ! Seo Geom looked at Seol Young in surprise. Seol Young exined, As I thought, my guess was right. A certain melody has been controlling the Sword Spirits. So I made a louder sound to stop the melody from reaching here. And he spoke with pride. Look, Seo Geom-rang. I am telling you to use your head. Seo Geoms face crumbled. It was because what he just said meant that he had no brain. Normally, he would have been angry at such words, but he couldnt afford to do that now. Lets escape first, was what he thought. Taking advantage of the moment when the Sword Spirits were on the ground, they escaped the chamber and ran through the aisle until they reached the entrance. The door was strongly sealed, and Seo Geom raised his spiritual qi to the maximum. We need to break through! While the two of them tried to break through the door, they began to hear loud bangs from behind them. Already? When they turned around, the swords were flying again in the darkness. But then they heard a deafening sound from the outside, and a brilliant golden light shone from the cracks of the door. A blush spread across both of their faces. Here! They shouted while blocking the rain of swords. After a couple more hits, the sealed door broke open. Seol Young! Seo Geom-rang! The three White Tiger Hwarangs jumped inside, and their eyes widened as they looked at the swords flying toward them. I dont know what the situation is! Zaha swung his sword around again and again. A golden aura began to rise like a whirlwind and attack the swords. Even the Sword Spirits couldnt recognize this energy. The moment he paused, they were all swept away by the whirlwind. They were both pushed out right then. Seol Young and Seo Geom pulled themselves up, and the three Hwarangs shut the door. That was how they were able to get out of the chaos. It felt like years had passed inside. How? When Seol Young asked with his eyes, Zaha pointed to his chest. The Great Mother must have given him the hint. He felt grateful for it. I have nothing to say. I couldnt control the situation. Seo Geom lowered his sword, and at that moment, everyone thought the same thing. Seo Geom didnt even think of using this opportunity to kill Seol Young, which meant that the situation was that dire. Zaha said, There is nothing to me. At least Seol Young-rang must have been the one who did something. No. Seol Young said. The Sword Spirits attacked first. I was just trying to look into the memory of Hae Cheon-rang, who died Memory Projection? What did you see? That But he didnt have the time to tell them. Seol Young looked down at the bloody fog that covered the ground. First of all, its a big deal right now. What kind of sound awakened the Sword Spirits and manipted them? Did you hear anything on the way here? Everyone went silent, and only then did they hear it. A sound buried softly in the wind. A very low sound that seems to cut off but continues again. A whistle. It was a song on a flute. But it was being done in a different manner. Its nature seemed extremely negative, so it had the opposite effect. It wasnt calming anything, but it was waking up the spirits instead. This! Seo Geom was enraged. Everyone followed him to the training grounds. They ran down the stairs and reached the Crystal Prison. All the Hwarangs that were assigned there had copsed onto the ground. The inside of the prison was empty, and they could see Euljae lying face down. Seo Geom was shocked. Uncle! Chapter 90: Flute Of Foreboding (10) Chapter 90: Flute Of Foreboding (10) Seo Geom quickly turned over the body of his uncle and checked his condition. Uncle! Seok Hong-rang! Neung In-rang! The three Hwarangs from the White Tiger Divine Troops checked the conditions of the other Hwarangs. Fortunately, it didnt seem like something serious happened to them. All three of them were in deep sleep. I think Hyung blew a whistle inside, manipted them somehow, and then activated the prison Seo Geoms face turned pale as he was speaking, and he touched Euljaes arms. It is not here! What? The flute! Everyone was surprised. Euljae had borrowed Seo Geoms flute to calm Seo Jun down, and now the flute was missing. Zaha asked, Can Seo Jun-rang handle that divine item? Yes. He did for a while right after my father passed away And if he can escape from here. This way! Seo Geom ran out, and as they all ran, a high pavilion came into view. They could see the back of a person standing there. He had a flute in one hand, and the hems of his clothes were fluttering. Seo Jun was standing in the wind like that. He looked like a man who didnt know where to go or what to do. It would be best to persuade him to give up the flute, but Zaha lowered his voice. He is so unstable that we never know what will happen. You have to prepare by thinking that he might suddenly y the flute. Yes. Everyone nodded. The whistle is already powerful, but now hes even got his hands on the flute. The song that can be yed on that flute will be too powerful. Zaha looked at Baek Eon, What should we do to an opponent who can control the spirits to go up against us? Originally, music should just be music, but we dont have the time to care about that this time. Therefore, we need to suppress him in a short amount of time without falling for the music. Baek Eon answered without hesitation. It would be better to attack and use a bow, but we shouldnt provoke Seo Jun-rang right now. Instead, we should use a technique to subdue the spirits quickly. A standard answer. Zaha nodded. But that will not be enough. Everyone remembers the Harmony Without Strings case, right? Yes. Everyone except Seol Young answered. Harmony Without Strings? What was that? At the time, everyone fought while blocking off their ears during the Harmony Without Strings case. We were close to being seduced, but we managed to subdue it with the flute. However, the damage was serious. What was strange was that several people were engulfed in mes before we even got close to finishing it. Why did the bodies catch on fire? Because the music was that strong? Zaha shook his head at Hyo Wols words. It wasnt just that. While everyone was watching, Zaha drew out his sword and drew a long line on the ground. Following the path drawn by his sword, a silver aura rose. It was a technique of the Moon Troops that had now disappeared. An aura shone like a crystal. It was an ice ball that used cold energy. ? Everyone looked shocked. What? Seol Young was puzzled. Just now, they were discussing how to deal with the enemy and his music, but now ice suddenly appeared? Was the demonic qi messing with his head? It looks like a simple mistake that can be quickly fixed. He quickly looked at Zaha, but the response didnte. Without knowing this happened! Zahas eyes were fine. He seemed sane. Then, was it intentional? The three Hwarangs who were there trusted Zaha no matter what he said, so they only looked at him with shining eyes. Baek Eon spoke on their behalf, What role will the ice y in confronting the music? Do tell us. After thinking about the case in the past, I finally realized it. The powerful music wasnt just audible. Then? You can hear it with your whole body. You cant only hear the music with your ears. The vibration can be felt throughout your entire body, and thats why the bodies caught fire. The music Seo Jun-rang ys can be included in the demonic tunes, so you should be wary of that. Aha Now they understood. So you are using the ice qi? Seol Young only realized it then. This is what he meant. He could see how much he had learned from the past. It was like Zaha was no longer willing to be taken down by the same thing twice, and he wouldnt let anyone get hurt ever again. With that kind of heart, he felt the sincerity in his words. Then He ced his sword with qi on the ice, and it rose like a barrier. The power gathered and formed a certain shape. Five figures that somehow resembled a snowman were created. Even if it was an ice ball, it was usually only used for making the body cold or touching something to make it cold. It was definitely amazing to be able to materialize the ice in such a shape. A light of admiration shone in everyones eyes. Go through them one by one. Yes. Seol Young, who had the lowest rank, passedst. At that moment, he heard piercing words from behind. You have to pay me. It was a voice full of resentment. The look Seol Young sent him earlier seemed to have left the wrong impression on Zaha. I was worried that everyone would think it was strange. Seol Young didnt answer much. The moment he passed through the figure that looked like a snowman, a cold aura wrapped around his body. In the dark, everyone silently surrounded the pavilion. Seo Jun was still standing there. As they got closer to him, they could hear him muttering, The whistle is not enough. The whistle is not enough. I need something more powerful. I need something Seo Jun-rang. Zaha called out to him, but there was no answer. The energy around Seo Jun was fluctuating and bing unstable. Ack! He suddenly groaned and brought the flute to his mouth. A bloody mist leaked from the flute, and the music being yed resonated. The song was known to call for peace. However, because the person ying it was dead, the qi, which should have been positive, is now negative. The tune was having the opposite effect. The dead awoke in the bloody mist. As they staggered around with a bloody appearance, they saw Zaha and approached him. [Governor Why did you kill me?] [It hurts It hurts a lot] [Why did you kill] The Hwarangs who had died during the Harmony Without Strings case were asking Zaha this. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but he immediately swung his sword and cut them down. Baek Eon and the others also dealt with the spirits right away, and Song Ok eximed as he shed all of them, That strangely stuffy feeling when dealing with that demonic music is gone! It must be because of the Ice Arts! Zaha had a look as if he was thinking, As expected. If he hadnte back from the grave, he wouldnt have had the chance to test this out. Is his resentment gone? Seol Young thought as he swung his sword. Despite the sound of the flute pressing them with great force, everyone yed the spirits and cleared the way. The more Seo Jun yed the flute, the more qi he infused into it. Wooong! A thick fog rose. The spirits were blocking their vision. Ghosts Path. A space of ghosts was created surrounding Seo Jun. The flute controlled the space freely and blocked everyones path. When the melodys pitch was raised, the waves began to roar more, and when the pitch was lowered, it was like the hum at the Sword Tomb. He could feel the deep emotions with every change in the melody. ? Seol Youngs hand suddenly stopped. Be careful! Baek Eons voice could be heard. Should we cover our ears? No. Not that Seol Young said that while using talismans against the spirits. It is unfortunate that Seo Jun-rang got the flute and became more powerful thanks to that, it seems like we have gained something on our side too. And what is that? Zaha asked. The Divine Dragon Flute is not a miraculous technique. It requires thinking to y the flute. As a result, it seems like Seo Jun-rangs thoughts have also blended into the melody of the flute. Seol Young answered right away. He will be gone for a while. As he said that, he used some talismans to clear the path and jumped up to the roof of the pavilion. Soon, another shadownded there. Why are you following me? Our conversation isnt over. The sound of the flute contains his thoughts, his will, and now his energy. So now what? I am curious what Seo Jun-rangs thoughts are. Seol Young listened to the flute and said, The best way to find out the story behind someones death is to look directly into the thoughts of the deceased. However, his Sword Spirit and his belongings were discarded, so his side of the story cant be uncovered. Its quite frustrating. But all of a sudden, I had a thought. What is the theory behind seeing someones memory? Isnt it to read the thoughts of the dead with spiritual power? Probably? Following that train of thought, there is no rule that requires only certain things to be used. So, for example, it can be music too Music? Zaha asked as if he couldnt understand. I know how it is done from watching you until now, but isnt Memory Projection done by touching something? How can you touch a formless thing like music? There doesnt appear to be any other way. Seol Young gathered spiritual power at his fingertips, like he always did when doing Memory Projection. With that, he flicked Blue Rainbows de. Ping. Pong. A sound of ringing was heard. The sword contained spiritual power. A bluish hue spread out from the vibration of the sword. And he looked at Zaha. Music Arts? Handling music with music. That was Music Arts. However, what Seol Young tried wasnt normal Music Arts. This is the only way. Seol Young gathered spiritual power in his hands and Tung! Tung! Tung! . He flicked his sword again three times. The sword made a sound that collided with the sound of the flute. It seemed like the melody of the flute had stopped, but it soon seeded in ying again on its own. This is it! Seol Young jumped up. I need an instrument! Chapter 91: Flute Of Foreboding (11) Chapter 91: Flute Of Foreboding (11) Several Hwarangs of the Blue Dragon Troops gathered, and Zaha shouted, Bring your instruments! Wait, but what instrument is that? A fragrant pipa! Instead of Seol Young, who was lost in thought, Hyo Wol answered from below, Seol Young-rang uses a fragrant pipa. 1 Yes! The trainees ran away. After a while, they came running back with the instrument in their arms. The five-string instrument had a long neck and a round bottom that looked like a water drop. It was a fragrant pipa. Three of them were selected as the representative string instruments of Si, and two of them were used by officials. Take this! Seol Young received the pipa from below the roof. The Ghosts Path was created by the spirits. He concentrated on the melody of the flute, which came from beyond the Ghosts Path, and pulled a string. A clear and distinct sound rang out. From high to low, it was a brilliant sound in the wind. The melody of the pipa resonated through the roof they stood on, creating ripples. And the moment the sound waves of the two met, the melody of the pipa was ttened. Seol Young raised his hand and plucked the strings one after another before the melody he createdpletely faded away. The melody of the pipa, which was about to die, came back to life once again. It grew louder and louder, shaking the air. Soon, the melodies of the two instruments began to flow side by side. There was a unique flow in the spiritual power of the pipa. It was clearly a technique for seeing memories. Right Zaha nodded. Music Arts are normally used for offense or defense, but there is no rule saying that they cannot be used in other ways. In other words, you can use Memory Projection through this? Right. I thought that in order toe into contact with the music that is formless, we need to approach it through music. He couldnt say anything more. The melody of the flute was bing louder. Seol Young put all of his focus on his fingertips. The flute is a delicate instrument. Depending on how one puts the instrument to their lips, how the holes are covered with their fingers, and how the wind is blown, many things could change. Moreover, the melody that is being yed now is known to make so many waves, and this meant the level of power it held was too strong. I knew it would not be easy When he tried to y the instrument earnestly, the sound of the pipa continued to get buried. The strings vibrated, and the sound trembled. Seol Young infused more spiritual power. His fingertips moved along the strings, emitting a blue glow. The sound of the pipa intensified. It was clearlying to life and resonating with the flute. The two melodies began to echo side by side. The sound of Seol Youngs pipa began to create a clear melody. The Music Arts contained powerful thoughts within the flute and Seol Youngs Memory Projection. The moment the two started to connect, the bloody mist was lifted, and the spirits disappeared. Seo Jun could now be seen ying the flute under the moonlight. A hazy figure appeared over his back. Its done! I can see something! Hyo Wols voice was excited. It was an unprecedented attempt, but it actually seeded. But then the sound of the pipa began to get crushed again. Seol Young couldnt go against the melody, which was known to be divine. Im almost done, though! Seol Young infused all of his spiritual power into his fingertips. However, the strings continued to vibrate, but he couldnt properly produce a sound. Trying to control the vibrating strings, he tapped the body of the pipa, and with that sound, he tried to scatter away the waves of the flutes melody. But nothing happened. Eventually, the strings broke. And those who were watching went pale. The moment the bnce in the music broke, it became a messy fight. The flutes waves began to head for them. Seol Young tried to respond with the other four strings, but they continued to break. And the moment thest string broke, the melody of the demonic tune hit his side. Seol Young could feel the effect it held all over his body, and his eyes turned ck as if he were suffocating. And right then, someone hit him on the back. Now, now, take a deep breath. It was Baek Eon. When did he get on the roof? His breath, which was choking, now felt relieved. However, a strong pressure rose, pushing his body down. You guys, help me! Yes. Song Ok and Hyo Wol put their hands on Seol Youngs back. Their energies flowed through him. He barely came to his senses. In the situation where he couldnt even speak, Seol Young signaled, Quickly, another pipa! He beckoned to them, and at that moment, a silver line shed through the air with a sharp, piercing sound. An arrow. It was flying straight towards Seo Jun. Who shot the arrow.? Everyone was shocked, and they saw Seo Geom standing while holding a bow. See that? Hyung has almost killed another person. He spoke in a cold tone. I am reminded of Baek Eon-rangs words earlier. My older brother was afraid of arrows when he was alive. It was because, when he was young, Father would tie him to a post and shoot him with an arrow to correct his habits. So when the arrows fly towards him, he will be stuck. Men, shoot! Yes! All the Hwarangs lifted their bows. No! Seol Young couldnt speak, so he looked around but couldnt find Zaha. When did the man disappear? Didnt he hear what was happening? It was then. Stop! Euljae shouted loudly and ran towards them. Put down your bows right now! He wondered how the person who was knocked down earlier was now running so suddenly but behind him was Zaha. What are you doing? He is your one and only blood sibling! How can a younger brother just shoot his older brother down? Do you not have a heart? You cannot even hear how sad the tune of his flute is! His screams halted Seo Geom, but that was only for a second. We need to get the flute back first! Shoot! He gave the order again. NO! Euljae spread his arms wide, blocking them. This shocked everyone. Suddenly, an arrow was shot by one of the trainees, and then a scream followed. It was done by mistake. The arrow went for Seo Jun. Zaha and Baek Eon swung their swords at the same time. Their sword qi shot from both sides and stopped the arrow. But Seo Jun was nowhere to be seen. Seo Geom was right. The arrow brought out Seo Juns fear. Driven into a corner, he pushed himself to the limit. He broke through the restrictions of space and suddenly disappeared. In the end, things ended up like this. At that moment, something went through Seol Youngs chest, and the pressure on his body went away only after that. Done! Its done! Baek Eon handed him a handkerchief as blood came out of his mouth. Meanwhile, the trainee who had shot the arrow bowed his head. I apologize. We lost Seo Jun-rang because of me. It is not your fault Hyung is He would have run away anyway. Seo Geom gritted his teeth and said that. It was then.. What is all of this? Seo Jun-rang? A voice rang out. Everyone was so preupied with themotion that they didnt even realize someone had arrived. Governor! Except for Zaha, everyone bowed their heads. Jin Rim had brought several Hwarangs with him, and it seemed like they came through the sealed gate, and no one noticed it. Even in the midst of that, Seol Young couldnt help but think, The closed doors of the Blue Dragons seem to mean Please break through! Zaha stepped forward. Why did the Governore all the way here? Actually, I got too tired of waiting. The High Governor told me that I would be informed once the monster that has been captured in the mountain is figured out, but there has been no news until now Right. Hence, everyone rushed over to the Blue Dragons since there wasnt any information sent back. But everyone seems to have gathered here. Even the White Tigers Jin Rim shook his head. Was it Seo Jun-rang? Did I hear it right? Why are you talking about him now? This So they told Jin Rim everything. At the words that he heard, Jin Rims eyes and those of the Hwarangs with him widened in shock. Seo Jun-rang was surely cremated, so? We will catch him soon, so the Governor will be able to see it for himself. Seo Geom answered. Now that we know his weakness, all we need to do is defend our bodies with Ice Arts and shoot arrows at him. It will be over this time. In the middle of the n on how they could catch him . Zaha, Seol Young, and his three hyungs exchanged nces. For a moment, they surely managed to see his memories, which meant that Seol Youngs theory was right. Seo Jun realized he was no longer limited by space, whichplicated the situation even more. However, the more Seol Young did his best, the more his opponent raged. No matter how difficult the opponent was, he was determined to make the truth of their deaths clear. Making up his mind, he said, I have to tell you something.
  1. TL/N:Korean pipa
Chapter 92: Flute Of Foreboding (12) Chapter 92: Flute Of Foreboding (12) When Seol Young suddenly spoke, everyone looked at him. Seo Geom went stiff as he said, Seol Young-rang, shouldnt you just step back? You almost died at the hands of that beast! Why would I die? I have many seniors looking after me, and it was not a failure but a sess. Seol Young blinked and looked at the Governor. On this matter, I agree with the words of Lord Euljae. Euljae was surprised. He couldnt believe such words hade out of Seol Youngs mouth. Jin Rim tilted his head. What are your thoughts? The story behind the sound of Seo Jun-rangs flute. Seol Young answered. Before the Governor came, I visited the Sword Tomb here and examined the sword of Hae Cheon-rang, one of the six Hwarangs who died in the past, and discovered something. Something happened on their way back from the mission. Seo Geom intervened. Even so, that doesnt change the fact that my hyung killed people. That is true, but the facts and the truth are different things. We only know a part of it. Seol Young spoke to Jin Rim again. So if we catch Seo Jun-rang, can you give us a moment? To reveal the truth. Ha. Seo Geom shook his head. You are still after that even when things havee to this? Arent you exhausted? No. Seo Jun-rang wants to tell us something. I have no intentions of backing down until I hear it. Governor. Seol Young-rang is not involved in this, so he can say such things without a thought. Just to satisfy his own curiosity! However, if this bes known to the public, it will be difficult for us I will take responsibility. Zaha said. Everyone was shocked. A dead person came back with such a strange appearance. And now the flute has been taken away, and we couldnt stop him from escaping. I will say it is all my fault and give up my position so no one will me the Blue Dragons. Silence fell. Seo Geom spoke in shock, But High Governor What But? Zaha said angrily. Your brother might not be precious to you, but he is to me. And he is a Hwarang! Even if he is dead, he is one of us! So give him a chance. He returned to tell us something, so we should shut up and listen! And then silence fell. There is nothing more to talk about. If the High Governor wants it, we shall follow him. Jin Rim ended it simply like that. I understand. We will not punish Seo Jun-rang right after catching him and give Seol Young-rang enough time. Seol Young-rang, do you have anything else to ask for? At that time, two Hwarangs from the ck Tortoises and two Hwarangs from the Vermillion Birds apanied him. I need to check their swords too. And? I would like to know if there was a paper that recorded something among the belongings of those six Hwarangs. Seol Young recalled the contents of the memory and said, And except for Seo Jun-rang and Hae Cheon-rang, were there any odd items that the four Hwarangs had inmon? That is important too. Hm Jin Rim listened. At that time, I know that all their belongings were sent back to their homes. It will take some time, but we will get them as soon as possible. He called his subordinates and gave them the instructions. Euljae came forward. Since Seo Jun used a lot of energy to fight and ran away in fear, he might not do anything for a while Still, it will be better to let the kids go and find them. Lets do that. Jin Rim moved along with Euljae, Seo Geom, and the other Hwarangs. Once they had left, Song Ok asked, High Governor, are you really giving up your position? Did you not hear it? If it goes wrong, I will. And that responsibility will lie with the White Tiger Troops. Eh Does it sound like a joke? Baek Eon-rang, as their leader, you should guide your juniors well. Why didnt you teach Seol Young-rang the right melody? All of them went silent. Seeing Seol Young y the pipa, Zaha could tell right away. Baek Eon lowered his head. I apologize. Seol Young-rang had a lot to learn since he joined uste, so he didnt get much It was my mistake. Seol Young spoke honestly. I let the lessons pass through my ears, and I thought I could y pretty well, so I made excuses to skip the sses. Which is why I only know how to y folk songs. That was the problem. To y the Song of Peace, one needed to use a lot of spiritual power to continue its force. But Seol Young only knew folk songs, which didnt require any spiritual power. It was just music. Even so, I went up against it, and I ended with nothing more than coughing up blood. Zaha shook his head. It cannot be helped. At least be thankful for the fact that I exist. Ill roughly arrange one for you to y. Baek Eon said. Seol Young-rang cannot read sheet music. He ys just with his thoughts What? Zaha didnt notice it until now and shouted with an absurd look on his face, What did you do when you werent even learning how to read music when you were supposed to? I will learn it right now. Seol Young answered right away. I know the theory in mind. The letters on the sheet are not even real letters, but letters created by artists. It tells you how to hold the string and how to y it. The spacing of the letters expresses the beat, and there are unique words that indicate how to y Despite knowing all of that, you mean to say you didnt study? Do you have to be this difficult?! It is my fault. Baek Eon apologized again. First of all, Seo Jun-rangs task is important, so it would be better for everyone to gather their strength. Hyo Wol spoke quickly, Ten Thousand Waves is the song that the Blue Dragons y, so it cannot be leaked outside. However, making a pipa y something that can counter it isnt against the rules. Right. If that is the case, Lord Euljae is our best bet. Baek Eon immediately turned around, with Song Ok and Hyo Wol following. Zaha opened his mouth right then, By tomorrow morning I will study it all. If you cannot Thirty whips No drinking for one hundred days. No. That is the penalty. Seol Young was speechless at this. His heart felt rushed. Why dont you guyse here While waiting, talk about the Memory Projection. Ah, right. He spoke of the memory of Hae Cheon-rangs sword earlier. There were also things he wanted to discuss. Seol Young spoke, When I contacted the spirit of Hae Cheon-rangs sword, I saw several Hwarangs. Dead civilians, an old man being the sole survivor, the reaction of the Hwarangs, what happened in the hut. Seol Young told Zaha all of it. All of the scenes the sword showed me are important. None of them should be neglected. First, the old man must have said something. Something very bad. You are right. That is why the vision faltered right then. The sword pushed me away. It wanted to say something like, Dont watch such harmful things. Seol Young thought deeply. Then the group split into two. The Hwarangs shared a certain small object that couldnt be seen. The first was of four, and the second of two. And the object? Did it have something to do with the old mans death? I dont know. Anyway, Seo Jun-rang didnt know what it was, and after that, he began to kill the Hwarangs in the hut. Then, was the object a guardian to ward off evil? Or did Seo Jun-rang turn into a demon because he didnt have anything to ward off evil? Then Hae Cheon-rang? He didnt have one either, but he was fine until the end. At least, in the memory. On the contrary, the object was a curse that drove people crazy? Zahas words made Seol Young nod. That makes sense. The others went insane because they shared the curse, so Seo Jun-rang and Hae Cheon-rang were normal until the end. But Hae Cheon-rang was killed by Seo Jun-rang. Maybe Hae Cheon-rang picked up that object in the mess? So, then, Seo Jun-rang had no other choice but to kill? Then he was the one who stayed sane until the end It seems like it. That must be why he is obsessed with the melody. In order to protect himself from the energy of the curse, he whistled until his death. Then, it is the same Zaha said with a puzzled face. Whymit suicide? To end the curse. Even though he said that, Seol Young wasnt so sure about it. How could he still choose tomit suicide when he was cursed and had lost his sanity? If he was sane, then there was no reason for him to die. He could have returned and told everyone the truth. It was weird either way. For now, lets keep these theories to ourselves. Seol Young shook his head. What were the two Hwarangs from the Vermillion Bird thinking as they wrote down something? Excluding Seo Jun-rang, what items did the other four Hwarangs have? A curse or a guardian? Wouldnt knowing that solve the mystery? It felt as if the truth was no longer so far away. Soon, they felt the signs of people moving through the darkness. Lord Euljae is here. Euljae appeared with the three Baek-Song-Wol. Baek Eon said, We talked about everything. He said he would be happy to cooperate in making a melody for a pipa that could counter it. I will do my best to help. He never thought that such a day woulde when he had to work alongside Seol Young. At that moment, their gazes met. Okay, then, lets start. Zaha said. Chapter 93: Flute Of Foreboding (13) Chapter 93: Flute Of Foreboding (13) Did you hear about it? The people passing by the southern gate of the Moon Pce whispered. Rumors were going around that a ghost ying a pipa had appeared in the capital. A haunted house, under a bridge, the bamboo forest, and a pavilion that no one could see Suddenly, in a ce where there were no people, the sound of a pipas string being plucked could be heard. When one approaches it, it suddenly stops. When one got farther away, it could be heard ying again. But for now, thats all. It doesnt seem to have harmed anyone. It is still creepy. The people walked and whispered. And there were some people looking at the back. They were the members of the Golden Ring Troops. They briefly exchanged nces and headed in the same direction. It was the forest near the Moon Pce. They were able to find it soon after walking carefully among the old trees that were said to have existed since the founding of Si. At first nce, it was easy to overlook, but they could see something white through the trees. He really doesnt seem like a human at times like this. The men approached it. Seol Young fell asleep while leaning against a tree and holding a pipa. Not a single hem of his clothes moved. . The men looked at each other. They thought he would notice when they got closer. Because they had been training since they were young, their steps were much lighter than those of ordinary people. But it was unusual for it to go unnoticed for this long. He must be very tired. In order not to be disrespectful, one of them made a noise by stepping on a tree branch on purpose. Seol Young woke up right away. At that moment, the pipa almost slipped, but he quickly caught it. I fell asleep for a second. To be precise, he was homeless. The amodation he had with the monks was open, but he couldnt y the pipa there. So he had to practice day and night, wandering around in ces where there were no people. As a result, he strangely became a pipa ghost. When the rumors started to spread, he couldnt go out and decided to stay in the forest. Seol Young-rang! You are here! The men approached him as if they had just found him, and Seo Young asked, Did Seo Jun-rang show up? It isnt that. Everyone shook their heads. Seo Juns whereabouts have been unknown for several days now. It wasnt an easy task to find him when he was outside the constraints of space. But the Governor told us to call Seol Young-rang. The Sword Spirits of the deceased Jae Tae-rang, Nap Oh-rang, Cheon Jin-rang, and Juk Hyung-rang have arrived. Ah This finally woke him up. Seol Young thanked them and headed right for the Hwarangs Hall. Zaha and Jin Rim were waiting for him there. When Seol Young holding a pipa, walked in, the two looked at each other, and Jin Rim said, Seol Young-rang, you have been working so hard. No. It is nothing. Seol Young looked at the table. There were four long wooden boxes. Two of them had ck tortoises on them, and two had vermilion birds. Are these the Sword Spirits? Yes. Originally, they were going to send it much earlier, but then we were told they had to handle it carefully because there was amotion when they were removed from their shrines. Seol Youngs face changed. Amotion? The wind blew out the candles, and the swords bodies trembled. All four of them? I heard so. The signs werent looking good. Seol Young let go of the pipa and sat down. After politely bowing to them, he tried to touch the first one. And as expected, the entire scene in front of his eyes was ck, as if ink had been spilled. It was like that with all four swords. It looks like they have been damaged. What? Zaha asked, raising his eyebrows. You mean someone tampered with the evidence? Sometimes it can be thought so, but that doesnt seem to be the case now. The fact that there was amotion when they were removed from their resting ce means that the Sword Spirits were unable to get proper rest. Seol Young recalled what had happened in the Sword Tomb. When I touched Hae Cheon-rangs sword for the second time, during thest scene, someone shouted, Open your eyes! and then I was kicked out of the Memory Projection. At that time, I thought it was the voice of the sword But? Now that I think about it, it seems to have been Seo Jun-rangs voice. It seemed like an unknown force acted on the other swords as well, blocking us from seeing what had happened. Maybe Seo Jun-rang doesnt want me to look into the other swords Its like destroying evidence. But it wasnt in that tone. The voice was anxious, desperate, and rushed. Jin Rim frowned. Something definitely happened. I put hopes on these swords, but. The only clue left was the rest of their belongings. Seol Young was nervous. When will their keepsakes arrive? Seon Jong-rang decided to bring what he had gathered from various ces within two or three days. I will call you when they arrive. Please dont do that. I will wait outside the pce and pick them up since we dont have time. Seol Young is right. I think their other belongings need to be investigated right away. Zaha nodded, and Jin Rim did too. All right. I will inform Seo Geom-rang. And then he tried to remove the Sword Spirits, but Seol Young. Wait. Do you mind if I try it a few more times? I dont see a reason why you cant. Jin Rim dly handed over the swords. Meanwhile, at that time, Seo Geom, who had just finished the morning search, was just entering the pce. He went to report to the Governor, and inside, he heard Seol Young was with the four Sword Spirits, not having any sess. I will inform him that Seo Geom-rang has arrived. No, it is fine. I wille backter. Seo Geom immediately turned around. A Blue Dragon Hwarang kept ncing at him. During the entire search, he noticed that Seo Geom was thinking hard about something. When they stepped outside the gate, they noticed two kids under a pine tree hanging from the branches. They were kids from prestigious families. It seemed like they were ying, and their clothes showed that they were siblings. They talked a lot. Seo Geom stopped and looked at them for a moment. . As he walked back, his expression suddenly changed. Sa Hyun, the fourth member of the Blue Dragon Troops, asked. What is it? Seo Geom, who was deep in thought, didnt even hear him. That night, at a drinking house in the south, a server was left to clean the ce. He was sweeping the broom vigorously so as not to be caught by the owner for beingzy, when he heard something outside. It was a sad melody yed on a flute. He remembered the ghost story he had recently been hearing aboutthe sound of a musical instrument suddenly resonating here and there in the capital. But it was a pipa. If it were a pipa and not a flute, he would have been scared. And the moment he turned around, with that thought in mind, he saw a customer standing in front of the drinking house. It was a person with wide sleeves. Business hours are over. The server said that, but there was no response. The customer just stood there, looking at him. It is kind of strange At that moment, the customers eyes widened. His eyes took up half of his face. ?! The server was so startled that his heart almost stopped. Euk. He staggered, and the number of customers increased one after another. In an instant, the front of the drinking house was filled. Everyone stared at him with the same eyes as the first one. He remembered something he had heard before. Ghosts could change their faces ording to what they wished for. When their mouths get bigger, it means the ghost is trying to speak. When their ears grow, they are trying to hear. When their limbs grow, it is because they are trying to dance, and their eyes get bigger when they want to see. D-Dont look! The server took a step back. Everyones eyes moved at the same time and followed him. Ahhhh! The moment he sat down, screaming.. Puk! The sound of bamboo being hit resonated, and the eyes of the ghosts, which were wide, became smaller. At the same time, the back door burst open, and Hwarangs in the Blue Dragons robes cut down the ghosts. And they immediately went after the sound of the flute. In a pavilion in the north, someone was ying the flute with their back to the moon. The melody was sad, and a thick red mist spread on the ground. The Hwarangs looked at each other. They couldnt send a signal now because people would notice. They had to solve this themselves. Do not be afraid and follow our advice. The Hwarangs used Ice Arts as their weapons, which they were provided with in advance. After two men with bows hid in the bushes, the rest of them went around the pavilion. Seo Jun-rang! But then Seo Juns figure disappeared. Where is he? As they were looking around, a group of patrolling guards arrived. Why is it so noisy here? Arent they the Blue Dragons? What is happening? It is nothing. One Hwarang took out a small silver rat from his sleeve and showed it to them. I was trying to catch this one because he ran away. The guards nodded and went away. We need to report this fast! Seo Jun-rang is moving again! The Hwarangs ran in the dark. Chapter 94: Flute Of Foreboding (14) Chapter 94: Flute Of Foreboding (14) The pce had been noisy since the morning. I heard that ghosts appeared all over the capitalst night! It happened during the Hwarangs night training, so no one got hurt, thanks to the many Hwarangs and trainees present. However, there werent just one or two people who said they saw ghosts. I heard that a ghost appeared and howled all night long before the fall of Well, ghosts even entered the pce and shouted that the ce was doomed. Some people were whispering about it. In this messy situation, the Great Heavenly Pavilion moved by performing a ritual of asking the heavens help, and the pavilion presented the results right away. This is a song. In other words, it is a disaster caused by strange songs. There is a song resounding everywhere that shouldnt be heard in this world because it awakens the dead. At her words, all the Hwarangs went stiff. When she made that announcement, another rumor began to spread. The Pied Piper Crown Prince. That he was the cause of all of this. Some said he was the descendant of the ancient Gaya people. And some said that he was the son left behind by a princess who died unjustly and was now plotting a rebellion. Besides those, all sorts of rumors spread. What the hell are the Hwarangs doing? Is it true that they tried to catch him but missed him several times? Why are the people who need to clear such messy situations acting so carelessly? They still havent found out anything about this incident! As if they had been waiting for it, the people began to use the Hwarangs. They were discussing that if there really was a traitor among the Hwarangs, then the capital guards should be assigned instead. Amidst all of that, there were two people riding horses out of the pce. One was dressed in white and had a pipa on his back. The other, dressed in ck, followed like a shadow. When they saw a man running from the other side, they stopped their horses. It was a man in ck travel clothes with dust all over him, and a box hung from his horses back. Seon Jong-rang! High Governor! Seon Jong, a member of the Golden Rings, got off and bowed. Did you get the information? Hurry up and give me the keepsakes. Zaha said as he jumped off the horse. I will have to check it right away. Seol Young also jumped off. Check Seon Jong looked puzzled. I heard that Seol Young-rang was looking for something, but we couldnt find much. Uh? Both Cheon Jin-rang and Juk Hyung-rang never had a piece of paper on them. There was no paper. Seol Young felt discouraged by this. He thought that the paper could be found somewhere, and the Hwarang continued, But as Seol Young-rang said, there was an item that the four Hwarangs had inmon. Is that so? Seol Young-face turned red, and Zaha asked, What is it? Here. Seon Jong opened the box and took out a pouch. Was it a curse? A Guardian Spirit? They thought it had to be one of them. But no. It was a small wooden box with a lid. One wasrge, and the other three were small. It seemed to be an ointment. Is this a paste for wounds? Yes, it is the golden paste, which is known to be effective. Originally, Cheon Jin-rang had it, but it seems that he gave it to the other three Hwarangs in small amounts. Seol Young looked at the golden paste. [Here, now] This golden paste was what the ck Tortoises and the Vermillion Birds were sharing. How about Seo Jun-rang and Hae Cheon-rang? Because of those words, they thought he was asking about the paper. But that wasnt it. wound. Seol Young mumbled. I meant to show me their wounds. The different pieces that were not connected became one. An old man who was the only survivor. He had a wound. The Hwarang who thought something was strange and drew something. He also had a wound. The reason for sharing the healing paste so suddenly. It was because of the wound. His entire train of thought was wrong from the start. What kind of wound was it? Zaha mumbled as if he hadnt expected it. What kind of wound was it? Among the neatly packed things, one item caught Seol Youngs attention. It was a long piece of cloth used by the ck Tortoise Hwarangs to tie around their sleeves. This Seol Young picked it up as if possessed, and Zaha asked, What? I saw this before Seo Jun-rang died. Seo Jun-rangs energy could be felt in the fabric. Seol Young used Memory Projection right away. The cloth obscured the vision. I cant look. Seo Juns thoughts and pain. I need to let them know! The face of Seo Geom, his younger brother, came to his mind. Seol Young opened his eyes. Seo Jun-rang covered his eyes with this cloth and killed the others. He had a reason why he couldnt look at them. Not to look at them We should be careful then. Yes. Seol Young nodded. Seo Jun-rang was worried about his younger brother until the end. We need to tell Seo Geom-rang about this. Seon Jong-rang, could you pass on our conversation just now to the Governor? I will. The Hwarang rearranged the belongings. Seol Young and Zaha parted ways with him, and they headed straight for Mount Toham. When they arrived at the base of the Blue Dragons, Euljae greeted them. Seo Geom went out to search again. And when he said that, he frowned. But something has been weighing heavily on my heart Seol Young asked, What is it? Its probably because he was asking me about something that happened in the past, and it got me thinking. When he was seven years old, there was a time when the two of them went out on a night trip on the orders of their father. Wait, if he was seven years Zaha intervened. Didnt Seo Jun ask Seo Geom? About him remembering where they went when he was seven? Did he? Why did he ask that so suddenly? He came to me a while ago and asked me about it, which made me flustered. I was surprised to find out he still remembered Seol Young asked, Where is that ce? Its at the old ancestral site where sacrifices were made to the mountain Gods near Myung Hwal. Euljaes expression changed as he spoke. I dont know for what reason Seo Jun brought it up! There has to be a reason! He hastily turned around. I need to go! Zaha dissuaded him. Lord Euljae, you cannot leave this ce. We dont know what will happen. Shouldnt you be protecting this ce? I-I understand. Since they had to rush, the two of them borrowed the Blue Dragons horses and rode them toward that ce. There was an octagonal building inside the ritual ce, surrounded by a wall. Before they could even get off their horses, they heard a shout, Stop it now, please! I need to y it the Thousand Waves of Peace It is not that. Hyung, you stole the flute and are ying it! It is not bringing any peace. You are only waking up the dead! Hyung, you cannot y it anymore! Seo Geom-rang! Seol Young ran inside. Seo Geom had lost his reasoning. Look! Hyung, you are dead! He put down the item he brought with him in front of Seo Jun. It was the ancestral tablet with his name on it. Seo Juns eyes widened. His eyes were fixed on the tablet, as if he had forgotten everything. Then Seo Geom raised his sword, and white mes zed on it. It was the Asura mes. It was the skill of the Blue Dragon Troops that could destroy the opponent at all costs but also burn the caster in the process. It was used again. Wait! Seol Young intervened without another thought. Seo Geom-rang! Stop! If you kill your brother, you will regret it forever. Seo Geom looked at the mes. His eyes were burning as strongly as the mes. It was like his words werent working. At that moment. Kuak! Seo Jun screamed as he tried to attack, and Seol Young used the Ghost Bondage in a hurry. Blue letters appeared and turned into ropes, tying down Seo Jun. But Seo Jun struggled so much that the spell broke. Move! Seo Geom tried to swing his sword. At the same time. Seo Geom-rang! Zaha shouted from behind. Chapter 95: Flute Of Foreboding (15) Chapter 95: Flute Of Foreboding (15) Havent you decided on not doing this?! He reprimanded him right away. Seo Geom barely came to his senses and dropped the sword as he slumped to his knees. I am sorry, I came up with an idea and ran to this ce seeing that Hyung was hiding here, I got really angry His voice trembled. Seo Geom stopped talking and looked away. However, seeing Seo Jun run wild as he tried to cut off the rope made him feel terrible again. It ends here! Let me finish this! No. Zaha tly refused him. What was the reason you came here to meet your brother? Isnt it because he was giving you a clue? Your brother has been trying to say something to you! What is he even trying to say when he is in that state? He isnt attacking us. Seol Young said. It looks like you have taken back the flute, yet he is searching for it again. Indeed, Seo Jun-rang wasnt staying still, as his hands were waving around as if he were looking for something. Lets give the flute back to Seo Jun-rang. At Seol Youngs words, Seo Geom flinched. What are you talking about? I barely took it back! But he has to y the flute for us to see what happened. I know you are trying hard to find out what happened! But it is of no use! He is a dead man who did nothing all his life! I do not want to see that memory again! Seo Geom didnt want to see his brother kill five Hwarangs. It wasnt something they couldnt understand. But We need to see the truth! This is ourst chance! Seo Geom-rang, we will look at it. Zaha spoke. In the end, he put down the flute, which Zaha threw to Seo Jun-rang. Seo Jun-rang take it! Seo Jun grabbed it, and after holding it in his hand, he stayed still as if he wasnt sure what to do. Well, then Seol Young decided to gamble. He untied the pipa he was carrying and moved closer to Seo Jun. When someone suddenly approached him, Seo Jun swung his long nails, and a sharp wind blew. He is insane! Seo Geom shouted. Seol Young didnt care, and he put his finger on the pipas string. A series of clear sounds rang out. The melody was ying so softly. It was the variation of the pipa for the Thousand Waves of Peace. All this time, Euljae and the three Hwarangs of the White Tiger Troops worked hard to make the song and teach it to Seol Young. It was a song that he practiced every day and night. I will not fail this time. Because this is an instrument that contains spiritual power. Seol Young looked at Seo Jun. Indeed, the man was listening, and the melody was causing a change. His long ws were gone, and his chest seemed to breathe normally, with his eyes turning softer. Seo Jun looked down nkly at the flute in his hand. As if to react, he slowly brought the flute to his lips in line with the sound of the pipa. Instead of breathing, he began to infuse his energy into it. A strong flute sound followed the rhythm of the pipa. Two different melodies began to flow side by side, and the melodies of the two instruments spread out like fog. Among them, scenes like visions came into their sight. The Memory Projection that failed thest time is now working again. ! Seo Geom was surprised. These were the memories left in a persons soul. Training with a wooden sword with small hands, running around with friends, receiving a Yin-Yang que, being appointed as a Hwarang Usually, the Memory Projection shows scenes from the perspective of the dead, but this time it was different. Perhaps because it was projected through the sound that they could all hear, Seo Jun was being projected like a third person. The clear, distinct sound of the pipa moved through the memories. And it gently led them to his memory before his death. At some point, the sound of music vanished. Instead, they heard the sound of birds and insects. A mixture of noises filled the space. Suddenly, the waves of the world became a musical score. Seol Young wasnt shocked and just continued to y the pipa. Suddenly, a clear voice was heard. The day after tomorrow, we will arrive at the capital. The Hwarangs were walking. It worked. Zaha said softly. Seo Geom said he wouldnt watch it, but the moment the Memory Projection started, he couldnt take his eyes off it. The ck Tortoises, Vermillion Birds, and Blue Dragonsthere were two from each troop. Six people were walking together. And then Seo Jun handed the bottle over to Hae Cheon, who said, Eik. And everyone burst intoughter. Meanwhile, Seol Young, Zaha, and Seo Geom continued to watch. The six Hwarangs visited the vige where farmers lived and found dead people rigid in fear. What happened here? Seo Jun mumbled. At that time, the groan of an old man could be heard from the pile of corpses. Everyone flocked in that direction. He is still breathing! Seo Jun looked at him and headed to a house alone when he heard the sound of a door being scratched and something whining. Is someone else alive? He ran towards the house and opened the door. There was a puppy that seemed to be around three to four months old. Behind the puppy were two dead children with the same terrified look on their faces. And three other puppies were dead near the children. Seo Jun looked at the puppies, and a questioning look shed over his face. What is it? Seo Geom mumbled. Their hair is falling out. Zaha answered. As he said, the bodies of the dead puppies were experiencing hair loss. All three of them were in the same state. Seo Jun pondered what it was about and then went outside. The puppy that was alive ran to the yard and began to sniff here and there and Thud. Thud. Wait. Seo Jun lifted the puppy and looked at it. He could now see that its eyes had a hazy blue-gray color. You cannot see. This made his expression change even more. At that time What is it? Did you find anything? Hae Cheon appeared, and Seo Juns gaze turned toward the house for a moment. But They will say that I am being a fool again. His thoughts were clear. Seo Jun smiled. Just looking around. I was curious what a vige house would be like. He went around and looked ahead. But when he returned, everyone had serious expressions. It will be fine soon, Cheon Jin-rang, I have run out too. Share it with me. Now, here. Cheon Jin was giving something to the other three Hwarangs, and Seo Jun asked, What is it? Cheon Shin turned to Jae Tae and Nap Oh. How about we show it to Seo Jun-rang and Hae Cheon-rang? Im not sure. It may or may not be true. They both wouldnt know either. They werete earlier and didnt even get a good look. Enough. It is all because we are on edge about all of this. Lets head back fast. Nap Oh said. After a while, they set off when Hae Cheon asked Nap Oh, But what is it? What happened? Seo Jun pretended he couldnt hear them, but he still listened. It has to be something important. Seol Young was nervous. This was exactly where the Memory Projection cut off in the Sword Tomb. I need to finish watching it this time. His fingers were pulling on the strings. The waves, which were slightly unstable, became clear again. It is nothing. Nap Oh shrugged. It was just that a small human-faced sore appeared. A human-faced sore? Seol Young, Zaha, and Seo Geom looked at each other. A human-faced sore is a swelling on the skin. It got its name because of its shape, which resembles that of a human face. It was the old man. Jae Tae, another Hwarang, intervened. He had this huge thing on his chest, and it looked so simr to a human face! I felt like it could even talk! Hae Cheon couldnt believe it. Ah, I dont think so. When I saw it, it just looked like a normal bruise. See? Which is why I told you guys that Hae Cheon-rang and Seo Jun-rang wouldnt believe us. Nap Oh said. The face disappeared as soon as the old man died. The two of us clearly saw it, right? Cheon Jin-rang and Juk Hyung-rang. I mean, it was so strangecould a sore on a human body vanish so suddenly? Hmm. Hae Cheon looked at Seo Jun. So? Seo Jun-rang, have you ever heard of such a thing? No. This is my first time. If its Seo Jun-rangs first time hearing it, then it cannot exist. I dont know about anything else, but what you saw was weird. So did Cheon Jin-rang record it for the purpose of reporting it to the higher-ups? Hae Cheon asked the two ck Tortoise Hwarangs. But even Jae Tae-rang and Nap Oh-rang saw it too. Right. My back was itching, and we looked at it only to find a swelling that looked like a human face. No matter how we looked at it, its very simr to what the man had. Human-faced sores all look the same. Since we have been in this ce for a while, we must have gotten something. It will be cured pretty soon since I already applied a golden paste to it. I feel less itchy already. Thank God. The conversation ended there. Seo Jun, however, was alone in his thoughts. Dead people, dead animals. Among them, only a blind dog survived. What Nap Oh said was clear in his mind. -The two of us clearly saw it. Cheon Jin-rang and Juk Hyung-rang. He looked at them and hesitated. The two of them were walking ahead and scratching their chests. Seo Jun looked nkly at them and then turned his gaze away. Hae Cheon-rang was walking diligently. He seemed to have no idea. Hae Cheon-rang. Uh? About the human-faced sore. Seo Jun whispered. This is just my opinion, but even if those guys show you their bodies or their sores, I think it will be better for you not to look at them. Uh? Why? Hae Cheon was confused. And at the same time, the Hwarangs looked up one by one. Raindrops were falling. Seo Jun touched his shoulders. To make matters worse. Chapter 96: Flute Of Foreboding (16) Chapter 96: Flute Of Foreboding (16) There was a downpour. The Hwarangs had no choice but to walk through the rain. As the Yin qi increased, the spirits started moving, so everyone began to draw their swords to cut them down. This is it. We have run out of luck and cannot do much now. Right. Seo Jun said while looking at the other Hwarangs. Jae Tae, Nap Oh, Cheon Jin, and Juk Hyung. The four of them kept touching their chests while cutting down the spirits. At first nce, it looked like they were wiping down the rain, but nothey were clearly scratching themselves. However, they were totally unconsciously doing it. The rain got stronger, lightning shed, and the sky split. Cheon Jin shouted, Isnt that a hut? Fortunately, they still had some luck, so everyone hurriedly ran toward it. The inside of the hut was the same as thest time Seol Young saw it. Hae Cheon-rang, we can sit here. Seo Jun sat down first. The corners of the hut had higher ces, so sitting there would give them more space. I think we will live now. After drying their clothes and filling their stomachs, theyid down. Seo Jun alsoid down. He seemed carefree as he put his head on his arm to rest, but his eyes were constantly looking at the other Hwarangs. When I return to the capital, I will take a bath first. I want a bowl of soup. I am sick of dry food. Everyone was talking about random things, but Jae Tae was silent. At first nce, it looked like he was rxing, but that wasnt the truth. His body was twitching, and he would asionally stretch out his limbs. However, no one else noticed this except for Seo Jun. Seo Jun looked at Hae Cheon, who was asleep. Lets just continue to watch for now. One by one, the voices stopped. The others began to fall asleep, and Seo Jun was the only one awake. In the pitch-ck darkness, Jae Tae suddenly got up, feeling frustrated and struggling to hold his neck. Seo Jun also jumped up. He approached him and grabbed him by the shoulder. Look at me, Jae Tae-rang. At that moment, Seo Jun stiffened. He realized that this wasnt Jae Tae-rang. It took his form and attacked Seo Jun right away. Then they exchanged blows. What are you doing? Seo Jun barely avoided the attack and tried to press him down. Sensing that he wouldnt be able to subdue him, he drew his sword with one hand and stabbed him near his shoulder de. It was then Seo Jun-rang! Hae Cheon woke up in shock. The other Hwarangs, who were in deep sleep, also got up. What happened? Turn on the lights! And then the hut shone. At that time, Seo Jun was twisting Jae Taes arm from behind and suppressing him. Help! Jae Tae-rang is acting weird! But nobody even listened. What is that? What is with his face? Everyone looked at Jae Tae in fear. Face? A human-faced sore gradually increases. It can be seen with the eyes. Random thoughts were going through Seo Juns head. Do not look! Cheon Jin dropped thentern he was holding. And then Puak! There was a sound of struggle. Jae Tae managed to pull himself out of a gap, and the hut went dark again. In the stillness, only the sound of several people breathing heavily could be heard. Seo Jun took a deep breath and looked around. Suddenly, someone else was grabbing their neck, and they began to suffer. Nap Oh-rang? And then another, Juk Hyung-rang! No one answered. Only the sound of groaning could be heard. Seo Jun thought, Usually, a gue is transmitted through contact, but this is being transmitted through sight. If we look at it, the same thing will appear on our bodies. It will spread all over your body and soon take over your face. And then that person turns into a monster. The thought of it made a chill run down his spine. Then his gaze turned to a spot in the dark. Hae Cheon-rang. Yes He answered in a voice filled with fear. Did you see the face earlier? He didnt get an answer, so he asked again, Answer me! Did you see Jae Tae-rangs face! It is itchy. It is so itchy. Hae Cheon replied, and then it was silent again. Seo Jun felt lost. This is bad. In the end, everyone looked at it except for me. He was lost in thought until he made a decision. The Hwarangs were silent. Was it because Seo Jun couldnt be seen in the dark? Or were they nning something together? Among the raspy breathing of the monsters, Seo Jun fumbled in the darkness. Then he grabbed something that seemed to be a long piece of cloth. He immediately covered his eyes with it and stood with his back to the door. He looked around for a moment at the various figures standing in the dark. They were all such good friends. His voice trembled. We have been together for many days and have never once fought. We had fun without raising our voices. Thanks to that, the mission was fun even though we had some difficulties. Seo Jun raised his sword. But it cannot be helped. I am sorry. He stabbed the closest person in the chest. And as if he had been waiting, that person raised his sword and faced him. A bloody battle ensued in the dark. Seo Geom just looked at them nkly. Hyung cannot fight them Right. His older brother was the sensitive type, so it was impossible for him to draw his sword seriously. He would always leave gaps for others to attack. As a result, he couldntst long. And soon, his blue clothes were stained red. But There was something stronger than skill. When I fall, it is the end. However, if they get out, thend would turn into a mess. Seo Jun fought stubbornly, repeating that thought in his head. If the opponent tried to run away, he would stick to them like a leech and wouldnt mind getting stabbed. If he couldnt reach the opponent, he threw a talisman at them. Seeing what Seo Jun was doing, his opponents also did the same. All sorts of objects were being thrown and hitting his body. But he didnt know how to avoid them. If only I had learned it correctly If only I worked a little harder! Seo Jun mumbled. Still, he gritted his teeth and fought. Considering his skills and physical condition, he looked like a superhuman. Eventually, the Hwarangs fell one by one. Hae Cheon was thest. Sorry. Sorry. Seo Jun had stabbed him enough times to prevent him from escaping. Soon, Hae Cheons body went limp. Seo Jun slowly got up. During the fight, he was cut and stabbed in dozens of ces. And there wasnt a single part of his body that wasnt hurt. He sat there for a long time in the dark and then sighed. He struggled to raise his severely injured body and fumbled around the floor. Seo Geom asked, What are you doing? He is trying to check the faces of the corpses. He cannot see them with his eyes, so he is trying to feel them. Zaha said, Right. When they die, the human-faced sores will vanish. Seo Jun carefully touched the corpses, and after checking them, he removed the cloth. Everyone was back to normal. He touched the ground. Ritual items and their other belongings were all strewn on the ground. Among them, he found thentern and lit it. And then the hut shone. A horrific sight was revealed, with blood sttered everywhere. It was as if someone had painted the walls and floors with blood. Ha Seo Jun stood still for a long time, as if stunned. He had a horrified expression on his face as he looked at his allies. And he soon said, I will head back to the capital and bring more people. Seol Young looked at Seo Jun. Right now, he couldnt say anything because he was ying the pipa to maintain the vision. But if he could speak, he would have asked him, Why? The more he saw it, the more he questioned it. Seo Jun was injured to the extent that his body was terribly hurt. However, he wanted to call the people from the capital to help his deadrades. So why did he kill himself? It felt so stupid. It was the same with the other two who were watching. At that time, Seo Jun, who was looking at his dead colleagues, stiffened. His gaze was nailed to one spot on the bloody floorthe ce strewn with ritual items. There were signs of a struggle. But there was one thing that stood out. Paper. The moment Seol Young saw it, his blood went cold. He couldnt see what was written, but he knew what it was. That Zaha mumbled, The report that Cheon Jin-rang and Juk Hyung-rang drew. The report they drew to bring back to the capital. What? Seo Geom was shocked. Ah! No! Hisplexion turned pale. He looked at his older brother with trembling eyes. NO! DONT LOOK!! Chapter 97: Flute Of Foreboding (17) Chapter 97: Flute Of Foreboding (17) Of course, Seo Geoms voice didnt reach Seo Jun. Because it was obviously all in the past. Seo Juns gaze was fixed on the report that was drawn. That was what the Hwarangs recorded to submit as a report? He remembered what Hae Cheon said. Sigh He felt despair. And then he thought, No, it isntte. Before the symptoms appear! Seo Jun hurriedly took out a whistle with trembling hands and blew into it. But the hut was on a remote mountain outside the capital, so there was no way the Hwarangs could pass by this ce. Besides, the sound of the rainpletely blocked everything. Haa Seo Jun was devastated. At that time, his waist was moving a little, and he was startled. NO! He firmly pressed his stomach, but nothing happened. He wriggled to climb out. Calm down! Calm down! He didnt know what to do, and then a thought came. Seo Jun hurriedly pursed his lips and whistled. The Thousand Waves of Peace song. It was music to calm the evil. It was the one thing he managed to surpass his younger brother in. Although it was not a flute but a whistle, the melody flowed out with precision. The wriggling, human-faced sore became quiet. Seo Jun looked around and found a pocket knife, which he hurriedly picked up. He is thinking of cutting it out. Zaha said, Indeed, Seo Jun took the knife and lifted his clothes with his other hand. But then the bottom of his clothes moved and began to go up to his chest in an instant. Seo Jungs face turned pale. Why so soon He put down the dagger and blew the whistle. He finally managed to calm it down again, but it wasnt going tost for long. Seo Jun and those who were watching his past knew. It ended up like this. Seo Jung mumbled. Anything I do ends up like this. His face was full ofplex emotions. He turned to the hut. The old door wasnt locked and was slightly open. Go out! Seo Geom shouted. Get out of there at once! Cover your face! Use a letter and ask for help! The voice that didnt reach him resounded. Seo Jun mumbled. I dont think it will work. He looked at his fallenrades, covered in blood. I am the same now. I will turn into a madman and attack anyone. He shook his head. Then this evil disease will spread out of control. So I will end this here. He staggered to his feet, and the tune of the whistle resounded in the hut. Seo Jun walked away while desperately suppressing the evil energy wriggling in his body. Among the bloody objects on the ground, he picked up the paper, set fire to it, burned it, and scattered the ashes with his feet. One is done. He felt exhausted and sat down. All that is left is His trembling hand grabbed his sword, and he pointed it at himself. Come out! Seo Geom shouted. Seo Jun looked at his colleagues onest time. It was clear that all of them had been killed with the techniques of the Blue Dragons. It will be a mess. He mumbled bitterly. But it couldnt be helped. Hwarang Seo Jun carried out thest mission. DONT! COME OUT! COME OUT AND ASK FOR HELP! Seo Geom shouted. However, Seo Juns sword pierced through his chest. NO! HYUNG! Seo Geom cried out. AHHHH! A scream rang out. It was the voice of a monster. The pain of death. It was the greatest pain a soul could feel. The moment one thought about it, which was a hard moment to bear, ones soul would be shocked and shattered. Ping! The five strings of the pipa broke at once. The Memory Projection ended. Everything vanished, and now there was only darkness. Hyung! Where are you? Hyung! Seo Geom shouted. Seo Geom-rang, Seol Young-rang. Both of you close your eyes. Zaha said quietly. Seo Jun-rang is now at his limit. He cannot stand it any longer. His face will soon change. But..! Close your eyes! The sound of a sword falling to the ground could be heard, and Zaha said, Seo Jun-rang, are you there? Silence passed. Yes Came the answer. I remember everything now. Seo Jun stuttered and struggled to answer. I went insane and killed all the other Hwarangs and thenmitted suicide No, I wanted to let you know, but My head My head Hurts Right. Right. It kept on spreading. I had to sing the Thousand Waves of Peace song. Even if everyone Hated. No one hated. I-I didnt know. Now that I have changed I can no longer sing for peace I wasnt putting evil to sleep, but waking it up I had no idea forgive me Dont worry about that. Everyone handled it well, and nothing happened. T-Thank God I-I Seo Jun continued. The report. The report I couldnt He cleared his throat. It felt like he was trying to speak as clearly as possible. I, Seo Jun and Hae Cheon, Jae Tae, Nap Oh, Cheon Jin, and Juk Hyung. The six of us Hwarangs went to the Bihwa region to find out the cause of thendslides ordered by the Governor. Fortunately, it wasnt because of an evil spirit but just a natural problem. But on our way back Silence fell. On our way back, we encountered this strange human-faced sore in a vige where farmers lived. Human-faced sore. Yes. It is very simr to a gue, but what was odd about it was that it wasnt contagious through touch but through sight. It aims to spread around the human body and reach the face. Seo Jun was doing his best to remember. The process put a lot of strain on the normal bodies, such as the vigers, so they all died in fear. But there was one person alive among them An old man with whom we got infected from. And so We were unable to return. The other Hwarangs died in my hands. And I I couldnt let the disease spread outside So I took my own life. How much will I be med for this, and how much will I be a disgrace to my family Seo Jun-rang. Zaha stopped him. I know what your intention was. You dont have to exin so hard. Yes. I-I You must have known thatmitting suicide right there would make people point their fingers at you. Even so, you chose to ept it so that the disease wouldnt spread and people wouldnt die. Seo Jun-rang, you sacrificed your life to stop it. . Seo Geom-rang and Euljae finally know the truth. So do not worry. Yes Seo Jun let out a long sigh. The child and my uncle too I hope they will not be bothered too much because of me I should have worked hard, but I couldnt do anything right, and in the end I died. The Governor should know it toothat there was no other way to do it right. But this time I will do it right. No one answered. Please. Seo Jun said, and took two steps forward. Anyst words? None. Then I will do it. Seo Jun of the Blue Dragon True Troops was a very wonderful Hwarang. Thank you. Seo Jun looked genuinely touched. Puak! And the sound of a sword being pierced could be heard. Seol Young was confused. Weird. He shouldnt be human, so what was that sound? After a while, a monsters scream rang out. The screamsted for a long time, then slowly subsided. And then it vanished. Seol Young opened his eyes. They were in the middle of the ancestral rite building with nothing else. It was just Seo Jun with a red sword stuck in his chest. Zaha looked at him. Seo Juns face was calm. Those who left all of their emotions behind and found peace made such expressions. They couldnt take their eyes off his face for a long time. Seol Young turned to one side. Was I the only idiot who closed his eyes for this long? It seemed like Seo Geom had already opened his eyes a long time ago. His eyes were red, and blood was dripping down his lips. In the silence, no one said anything. Seo Geom lowered his head. Tears dripped down his blue clothes. Drop. Drop. Drop. It was dyed red. Chapter 98: Flute Of Foreboding (18) Chapter 98: Flute Of Foreboding (18) There was a flute-ying demon that suddenly appeared in the capital and disturbed the peace of the public. As the Hwarangs investigated this phenomenon, it was revealed that it was the ghost of Bidam. Bidam was a Hwarang. He rebelled against the reign of King Seondeok and got executed. He yed the flute in his lifetime. In addition, the rebels were stationed around Mount Myung Hwal, which became noisy recently because of goblins appearing. The ghost of Bidam wandered aimlessly and was dealt with by the Hwarangs. And it was decided that they would hold a ritual so that his ghost wouldnt appear again. that was the official announcement. All of the Hwarangs who belonged to the Hwarang troops gathered at the old ancestral ritual site near Mount Myung Hwal. On an altar not visible to the outside, Seo Juns ancestral tablet was ced in the middle of it. The wound on his body caused by the red sword disappeared. However, since the stigma of harming his colleagues had been cleared, they had to perform the ancestral rites properly again. Among the duties that the Hwarangs have to do, the most important thing is to make their name shine even after death Amidst Jin Rims resounding voice, who was reading the rites, all of the Hwarangs, including the Blue Dragon True Troops, had solemn faces. And Seol Young was among them. After listening to the rites, he moved to a corner and then undid the fragrant pipa that he was carrying on his back. All five strings of the pipa were cut. He stared at it for a while and then threw it into mes. The pipa was immediately engulfed in mes. Zaha, who looked at it, said, Are you trying to make your wishes heard? A long time ago, in the spring, there was a person named Baeka. When his friend, who was the only person who liked his music, died, he cut off the strings of his instrument and never touched it again. It is nice to see someone who can use the pipa Is it really necessary for you to do that? I am not quitting music. I am just burning this one pipa. Seol Young replied bluntly. No matter how many times he heard it, he felt tired of it. His hyungs were all doing fine. So? I thought that it would be better not to use that pipa to y any other song again. Maybe its a courtesy to the dead. Courtesy The pipa burned, and Seol Young stared at it as he said, But I dont think that the words you said were wrong. Although I have never met him when he was alive, I can understand Seo Jun-rangs heart through what I saw. Isnt that also a special friendship in its own unique way? I wonder if that is what the rtionship between the deceased and He mumbled to himself as he drew a talisman for peace. He infused spiritual energy into it and threw it into the fire. A blue glow enveloped the pipa and disappeared. Please be reborn. Blue smoke spread from the incense burner on the altar. There was a small jade box on it that should have contained ashes, but it was empty. Seol Young looked at it. Now that the truth had been revealed, he had thought about it again, and everything that seemed strange now made sense. Even though the Hwarangs hoped for Seo Jun-rang to find peace after his death, they couldnt ept it It must have been because that human-faced sore took over his body and turned him into a monster. Right. Zaha nodded his head. The reason he didnt let other people get close was probably because he didnt know when his face would change. And the reason why he ran away every time or stopped us from seeing the vision was to prevent us from looking at the human-faced sore. It was so powerful that it could be transmitted even through a drawn report. Seol Young organized the thoughts in his head. This seems to have solved the mystery but a question still remains. What is it? Why did Seo Jun-rang choose this ce as the meeting point? What is the meaning behind it? I think I know the answer. A deep voice answered. The two of them looked at each other, and Zaha asked, The Governor knows? Yes. Jin Rim nodded and replied, I heard it directly from Seo Jun-rang. Directly? You two were close? Not like that, but everyone sometimes wants to talk to a wall or a rock, right? He was calling himself a rock, and he continued, From what I heard, the siblings actually got along quite well despite their different personalities. But after that day, he said the dynamics had changed. The day they came here on the orders of their father to catch a demonic being. What happened? I was told that they met a giant snake monster. His power was so strong that it seemed to have a Great Evil rank, so the siblings had a tough time. So? Did the older brother abandon the younger one and run away? It is the opposite. He said he handled the snake with all his might, exhausted himself, and then came out with his younger brother in a state of horror. Seol Young couldnt understand it. Then why did their rtionship turn sour? Because they are brothers. Jin Rim answered. In Seo Geoms eyes, such an older brother looked cool. After that day, he trained himself because he wanted to be as strong as his older brother. Seo Geom had such thoughts? Yes. However, Seo Jun realized from the incident that he wasnt good at sword techniques, and after that day, he clearly gave up. To be out of Zaha mumbled. It is natural that their rtionship broke. Yes. Still, wasnt that thest memory the two of them shared? So that seemed to be the reason why Seo Jun-rang called his younger sibling here. To meet him alone and tell him the truth. Was that so? Despite understanding it, Seol Young felt odd. It is really difficult for the living and the dead to understand each other. Inside the mes, the pipa fell sideways, and ck smoke rose. He stopped thinking and used tongs to put it back into the mes. Well, I am d that the truth is finally out like this Seol Young opened his mouth, watching the Governor turn back. All the mysteries have been solved, so he can now go back. But how did Seo Jun-rang evene back alive? Zaha asked. It is strange. Although Seo Jun-rangs story did not spread widely enough to be passed down as a legend It is a ghost story that only the Hwarangs know. The story of a Hwarang who turned into a Deformed Spirit and killed hisrades. It turned into a reality. Seol Young mumbled as he cleaned the ashes. If someone woke up Seo Jun-rang The God of Cataclysm has begun to move again. Im still not sure if that is the truth or not. Seol Young put the tongs down. If that is the case, we cant just wait. Because it will be different fromst time. He lowered his voice and looked at the altar, which had a solemn look. Several Hwarangs were bowing their heads to say goodbye. Seol Young looked at his three hyungs and then at Seo Geom. A thought suddenly came into his mind. Asura mes. The technique of the Blue Dragon Troops that required them to use their innate qi to destroy their enemies, but it would also kill the caster. The technique that Seo Geom tried to use to kill his brother. A technique to lure the demons and imprison them in ones body. As he thought of the exnation for those two techniques, one stuck with him. Come to think of it Seol Young looked back at Zaha. I am curious about But when he said it out loud, he didnt feel like asking it. It is none of my business even to ask. Someone might hear him, and above all, the people were praying for someone here. We can talkter. Seol Young lowered his head. Soon, drums rang out. The Hwarangs paid theirst respects to Seo Jun. High Governor. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol headed their way. All of the Hwarangs cooperated in the search for Seo Jun this time. The White Tiger Troops didnt even rest as they searched night and day for Seo Jun. Everyone did well. At Zahas words, Baek Eon shook his head. No. Actually, we wanted to find Seo Jun-rang before Seo Geom-rang did, but that didnt happen And then he smiled brightly. Anyway, it is fortunate that Seo Jun-rangs situation came to light in front of everyone. As they talked, they turned around, and then another group approached them. Hwarangs in blue. They were the Blue Dragon True Troops. Seo Geom stepped forward, and said, Seol Young-rang, I have something to say. Something to say? Seol Young was curious. Things have ended The words came out. What ended? Seo Geom opened his mouth with a firm face. You should listen until the end. This made Seol Young speechless. Everyone looked at Seo Geom, but he didnt care, as he said, It is useless. You will act in a pathetic manner anyway, so do not get involved with our troops Even though I said all of that, you were stubborn and did whatever you wanted. Even in the situation where the answer couldnt be found, you didnt give up, managed to find a way, and eventually uncovered the truth behind the death of my hyung. I honestly think it is great. And He continued with a stiff face, Thank you very much. And he knelt down, making everyone surprised. ? Seol Young was so shocked that he went stiff like a stone. This was the most embarrassing moment for him. Chapter 99: Flute Of Foreboding (19) Chapter 99: Flute Of Foreboding (19) Seo Geom-rang! Baek-Song-Wol hurriedly lifted up Seo Geom. You seem to be in an emotional state because of your hyung. How will Seol Young-rang react if you kneel down like that? You should calm down. They talked to Seo Geom and sent him away to calm down. And when they returned, they couldnt find Seol Young, so they tried to look around and found him behind Zaha. Ah, youre hiding there. What? Zaha looked puzzled at them. Not hiding Seol Young came out. He acted like he was bowing to the High Governor or something. When Seo Geomes to his senses and remembers the fact that he knelt down to me, he might want toe and kill me again It wasnt a joke or mockery. He was very serious when he said it because he could already imagine it happening. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol smiled bitterly at this. Well, the person who wanted to cut you to pieces had suddenly changed his attitude, so it is natural to believe that It seems to me that Seo Geom-rang actually appreciates you. Baek Eon said. Seol Young still had his doubts, but he believed everything that he said. You think so? With a frown, he looked at the Blue Dragon Troops, who were turning away. In any case, from Baek Eons and the others perspectives, Seol Youngs eyes for noticing emotions werent so sharp. Through the many twists and turns, that child might have changed his thoughts about others in his own way. Baek Eon thought to himself. Well, even though they had to face each other, it suddenly ended without any harsh words being exchanged. Bad ties wereplicated, so they couldnt be resolved easily. However, as people live, such days appear. Even Euljae, who previously spoke about his blood flowing backward just from seeing Seol Young, spoke of simr things before he even realized it. It would be nice if everyone cleared up their misunderstandings about Seol Young. Baek Eon smiled. Song Ok suddenly said from the side, But when will you pick up the que we ordered? Ah. Seol Youngs face brightened. He had totally forgotten about it. I will get it. Right now Right then. Wait. Zaha looked at them with an expression that said he had something to say. Right. Your order has arrived, so you will pick it up. It has been a long time since you were gone, so you should be treated well. But before that happens and your hyungs serve you, shouldnt we talk about the important part? Ah. He also just remembered it. Hyo Wol asked, What is it? Seol Young-rang cant drink alcohol right now. Uh? Everyone was surprised. Is that true? Song Ok urgently asked. Seol Young, however, had a gloomy face. On the night that Seo Jun went wild and went missing, if he couldnt master reading the sheet music by morning, he said he would be punished by not drinking for 100 days. He gritted his teeth and tried to learn, but before he knew it, it was time for the sun to rise. It was only around the time the sun was in the middle of the sky that he could finally read the sheet without any mistakes. He was at least lenient in a way, saying that he was just a couple of hourste, so the one hundred days were reduced to fifty. . That happened. Seol Young sighed. Right. Now is not the time to be drinking. Mount Seondo was also green in the summer. There, Seol Young received his jade box. He drank tea in a noble manner in a yard lined up with trees, met the trainees, and saw their faces as he quietly went out. You arent going to act out or something, right? Zaha spoke as if he were curious. What do you mean? I am not an alcoholic. Seol Young replied. Besides, there is something I need to know, so I dont have time to think of anything else. I dont think you remember, but You said there was something you wanted to ask. Right. Carrying the jade box, he started talking. Youve told me about the technique called To Die Together which lures in the evil spirits and imprisons them inside the body of the caster. Right. And it failed. But it is possible to lure them. That is what matters. It was at that point that I thought of an idea. Seol Young said, What if we can summon that evil spirit as such? What if we can make it appear at the time and ce we want it to? Could we turn the situation to our advantage then? That makes no sense. Then shall we take a look at the book that contains the secret arts and study it? It is a good idea But Zaha had a troubled look on his face. The problem is that I dont have that book. Uh? Seol Young doubted his ears. What are you saying Because I didnt think that I would rise out of the coffin because I failed. I thought that what I had learned shouldnt fall into the hands of others. Amazing. Seol Young was so frustrated that he wanted to cry, but he held it back. . You dont even remember it? All the high-level techniques in that book are like that. You can never remember them. Zaha continued. It would be better not to think of luring and summoning the God of Cataclysm here. It will also not fall for the same trick again, and we will be the ones in higher danger. That was also true. Then we are back to square one Seol Young was lost in thought as he continued to walk. Anyway, if calling it is possible, we can try the Soul Technique. You mean the spell that calls the soul of the dead? Dont we need some things to do that? Right. Clothes, hair, parts of the bodyanything that the dead has a bond with. But before that, there are things you must do first. What is it? The origin. Where and how did the evil spirite from? If we dont know that, we cannot use that technique. Seol Young touched the box. When you fought it eight years ago, didnt you get any clues? Nope. Zaha shook his head. It just popped up every time. And I was too busy responding to it that I didnt think about investigating it. So, would they start from scratch then? Seol Young thought. Even I have seen that evil spirit a couple of times now When he was out drinking with his hyungs, and after the Sword Dance festival, he returned to his room and fell asleep. Soon after that, he met it face to face during the case of Miss Do Hwa and her dice, and then he looked into Zahas memories. Did he get any clues? Seol Young searched through his memory. The entire appearance of the God of Cataclysm. It had long clothes and hair, a face covered with talismans, a back view for every And then he remembered. Ah, that Zaha looked at him. That? What? That ce. He finally remembered. Right after the Sword Dance festival was the second time I looked at it. I stretched out my hand to catch it, but I felt the demonic qi rise up and woke up from my sleep in surprise At that time, that evil spirit was walking somewhere. Where was it? A ce that looked like a pce with a corridor that seemed to be very long In the pale moonlight, the appearance of a building reflecting a silvery glow was still clear in his memory. Seol Young put the box down. He exined it by drawing it on the ground with a branch. Seeing that, Zaha stopped. I think I know this ce. What? Where is it? Follow me. They were going to leave right now? Seol Young put the box in the storage room and went out right away. When asked where they were going, he was told they were going to the Moon Pce. Pce? Seol Young tilted his head. I even thought it was the royal pce at first, but no matter how much I looked at it, it wasnt something I had seen before Follow me. Zaha moved. They found a small box in front of the training hall. When they opened it, they found a small ball used for football games. Judging from the fact that the ball was made from silk and had decorations on it, it seemed more like a prize given to a winner than for apetition. Zaha took out the ball and threw it with all his might in one direction and then he said, Lets go. What was this man doing? Even though he was acting strange, Seol Young still followed him. In the meantime, he thought they were just passing by a simple garden and followed him. There was another path he wasnt aware of. Roofs of several pces were visible beyond the fence. Seol Young was surprised. Were there more pces on this side too? Shhh. And then they found a dark wooden door. It had a strange design engraved on it and was different from what normal pces had. An old eunuch was standing there and seemed surprised to see them. High Governor? What brought you here? Have you not seen the ball of silk? It fell around here. I did hear something falling Its that! Zaha stepped forward. I need to find my ball. The old eunuch had a troubled expression on his face but he couldnt say no. I understand. He turned around, and the strange-looking door opened. Zaha whispered. Check it out. It is the same, right? Where was this ce? What was it? Seol Young went inside. And then he stopped. Chapter 100: Flute Of Foreboding (20) Chapter 100: Flute Of Foreboding (20) It was also a pce. Old pces were lined up and the shadows of their roofs were visible on the pond that wasnt maintained well. The lush green trees swayed from side to side. It looked like countless hands were moving in the sky. Behind the pirs, under the bridges, and between the lush greenery. There was thick darkness everywhere. His head got dizzy. He felt that a certain force was strongly entwining this ce. No one cane here at night. Seol Young mumbled. It is creepy. Zaha was disgusted. The people here are surprised. Go find the ball. Those words brought him back to reality. There were courtiers everywhere who were cleaning, trimming the branches, and carrying different things. Seol Young asked, What is this ce? The Old Pce building. Old Pce? You know the legend about when the Moon Pce was first built? You dont know? This was originally the home of the king, but then the founding monarch was tricked into building the Moon Pce. Zaha briefly said. Since then, it has been expanded numerous times. Important areas such as the main hall have be so nice that this pce was hidden. Then, are you telling me that a ce old enough to be considered a part of history was just thrown in the back without any expansion being done? That is right. It has been used for many purposes since ancient times, including secret meetings, treating sick royals, and hiding valuables that shouldnt be seen. In addition, it is called the Cold Pce. The Cold Pce was where the kings sent their concubines into exile. Seol Young asked, Is anyone staying inside here now? Probably not. Zaha looked at the inside of the pce. It doesnt seem like it? No one is here now. He said. From what he heard, this ce seemed to be very restricted. And this ce was called the Ninefold Depth Pce because it was surrounded by nineyers of barriers. And this was the most hidden location of all the pces, and it was natural for Seol Young to be unaware of it. But it was still somehow being managed well. The courtiers assigned here were busily walking around doing their own work. Will this be fine? Seol Young looked around the pces, which were surrounded by thick green trees. Dont strange things happen here at night? It would be best if no one came. When he said that, the old eunuch lowered his head. How can that be? Day or night, we are managing this ce in the same way. It is alright as long as we know where we are and only protect what needs to be protected. They were meaningful words. Seol Young didnt say anything more and looked around. After passing through several pces and going to the back of the pavilion, they found another pond there. He walked around and, at some point, stopped. A long corridor appeared in front of him. It was simr to what the ghost showed him. It seems to be that His head felt dizzy. Seol Young just stood there, not knowing how to move, and seeing that, Zaha asked, Is that it? I need to look around. He sat down near the corridor, put his hands on the ground, and started to use Memory Projection. If this ce has anything to do with that evil spirit, shouldnt he feel something? Be it a unique demonic qi, a light sound that his ear couldnt hear, or the voice of souls However, no matter how much spiritual power he infused into it, he couldnt feel anything. Only faint thoughts that had nothing to do with that evil spirit were vaguely floating around. I dont know. Seol Young gave up. Who looks for a ball in this manner? All of the courtiers were looking at them with such a face. But as always, they pretended not to see the looks they were giving. Amidst all that, Seol Young looked at the pce. Nothing here was familiar. He only found one corridor that looked simr to his memory, and it seemed like he should be content with just that. Seol Young shook his head at Zaha, and Zaha slowly looked around and went to one ce. Here it is. He reached between the bushes, pulled a ball out, and took a step back. Before leaving, he handed the eunuch a gold coin. It is such an important ball. I am d we found it. Yes. Thank God. But are there any ghost stories in this pce? There are so many in the Moon Pce, so there has to be a couple here Zaha dragged out thosest words and looked at the other person. Instead of answering, the eunuch lowered his head. They are just stories handed down from mouth to mouth for a long time among the courtiers. How can we just speak about them so disrespectfully? The guy was stubborn yet polite. Well, it would be difficult to talk about ghost stories in the ce where the king once lived. They had to leave now. As if he was upset, Zaha said, If we dig up here, something has toe out. I dont think the people here will speak though. Should I apply as a courtdy? Seol Young mumbled to be sarcastic. What do we do now? It was then High Governor! You are here?! Hwarangs in golden robes appeared, looking at Zaha. And he asked, What happened? No. It is because of the Mid Autumn Festival. The Mid Autumn Festival was a big holiday in the nation. The Hwarang troops had to take care of many things. Seeing that Zaha was holding the silk ball, they misunderstood something. Do not misunderstand. There is no problem with the football game. Rather, we have questions about other things Zaha was surrounded right away. Perhaps he was a bit flustered, so he secretly looked at Seol Young for help. Zahas main responsibility was to monitor Seol Young. In other words, if Seol Young approaches him and says something, he could get out of there. But Seol Young hid back. I wont do that. It wasnt that they were trying to dig into someplicated information. They were just asking questions about a holiday. If he wanted to be respected as the High Governor until the end, he had to work. How could he avoid them just because they were annoying? Seol Young gave him such a look. Well, this is good. The Governor did tell us to bring the High Governor if we ran into you. In the end, Zaha was taken to the Hwarangs hall. Come back soon. Seol Young waited for him at the same spot. If he couldnt stand it, Zaha could always throw the desk and run back to where he was. But the leash the Hwarangs had around him was tight. Zaha didnt return for a long time. After waiting in a daze, he suddenly came to his senses, and it was dark everywhere. I still cannot believe that man was taken captive. It seemed like Zaha woke up on the wrong side today, so Seol Young just decided to leave. He didnt want to run into anyone who would interpret this in the wrong manner, so he decided to get out of the pce. He didnt run into anyone on his way, and he only saw the moonlight shining on the floor. Seol Young was lost in thought. How far did he walk? A loud noise broke the silence. A carriage was speeding up from the other side, and it was heading straight for the Moon Pce. It looked like someone was rushing for the pce. If they wereing thiste into the night, it had to be a high-ranking official. In order to get out of the way and avoid having to greet them, Seol Young stepped aside. But The carriage, which had been moving fast, suddenly stopped. The coachman screamed, OH! And the horses ran amok. At the same time, there was this ck energying from inside the carriage. The door burst open as nobledies and courtiers hurriedly evacuated it. What is this? Seol Young drew his sword to save them, but at that moment, onedy pulled out the sword of the escort warrior. She swung it in a circle and cut off the ck shadow that wasing out of the carriage in one sh. ? Seol Young was surprised. The sword itself looked normal. But the body of the sword was shining brightly. This definitely meant that there was a spirit in it. And then he looked at her. The wind from the swords movements hit her face. He would surely call her a great beauty. There was something on her white forehead, and her eyes held this hot charm that he felt like he was familiar with. Seol Young lowered his gaze. Her other hand gently wrapped around her stomach. She seemed to be protecting something. A woman who resembled Zaha with a baby. Zaun At this time, she also found Seol Young. She nced at him with sharp eyes and fixed her gaze on him. Who was this Hwarang in white who suddenly appeared? At that time, loud footsteps could be heard. The soldiers guarding the capital were running towards them. No, arent you thedy of the Sangdae-dong office. 1 What is happening? The horses were a bit shocked. The courtiers answered. While looking at them, Seol Young noticed one thing. All of them had talisman bracelets made of peach trees. They were to ward off evil. Something happened. Then. Zaun and the people got onto the wagon. Move! The carriage soon began to run again. And he just stood there and watched The carriages window was opened, showing Zauns face. She turned her head back and looked at Seol Young. Then Zauns face was getting further away. However, the look in her eyes was meaningful. There was something she wanted to say. That was what her eyes said. Even if not for the look she gave, Seol Young was nning to meet her, and he had a feeling that it would happen soon. Seol Young thought about it again. What could it be?
  1. TL/N: The office that is next in power after the king
Chapter 101: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (1) Chapter 101: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (1) Inside the pce, the sound of weaving could be heard incessantly. The thread held in each hand was moving swiftly. Along the white weaving fabrics, the weaving song resonated gracefully. This scenery indicated that the festival was soon approaching. Since the time of King Yuri, weavingpetitions were held at the Mid Autumn Festival and thedies of the pce were no exception. Seol Young crossed the busy pce. He ran into Zaha right in front of the Hwarangs dorms and frowned. Yesterday, you left me to those thugs and ran away. Ran away? Seol Young objected. You see I waited right there and then the sun went down so I had no choice but to leave that ce but that isnt important. Then what is important? On the way back, I saw this carriage attacked by a spirit. I ran to help, but then thedy in the carriage cut it down first. It turned out that she was the wife of the Sangdae-dong office. Zahas face hardened. He had a yful tone up until now, but now he seemed angry, or more like he was in a bad mood. Seol Young pretended not to realize it. Anyway, I was surprised. I wouldnt have thought that she trained in using spiritual qi. She must have been training for a long time. Thatdy I know. I heard that she is the High Governors older sister. Zahas eyes seemed to be on fire as he heard those words. You were making fun of me? Yeah, right, that was an amazing secret. I had known about it for a long time because I personally brought her a gift when she was getting married. . Anyway, that isnt the point. Isnt it strange that such ady was suddenly attacked by a spirit? In addition, all of the women around her were holding something to ward off evil spirits. There seems to be something going on. There could be or could be not He said it with a stiff face. Do not bother with it. It isnt our business anyway. It is strange. Seol Young pointed it out. If it was someone you met by chance on the road, you would have helped them. Even if it was a beggar with a disease or a thief in prison, you would have asked for the story behind them. Why are you turning away from her? Are you saying that she should be treated differently so that it doesnt look like she is using the fame of the High Governor? You must know that it makes no sense. When a person says something out of the ordinary, it means that they are in a swayed emotional state. Cool your head and think again. After calmly pointing that out, Seol Young added, I have no choice but to be somehow involved. Why? When we parted like that and walked away He briefly recalled what happened. It wasnt long before the sound of footsteps followed. They were the swift steps of a person who had learned martial artsprobably a woman. That person was deliberately informing him of their presence, as if wanting him to know. Seol Young was going to meet Zaun anyway, so he didnt care that the person followed him until here. When Seol Young arrived at the dormitory, the person stopped. And then they lightly expressed their gratitude by making a sound with their bracelet and disappeared like the wind. Now that they know where I am staying, someone will arrive soon. When we get to the mansion of the Sangdae-dong we can investigate what happened to the High Governors sister. Zaha was silent. There was a look of displeasure on his face, but he suppressed it. Seol Young just looked like he didnt care. He didnt even ask anything. It was more like he wasnt paying any attention to the affairs between the two. However, he only pretended to be like that on the outside. He was actually curious. Will I finally be able to know the full story now? He thought so. That night. A monk was reciting the sutra. And then there were light footsteps. Even listening to it through the wall, their behavior seemed unusual. There was no doubt that they were experts in martial arts. One of them stood outside Seol Youngs room. After a small cough, a voice said, If you are willing toe with us, pleasee out. Seol Young got up without saying a word and went out. There were several people standing behind the building. All of them were in ck clothes. It seemed like they could blend in with the darkness. Among them, an elderly man stepped forward. Excuse me, could you cover your eyes with this? He held out a long, thick cloth. Their attitude was consistently changing. There was also a hint of them being afraid of something. Seol Young took the cloth without another word. After wrapping it around his head a couple of times, he tied it twice to reassure them. Thank you. The men in ck guided Seol Young and put him into the pnquin. They were moving as if they were flying and heading somewhere. Towards the South? Seol Young was guessing the direction. Not to the mansion? Their direction was going round and round. At some point, he couldnt figure out whether it was east, west, south, or north. I am sure we are heading somewhere. So Seol Young waited patiently. Eventually, they stopped. Get off. Seol Young came out with the blindfold on, and the ce was quiet. He deliberately stepped onto the ground with a thud, and he could hear a creak and the sound of wooden floors. At that time. Uh excuse me, I want to avoid getting any attention on The man in ck cloth spoke carefully. We cant help it. So please understand with a kind heart. Someone put on a long robe over Seol Young. They were silk clothes that fell softly. It must be womens clothing. On the other hand, another person put a skirt on him. The skirt they had him wear was what women wore when going out. From top to bottom, he had a sky-high silk draped over him to hide his masculine figure. After thoroughly disguising him, someone grabbed Seol Youngs arm, guiding him down the path. It was a cool ce. The mixture of musk and aloe was clear, and his skirt was moving in the wind. He finally figured out where they were. Pce? Seol Young was puzzled. It should have been Lady Zaun who called me. So why bring me to the Moon Pce? It felt like things were not what he thought. I saw her rushing to the pce the other day, so is this rted to that? He began to think. These unidentified people took him round and round after bringing him into the pce. At first, he concentrated on where they were taking him but soon his head began to turn dizzy. He had been in and out of the pce since his childhood as a trainee but right now he was losing his sense of direction. Soon they stopped. We have brought him. The old guide said. And then the sounds stopped. The door slid open in front of Seol Young. Come in. Answered the voice of a woman. Seol Young went inside. The people in ck robes disappeared before he knew it. There seemed to be several people in the room since the scent seemed to be all mixed up, however, no one spoke. Lets talk. Someone said. The silk cloth, which had been draped all the way to the floor, was lifted, and someone removed the cloth over his head. You can remove the blindfold now. Said an elderly voice. Seol Young put his hands behind his head to untie the knot. The fabric fell off, and a bright light stung his eyes. Seol Young blinked a couple of times to adjust to the brightness, and then he knew. They were in a room. It was a very closed-off ce. It looks like it was decorated with jewels everywhere, which convinced him that the owner of this room had to be a noble. And that noble was sitting on a high chair to the side. Seol Young doubted his eyes. There was a crown of gold on the nobles head. Golden earrings dangled from the nobles ears. Wearing a silk dress with gorgeous embroidery, she was. Royal Shh! Everyone turned to him. It was an informal meeting, so they didnt want to use official titles. That was what it meant. Seol Young gulped and lowered his head. Why were the guides so careful? Why disguise him? Now he saw it. The person who summoned Seol Young was the queen of Si. Since her childhood, it has been said that she was a woman devout to Buddhism and was called Lady Yeon Hwa. You are here. The queen said, her voice trembling a little. Raise your head and look at me. Seol Young looked up as she told him, and their eyes met. His eyes trembled as he looked at her, and she looked away. Following her, Seol Young also looked to the side. At that moment, he was startled. Are you 18+?YesNo Chapter 102: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (2) Chapter 102: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (2) The ce was so wide that no special words could be used to describe it. But now, looking at it, he noticed several unbelievable things. Severaldies-in-waiting were holding on to one child, and they were desperately trying to keep the child from making any noise. That alone was shocking enough. But that was not what surprised Seol Young. It was the childs appearance. He doubted his eyes. Isnt that the Princess? He couldnt figure out what had happened. There are two Princesses in Si now. They were twins who were born on the same day, and they were supposed to be six years old now. Seol Young also saw them a couple of times. They were white, cute, plump, and timid children. But they lookedpletely different now. Eup! Euk! Her mouth was groaning. Her eyes were white, and there were ck veins along her temple. The Princess had a monstrous appearance, and she was struggling a lot. Her small feet were hitting the stomachs and chests of thedies-in-waiting holding her. Even if she was a child, it looked like her kicks hurt a lot, but they didnt make any sound, and they held onto the Princess with all their might. And he soon found out why. It was to show Seol Young. Go closer and take a look. A low voice could be heard. It was the person who told him earlier, Well show you first, and then we will talk. She was Zaun. Since it seemed to be an urgent situation, Seol Young approached the princess, and at that moment, another smell that was hidden by the perfume hit him. Dirt? The smell of dirt wasing from somewhere, and remembering that fact, he took a closer look at the princess. Eup! Euk! It was a beasts voice. Her eyes were unfocused, and her chest pushed ahead. Deep in her skin, her veins changed from ck to blue and then from blue to ck. Her ck blood vessels were clear and spread out like spider webs all over her face. It was when he took a closer look Euk! The Princess, who had been acting out in anger, suddenly pulled her hand back and bit the hand of ady-in-waiting. Blood poured out. The one who was bitten held back her screams, and the otherdies-in-waiting just lowered their heads. I cant. I cant take it any longer Bring it here. Zaunmanded. And they immediately brought something out. As soon as the smell of food permeated the room, the Princesss gaze turned there. Before she could even walk without tripping, she opened her mouth, Oh! Ohh! It seemed like a cry of hunger. As soon as thedies-in-waiting let go of her, the Princess rushed at it like a beast and scooped the food with both hands, stuffing it into her mouth. No! That! Because it looked like she was also about to eat the bowl, thedies-in-waiting had to pull it back hurriedly. And then she scratched and bit their hands, making blood drip down. Ah The Queen sighed. The other twin Princess was watching this from the arms of her nanny. Unable to stand it, she buried her head in the arms of her nanny. Zaun turned toward Seol Youngs side, Still, she is quiet when eating Quiet? Seol Young asked, Since when did this start? Thedies-in-waiting who were taking care of the Princess answered, Six days ago. Suddenly? There must have been a reason. Th-That Thedies-in-waiting hesitated. Talk. Just like you did to us. When Zaun persuaded them, they said, Because it was vited. Vited? Yes. The Eight Ghost Stories What is this now? There are eight ghost stories about the old pce of the Moon Pce It has been spread by mouth for generations among usdies-in-waiting I would never even dare to speak You are saying that you are going to not speak about it even when the life of a child is on the line? Not that The woman tried to open her mouth like she wanted to speak, but then she passed out. Seol Young was surprised. A curse? When she tried to say something, there was this powerful force. She tried to keep calm and then speak, but it didnt work. I feel bad now. He hurriedly took out some medicine and handed it to the eunuch. Fortunately, thedy-in-waiting woke up as soon as the pill was put in her mouth. Fainted. Huh The Queen mumbled with a pale face. It seems to have gotten worse. Zaun replied, and she looked at Seol Young. Even if you ask anyone for the reason, no one can answer it. Until yesterday, their tongues would go stiff, and this is the first time they have fainted today. It is building up inside. The Queen sighed. Why is such a thing happening? Just what do I have to do? The Princesss well-being is a concern, but right now, the problem is the festival. She has to be treated and shown to the public in her normal appearance. If that doesnt happen Zaun stopped there. It was understandable. ording to the tradition that started during King Yuris time, the Princesses wouldpete in weaving out of good faith. What if this truthes out then? What if it became known that this had happened to the Princess? The morality of the Queen would be questioned, and it would turn into a messy scandal. In addition, there were many women working hard to serve the King. All of them were from great families and worked hard to take the role. And even Seol Young knew how fierce the battle was. Of course, that didnt mean that the status of the Queen would change due to it. The Kings mother also openly said that she valued the Queen. Still, the Queen was looking anxious. The Princess became a wolf right before a big festival. I was handling this on my own, so I asked Lady Zauns help. I thought that with her help, the problem could be solved without anyone else knowing I tried to exorcise the evil spirit with the things I know, but that didnt work out. On the contrary, the evil spirits attacked me. And then I ran into Seol Young-rang, and so we asked for your help. Zaun continued. At that time, the Princess, who had finished eating, started behaving badly again. Thedies-in-waiting grabbed her, but the powers she held were too strong now. With each move she made, the candles flickered. The Queen was terrified. Try to do something! It doesnt matter what you usea sword or anything else. Just do something! For now Seol Young raised blue energy on his hand. What the Princess is experiencing now seems to be a phenomenon called possession. Possession Another soul has taken over the body of the Princess. It appears to be a very powerful one too. When Seol Young let the energy go from his hand, a small gold line formed around the Princess. First, let us find out what it is. Everyone move back and let the Princesse here. But if we let go of the Princess Let go. If you stay together when the golden ring forms, it might move into another body. What are you doing not moving away? When Zaun spoke again, thedies-in-waiting reluctantly left the Princess. Aaaaahhhh! The Princess screamed and threw herself at the people, but the golden ring blocked her. The Queen was surprised. Ajin! She will not get hurt in that state. It wouldnt hurt her. Zaun said. No matter what they were saying, Seol Young had no time to care about them. He had to concentrate when dealing with a spirit. Who are you? He raised the spiritual qi on his sword and asked, but the evil spirit didnt answer and continued to scream. Answer me. Who are you, and what is your purpose for entering that body? Only monstrous sounds returned. There was no way he could easily get an answer. Seol Young still asked, despite knowing that. It must be subdued right away. He reached out as fast as lightning and ced the sword on the Princesss head. The sword shone in blue. Ahhh! The Princess screamed. It sounded like someone was trying to say something, but Seol Young couldnt hear them. The identity of the possessor was one thing, but the fact that a 6-year-old got possessed was what bothered Seol Young. If done wrong, her little body would be harmed during the process. He had to be calm at a time like this. The feathers turned into stones, the stones into boulders, and so on. He gradually increased the weight he was putting on the sword and pressing down on the Princess. Then, she slowly began to kneel down, and Seol Young gently touched the Princess. But then. There was a small explosion. And Seol Youngs eyes shed. The shock he felt was hurting his head too. Seol Young hurriedly pulled back the sword and got up. What? It was just a showdown of spiritual power. He and the evil spiritpeted over who had more force, but then someone intervened. To put it more precisely, it seemed like something that he had been involved with before. A being with some kind of strong power. Seol Young had been through a lot of bad things since he was a child, so he was being cautious with this child. No matter how horrible the situation was, he was dealing with a small body. If he didnt, then the child would be seriously injured. What is this? He frowned and performed a detection spell. Incantation letters spread everywhere, and at that moment, a burst of energy, just like earlier, erupted from under a chair. Seol Young immediately went there. He looked under the chair and immediately picked it up with a cold face. You lied to me. He set the thing on the table. A rosary bead. It was a thick rosary bead with Sanskrit writing on it. .! The faces of the Queen and herdies-in-wating went pale. Are you 18+?YesNo Chapter 103: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (3) Chapter 103: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (3) Whose rosary is this? This doesnt seem like the regr one, so why is this here? Seol Young asked. His voice was firm this time. The thing is The Queen hesitated a little to speak. We called a high monk from the Heungryun-sa Temple. But. What happened to that person? After reading the sutra to the Princess and returning, she was said to have been murdered by something horrible. What was that? Zaun turned and looked at the Queen. It seemed like even she was unaware of it. Why didnt you tell me that? My Lady wanted to inform you, but we stopped her. Thedies-in-waiting spoke. If word goes out that a high monk came here and that happened we were afraid that people would be too scared about it and not heal the Princess. It was all our fault, please forgive us. All of thedies-in-waiting could not raise their heads. Seol Young was confused and said to the Queen, I cannot do things like this. If you have called me, you need to believe in me. If you had thought of us as people who would be frightened by such words, then you shouldnt have even bothered bringing me here in the first ce. Talking about it also made him angry. It wasnt something that happened once or twice. I am risking my life for this. Lying to me and putting me in danger is another thing. If I lose my breath like this, I wont just die, my soul will suffer forever. It would be much better for you to drag me out and slit my throat. I apologize. I was short-sighted. The Queen looked sad. Thats the only thing we didnt mention. Other than that, we hid nothing else. Her words seemed to be true. Then I understand. Seol Young carefully turned around and performed the detection spell again. There was another burst. It was behind arge vase and a calligraphy scroll. He went there and retrieved two rosary beads. For the resistance of the evil spirit to be strong enough to break them He felt this was a serious matter. Seol Young asked for a clean cloth and wrapped the beads. After putting his palms together, he paid respect to them. Meanwhile, the evil spirit took over the body of the Princess once again. Euk! She let out a scream and tried to break free again. Seol Young pressed down on her forehead with his sword. This time, the spiritual power spread without being obstructed. The Princess, who was looking furious, had calmed down. She slumped to the ground as her head hit the ground. Ah! Came a sound. The Queen asked, Did the evil spirit leave? It isnt that. It is just taking a break. Seol Young calmly said. To think that a high monk has been killed means that its power is too strong. I guess we need to try to know. Anyway, the important thing is that you believe in me and follow me. He emphasized it to the Queen once again. Some things happen for no reason in the world of the living, but nothing happens without a reason in the world of the dead. Did you know that? If this exists, that exists, and if this arises, it is because that arises. Without this, there is no that, and because this vanishes, so does that vanish. The Queen mumbled a sutra of Buddhism. In other words, this happened because of fate? In terms of Buddhism, yes. When I got close to the Princess earlier, I smelled a strong earthy smell. Using that as a clue, ask your trusted aides to investigate it. I understand. At that time, the olddy-in-waiting came forward and said, We will change the guards. Seol Young was then reminded that this was the Old Pce. And what thedy-in-waiting said. It has been such a long time since a Hwarang came here. The eyes and ears secretly nted by the Queens enemies might notice it. That was what they meant. The queen said, Ah, as if she had only thought of it now, and her eyes suddenly looked desperate. My Ajin. Save the Princess. As long as the Princess is fine, I do not care about other things. Seol Young couldnt respond to that. He didnt have a mother, so he would easily be weak when mothers became desperate for their children like this. I will do my best. The Queen looked at Princess Ajin again. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched the child slump. If you run into a difficult situation at work, show this. She pulled something from her sleeve. Thedy-in-waiting stepped closer and took it. Then she handed it to Seol Young. It was a golden card with a lotus engraved on it. I understand. Seol Young bowed to the Queen and went out. At that time.. Wait. Zaun followed, stopping him. My Lady, do you have something to tell me? With a piercing look on his face, she said, I decided to trust you for once. Do you know why? Because I saw you blink a few times after the blindfold was taken off. If he had secretly opened his eyes and looked, he wouldnt have had to blink to adjust his eyes. Since he was honest about keeping his eyes closed, she was saying that she would believe Seol Young and not the rumors around him. Of course, that could also have been a meticulously calcted performance. Zaun added coldly. Should he thank her for trusting him? But it wasnt her whom he should thank. The Queens position was so messed up by this issue that she couldnt help but summon Seol Young. And when did we get so close for her to call me YOU without an honorific? With that thought, he looked at her. Even though they looked like siblings, the two werepletely different. In Zahas case, there was indifference in his eyes, and in the way he spoke, and at times, he came up with an absurd look on his face too. But he couldnt imagine Zuan ever making such a face. Her lips were firm, and her chin was stern. What was the difference between the first and second child? Looking at her like this, it seemed like the second child grew up with more love andfort. Anyway, those eyes look the same when he makes people workthat shameless confident look. And then their eyes met, making Seol Younge to his senses. He had been staring at her for too long. Zaun asked, You seem to have something you want to ask me? I do. Then say it. Even though you were loyal to the Queen, there was a fact that she hid from you and didnt tell you. Dont you feel betrayed? He was genuinely curious, and Zaun didnt seem to expect that question. Her eyes showed itthe light that shone at the unexpected questionbut it soon disappeared. I do not me the actions she made out of fear. With that, she immediately left. As soon as the door closed, people in ck appeared. Then, let us leave. Said the masked old man, who handed him the blindfold again. Just because Seol Young knew the way to the Queens secret residence, there was no way that he would sneak in and do somethingter. Maybe they knew that too. However, this was a procedure in their work that couldnt be omitted, so Seol Young just epted it. That, and this too A silk robe and a hat with a long draped cloth were also handed to him. As if they were disrespecting a woman, the men in ck masks bowed their heads. But there was something they didnt know. What is this? There was nothing Seol Young wouldnt do to catch an evil spirit. And he didnt care what attire he would be asked to wear in order to do that. Everything was done the same way after that. After disguising himself as ady, he turned around and left that ce. As they guided him, he climbed the pnquin again. The pnquin went round and round, making him lose his sense of direction. Seol Young just thought to himself. How do I solve this case? While thinking deeply, the pnquin stopped. You can get off now. The masked people said. He thought that they would bring him around again. He wondered and went down. Everyone hastily uncovered him, so they took off his clothes, and they reached out and removed his blindfold. This wasnt the room he was staying in. It was a road outside the pce. But why here? He noticed it right away. In the darkness ahead, someone was staring in his direction. Just like a rare, ferocious golden tiger ready to pounce. Sharp eyes were scanning those in ck, and they werent just looking. It felt like he would pull out his sword at any time. This is a ce where anyone can kill and bury someone without other people knowing, yet you take a person to such a ce without letting anyone know? A Hwarang of ours? Who told you to do that? At Zahas question, the men in ck couldnt even look at him. He knows who did this. This was him rebelling against his sister. He meant to tell her that he was enraged by her actions. Seol Young motioned for the masked people to step back. They all bowed too deeply and moved back. He thought that now that the task was finished, they wouldnt care about being polite, but this was such a shock. However, even after they left, Zahas anger didnt subside. Are you doing it? His tone was very angry. Taking a person to such a ce without anyone knowing. A Hwarang of ours. Did he consider this incident as his sister trying to show off her power? Was this a sh between the siblings? Seol Young shook his head. It may look like he was taken to the Old Pce, instead of her ce, but there was a reason But anything he said now would only enrage Zaha more. There was no need to do it. I need to use it a lot sooner than I thought. Seol Young put his hand inside the sleeve to pull it out. What is this? He showed it to Zahathe bright golden piece, just like his eyes. There was a lotus pattern engraved on it. Even in the midst of anger, he looked shocked. This? You are on the right track. Then the person you met Yes. Seol Young began to drag him away. It is a huge problem. Are you 18+?YesNo Chapter 104: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (4) Chapter 104: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (4) Seol Young went to a dark ce and talked about everything. Zaha finally found out why his sister secretly brought Seol Young to that dangerous ce. The Queen cannote out with the Princess right now The story was long, and so many things were shared. Just like how the people in ck were being polite and cautious the whole time, and how Seol Young was not being too obedient with them While listening to all the details, Zahas anger gradually calmed down. It wasnt the situation I thought it would turn out to be. Finally, he epted it. Now was not the time to be fighting his sibling. Seol Young tried to get those words out. But Now is not the time for this. He skipped thest part by being smart about it, and he searched through his arms again. He took out another thing that he had brought from the pce and showed it to Zaha. They were three big rosary beads with Sanskrit on them. And then he looked at Zaha, Did that person give you these? No. I picked it up from the floor. I was told that a high monk from the Heungryun-sa Temple came before me and tried to help the Princess but was brutally murdered. We need to investigate that first. Heungryun-sa is around this ce, right? Yes, and it is midnight, so it is the perfect time to investigate it. Then, was there anything more to discuss? The two headed for their destination without saying another word. Heungryun-sa temple. This temple was founded by a monk named Ado, who went to Si to spread Buddhism. In other words, it was the first temple in Si. Whenever the royal family held arge ritual or ceremony, the Heungryun-sa Temple would always host it. Since it was inseparable from the royal family, it was reasonable for the Queen to invite a high monk from there. The two of them first found a monk who was tasked with amodating guests. Would you seem to know anything about these? When Seol Young showed the monk the rosary beads that he had found, the monk sighed. He put his hands together and sped them. The two of them also did the same. How did the owner of this rosary enter Nirvana? We do not know the details either. That while praying alone in her room aftering back from a trip, there was this horrid scream, and we ran towards it The monk was speechless. Seol Young asked him, Can I see the room of the deceased monk? There is nothing in that room Sure. Seol Young thought. In any case, the monk had no reason to refuse their request, so he guided them to the dead monks room. Lets see There should be some candles around here. The monk searched for a candle and lit it, and then the room turned bright. As the monk said, it was empty. A monks room was originally quite empty, but now, without the owner, it looked lonely. But the moment Seol Young entered the room, he felt it. Instead of objects, there was something that filled the room. Then wait When Zaha slightly winked at him, the monk nodded and went out. Seol Young immediately closed the door and said, The deceased monk left a message here. What kind? I think she was confused until the moment of her death. Along with the warning about her murder, the memories just before her death were engraved like a seal. I am d I came to see this before it disappeared. First, he sent out his spiritual qi in the four directions and then tightly bound the thoughts of the dead monk so that they wouldnt be scattered. Then he looked at Zaha. The more I know, the more I cant figure it out. So how about looking into the monks memories together? Together? Is that possible? I havent heard anything. Seol Young exined his thoughts. It came to my mind while riding the pnquinthe old mask. I held it in my hand once and fell asleep, which allowed me to peek into the visions of the God of Cataclysm. It means that it has the ability to make the unseen seen. So these sacred objects have simr abilities? Nice. That must also mean that you can only use the Memory Projection with me. You seem a bit too excited It cant be that too. Seol Young sat down on the ground. I want to dispel the suspicions surrounding this ce and the monks death, so please let me look into your memories. As always, after politely asking for permission, he pulled out an empty sheet of paper. Instead of using a brush to write, he drew it in the air with his spiritual power. He put it on a piece of paper and handed it to Zaha. To Great Mother. Zaha held it. The letters on the talisman were sucked into the que. Okay, now Seol Young raised his spiritual qi in both hands. He did say this might not work, but he looked quite confident. However, there was no response from the object. Maybe not? The talisman Seol Young just used could brighten his eyes and help him see ghosts. If not that Is there a need for a reaction or response to be here? Seol Young took out another talisman. He didnt draw the talisman this time. Instead, he just handed it over like he was asking for permission to work. The blue, glowing letters were sucked into the que again, and the moment he started the Memory Projection, the light from the candles turned into broad daylight. They could see a lush tree outside the window and hear the sound of cicadas. It worked. The two looked at each other. Thankfully, they managed to get it done the second time. The will and thoughts of the dead monk that had been left behind in the room began to unfold before their eyes. The first thing they saw was a book. The letters were scrambled. Seol Young whispered. What is that? It doesnt seem like a chant It is the . It is the one written by the great monk Won Hyo. It was definitely convenient to see it in person and ask for his opinion. Ive found another good way through this. Seol Young was proud of that fact and focused on the Memory Projection again. The Lotus Sutra was spread out in front of the monk, but her gaze was ahead. The arrogance and ignorance in the person A resounding sound came out of her mouth. It is difficult for those who have fallen into arrogance to awaken Dharma. The monk seemed to be immersed in deep meditation as she memorized the passages. But at some point, the thick greenery outside the window shook. Even though there wasnt any wind, it rocked violently. The shadows cast on the wall multiplied countless times. Then, suddenly, it came crashing down on the monk. There was a groaning sound. My death is approaching soon. Seol Young hurriedly raised his spiritual energy. It was to protect them so that the shock of the monks death wouldnt be transmitted to them. The pain was blocked, but the sensation was vivid. Sharp things pierced his entire body as if it were being torn apart. What is this? Is there a chaotic evil present? He couldnt tell what it was. The monks body was destroyed in an instant. He couldnt understand anything until her death. What was that? His hand barely reached out in shock. At that moment, a light shed into what they were watching. It looked like blood on white cloth. At the same time, a distant smell crossed the tip of his nose. Dirt? The Memory Projection ended with Zaha saying that. The two were back in reality. He asked Seol Young right away, Didnt you say you smelled dirt from the Princess too? I did. Seol Young nodded. She smelled like dirt, too. I dont know if it is the same or not, but the power of the monk was amazing, and yet to kill her without a chance to resist The moment he said that, he suddenly felt out of breath. He felt dizzy, as if the blood in his body had stopped, and the pain began to re up. His hand reached up to his neck as if he wanted to breathe, even if it meant squeezing his neck. Who felt this? It was normallymon to share the sense of death. But how was this so intense and vivid? there are no marks on the walls. Zaha looked back and was surprised. He immediately approached Seol Young. What is it? It is fine. It has passed. Seol Young said that while barely breathing. Was that all? His heart was thumping horribly, and it felt like he was about to die. Lets get out of here right now and talk outside. Zaha didnt ask further. But Seol Young could still feel his eyes watching him closely. When they left the room, the monk was waiting. Did you see it? His face was calm. Apparently, he didnt feel anything from the outside. They thanked the monk and left the temple. And it was only after they hadpletely gotten out of the temple that Seol Young felt his heart unclench. Seol Young took a deep breath. It felt like I was choking, as if I was suddenly being suffocated. I thought it was odd that you were trying to tear out your neck. Perhaps it is the memory of that evil spirit. If you think about it, in connection with the constant smell of earth, it seemed like it was buried alive or something. Buried alive Zaha snorted at this. The blood on white cloth. Buried alive. Choking. And Eight Ghost Stories of the Moon Pce. Seol Young said. The ghost stories are rted to the old pce. I am talking about the pce we went to. I visited it just the other day The words of the old eunuch, who guarded that ce, suddenly came to his mind. It is alright as long as we know where we are and only protect what needs to be protected. The Princess was said to turn out like that because someone vited and spoke of the Eight Ghost Stories His thoughts stopped there. What is this about viting the ghost story? What kind of rule does it have? A rule. Zaha suddenly said that while looking at Seol Young. Do you know something? About the Eight Ghost Stories? It is something that is only passed on among people who work there. They are the rules that one needs to follow and learn in order to work safely in the pce. Zaha exined. The Eight Ghost Stories of the Moon Pce. They are rules of not viting. You mean? If you see a red room in the hallway after a celebration, do not enter it because there is no such room. Something like that. Ahhh I get it. Then the seven? You dont understand. These stories are only known to people who work as maids or courtiers in the pce. They are made up on purpose. Ah, now I understand. Seol Young nodded. Well, it must have a rule of some sort. And Zaha said as he continued to walk, I think they are essentially flowing stories. Flowing stories? I am hearing this for the first time. Because I made it up. Ah What kind of object is usually at the center of a ghost story? For example, when talking about stories of water ghosts, the water ghost should appear. When talking about a vengeful ghost, a vengeful ghost should appear. Whether the ghost appears at the start, middle, or end, it has to appear. That is the point. Right. But the ghost stories that have rules are rather empty when ites to the subject part. It only talks about the rules, not what happens when they are vited. It means that the core part of the story is left empty. Right. We just talk about the rules, and we are done. And so there is no certain object that you will fear in that kind of story. A ghost story that makes you fear nothing and everything. You cannot miss that point when ites to dealing with ghost stories that have rules. I get what you mean. They were walking in the fog, and Seol Young had managed to understand it. If we find out which ghost story the Princess vited and add the clues we found, we can see the rough outline. The problem is that there is a strong curse on the ghost stories in the pce right now We have no choice but to run into it ourselves. That is what I always do, but because the Princess is the one involved in this case, we cannot do any sneaky things. If that is the problem Zaha shrugged his shoulders. It isnt such a huge problem. His gaze moved to the house on the side of the road. Even though it waste at night, the sound of weaving could still be heard. ? Seol Young had a questioning look on his face, but he suddenly remembered that this was a tradition of making the Princessespete in good faith. Women from the royal familypeted in the weavingpetition. And the men I see. There has to be a way. The other side must have already thought of that and prepared it. Are you talking about your sister? We must get ahead quickly, then. Arent we on the same side, though? It is strange to be ahead of What do we do? Zaha smirked. I will have to use it. Chapter 105: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (5) Chapter 105: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (5) Ajin is the Princess of the Kingdom! If the Princess wants to do that, then she can do that! How dare you say such things! An angry roar rang out and a white-haired woman was trembling in anger. The Empress Dowager. She was the mother who had given birth to the King. She was the only one who could raise her voice even in the presence of the King. This is what it means to hold power. Seol Young stood behind her and looked at her. The aura around her would make the sister of Zaha look like nothing, and the ce he was currently in since this morning was the hall of the Empress Dowager. How far would things go? Nothing seemed so surprising anymore. There was the incident the other day when a ghost named Do Hwa tried to avenge her grudge after decades. It touched me so much that I said a few words to the Princess. Upon hearing those words, the Princess wanted to give the price to that Hwarang in white. What is wrong with that? Isnt he a Hwarang? And a qualified one too? The Empress Dowager shouted. The words of the Princess are orders! You need to follow them! If anyone utters other words of refusal in the future, I will regard them as standing up to me! Her angry roar made everyone go silent. Then. She looked at Seol Young. Princess Ajin, the second Princess of the nation, has selected you as the Royal Guard Hwarang as her giftee for the festival, so please do your best to honor the Princess. Saying so, she lowered her fan, a symbol of honor. I will obey themand of the Princess. Seol Young bowed and epted it. Royal Guard Hwarang. It was the Hwarang who served the King or any member of the royal family after receiving a certain mission. On the day of the festival, the Princessesmanding the women of the royal familypete in weaving skills while selecting Hwarangs one by one. And Seol Young was chosen for that role, so he could now confidently meet the princess. After everyone left, Zaha smiled. Thank you. The Empress Dowager said. Why are you thanking me when it is what the Princess wanted? But didnt you take my words into consideration? I cannot help but feel great at being favored like this. When Zaha smiled and said that, she spoke with a firm face. Do not push it. Since you are the siblings who have pledged your loyalty to the royal family, I will think this that is a cute thing you did. If it is because of some other goal, then forget it. Her words were strict, but her eyes were gentle. They said they were rtives on the maternal side. Zaha was too young to be her son, so she saw him as a grandson, and it was obvious that she cared for him. No matter what anyone says, this old woman will say a couple more things, so please dont let them reach the ears of the Princess. There are still people who say she is inferior to others, so take this as a chance to put an end to those rumors. And there is nothing wrong with what you said. Yes. After talking with the Empress Dowager, they went outside, but then some people appeared. They were Zaun and her people. They walked so fast that their skirts were fluttering in the wind, but they stopped when they saw Zaha and Seol Young. The siblings met. From the looks of it, it seemed like they were meeting for the first time after a long time. As if they were estimating each others changes over the past eight years, they looked at each other for a moment. Zaun spoke first. Still the same. Nunim 1 too. You seem to be unable to hide your intentions too. Did you think I wouldnt hear about how you ran to the Empress Dowager? If things dont go your way, you choose to y badly? y badly? Zaha asked, like it was funny. Dont you know what it means for a powerful evil spirit to possess the body of a child? Do you think we have enough time to dy it until tomorrow, the next day, or the day after that? The decision has to be made swiftly. Am I wrong, Seol Young-rang? Seol Young didnt want to be involved in the fight between the siblings. However, when the two of them turned to him at the same time, he had no choice but to express his opinion. If you ask me, I think the words of the High Governor are right. No matter what we do, there are people who will talk about the revtions of the Great Heavenly Pavilion, and if the Empress Dowager decides to intervene, then the pavilion will be less troublesome for us. Zauns eyes red at him. Now that it hase to this, the fate of our family depends on whether or not this task is aplished. My life is always at stake. You know that is not what I meant Why do you say so much? Zaha interrupted her. You know many people have gotten their nails blunt by now. Is livingfortably as the wife of a powerful man nice? Zauns eyes turned to Zaha. She red so much that it was difficult to think that they were siblings. She then bit her lip and spun around. Lets go meet the Princess first. And then they left for the pce, where the Queen and the Princesses were. Before entering, the sound of weaving could be heard, and they moved inside to see arge room. This ce was made by tearing down the walls to temporarily expand it, and many women were weaving inside. The looms were endless, and the pages of the books they were following were spread everywhere. Lady. High Governor. When they passed by, thedies-in-waiting naturally greeted them. Such iron fortress. Seol Young thought. The Queen was being very careful when it came to the situation of Princess Ajin being leaked outside. After passing through so many women, who were lined up like a wall, and moving further inside, they eventually arrived in a room deep inside the pce. Ady-in-waiting said, They are here. Oh! The Queen raised her head, and the others looked after Princess Ajin, who was asleep, and Princess Ara was ying next to her. I was waiting for you, ever since that moment, the Princess has been in deep sleep without even waking The Queen looked at Seol Young anxiously. Please tell me. Since that thing happened yesterday, I have been looking into a lot of things, and a possession is not something that can be solved swiftly, right? If we do something wrong, it will take months, years, or even more to remove the effects it had on her and recover her lost memories Her eyes were tearing up, and Zaha reassured the Queen. Its not just Seol Young-rang, but I am here too. You have nothing to worry about. Seol Young added, I have solved possessions many times, and I never failed. I will do everything I can to get her back to normal before the festival. Did you hear that? Then except for the Princess, everyone please Wait. Zaun interrupted. The Queen is anxious and doesnt wish to be separated from the Princesses as much as possible. Just like thest time, do it in front of us. You should realize that this Zaha was about to snap back when Seol Young blocked him. Let me discuss it with the High Governor for a while. ? Zaha looked at him, and they moved out. See, Seol Young-rang. Why are you being so mean? It isnt like we are trying to butter up the royal family, so why are you doing this now? Dont mention it. Seol Young approached the elderdy-in-waiting whomanded the others. The fact that Princess Ajin vited the ghost story of the old pce, doesnt mean that she went all the way there? Yes. She was ying games with the others when she sneaked inside. And what was Princess Ara doing? Watching the weaving with the others. Arent the two of them usually together? Thats true, but Princess Ara was trying to act like an adult She didnt want to participate in the game that day. Zaha looked at them as they talked, and his shocked expression slowly disappeared. The answers of thedy-in-waiting made his eyes shine with interest. Are you saying that Princess Ara needs to be vignt too? I dont know Seol Young said. Twins are different from normal siblings. Although Princess Ara seems to have no symptoms on the outside, it might be something else. We need to thoroughly examine all the possibilities In other words, while exorcising the evil spirit possessing the younger one, you want to investigate the older one as well? No strange symptoms have appeared. Thats it. After talking, they went back inside and Seol Young told the Queen, This ce is a good boundary against the demons. Ill open the door to the next room, and you can observe from there. Ah! Thank you! Thank you so much! In return, do not let yourself be shaken no matter what happens. You cannot go out of there or make a sound. I will definitely do that. The Queen nodded. And she got ready right away. Princess Ajin was still asleep. Seol Young collected spiritual qi onto his fingers and made a circle by writing something around the Princess, and the letters were immediately absorbed into the floor. Then he crossed over to get closer to her and made a guardian circle for the others. Princess Ara will be shocked at this, hold her in her arms and turn her face back so that she doesnt While Zaha was talking to them, Seol Young secretly hid Zahas que in the circle. This que had no effect on people, but if an evil spirit got close, it would act like a talisman, and it would feel a burning pain all over its body and go into a seizure. Right. Come on in. The Queen and Zaun crossed into the guardian circle and sat down, and the nanny holding Princess Ara walked in. Seol Young and Zaha observed Princess Aras actions. There was nothing odd about her. She went out of the room and into the circle, yet she looked peaceful. Nice. After confirming that they were seated, Seol Young took out the things he had prepared. A rope, a bell, and a que. When the evil spirits are exorcised, they will go into the que and be sealed He exined as he looked at them. Then he tied the que to the end of the rope. He also attached bells to guide the way to the que, one after another. But then ! The faces of those present changed, and they stared wide-eyed. Here it is. Zaha said, and Seol Young looked back. Princess Ajin was awake. In the darkness, her blue eyes shone. Her hair that was pulled back was now undone and standing up in all directions. The body of the princess rose as if it were levitating in the air. Then Kwaaak! She started screaming and had a seizure.
  1. TL/N:Nuna is Korean for sister, and Nim is an honorific
Chapter 106: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (6) Chapter 106: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (6) At that moment, the spell that had been absorbed into the floor was activated. The letters flew and stuck to the body of the Princess. They immediately turned into a rope that tied around her. Ack! Zaha grabbed the body of the Princess, who was screaming. Together, they quickly tied a rope around the wrist of the Princess, and Seol Young said, What did the rightful owner of this body do wrong? Do not harm innocent children, ande out! Are you going toe out after so much pain inflicted on you? Or will youe out and experience less pain? It is for you to decide. Zaha raised his sword. A golden aura shed on it, and in an instant, it rushed for the body of the Princess. Ack! Seol Young also raised his Blue Rainbow to pressure the evil spirit from the other side. The evil spirit was being pressured from both sides. Ackk! AKKK! A series of screams erupted from the Princess. Her eyes were wide, as if they would pop out at any moment. ck veins were swelling up around her face, and she coughed out a ck lump. ! Those who were watching were shocked. But they couldnt make any sound since they promised not to. They all held each others hands and watched everything happen. Ack! Her mouth kept puking ck lumps onto the floor, all her joints were being twisted in all directions, and there was a sound simr to walnuts being cracked. So stubborn. The biggest problem here was the body of the child. Sel Young carefully calcted it and added a little more spiritual power to his sword. It was then [Om] Amidst the roar of the demon, a sound echoed in all directions. Was it a hallucination? There were cases where evil spirits used such means. So he turned to Zaha to confirm it, and he was also frowning. It is not a hallucination. The strange sound spread out. Following the sound, his eyes shed, and then the Princess suddenly vanished. ? Seol Young immediately stopped his hand. The body of the Princess was bound by his spell, and she disappeared for a brief moment but reappeared tied up. [Om] And then came the sound that vibrated again. It spread for a long time, and it is more distinct now. Eventually, it turned into anguage. [Om Amoka Salvadara Sadaya Sibeum] It was a mantra. With the mantra echoing around, the image of the Princess appeared and disappeared repeatedly. ? The ones watching were shocked, Zaha asked, Are you trying to run? To where? The old pce. Seol Young said. Isnt it an evil spirit that broke the rules and got stuck there? If things dont work right, it will run away and hide back there. But he didnt understand why the evil spirit was mumbling a mantra The power it was holding seemed to only get stronger and stronger. Seol Young strengthened the rope around her. We cannot miss this chance. Zaha nodded and raised his sword. A dazzling light covered the small body of the Princess, and the rope around her wrists began to tremble. The bells connected to the rope were frantically jingling. ! Anothermotion rose among those watching as the face of the Princess changed. Something like a mask began to form on her face. The evil spirit was unable to stay inside her and wanted to get out. Now. Seol Young drew a talisman with his hand. Get away from that body! With a shriek, the blue, glowing que hit the Princesss forehead. Then the mask snapped off her face. AHHHHHHH! A shrill scream rang out. A clumsy figure climbed out of the rope and was driven away in an instant. Did they get rid of it? While everyone watched this by holding their heads, the rope suddenly broke, and sparks flew. At the same time, a powerful force erupted from her body. The evil spirit that was about to escape got caught and was dragged back into the body of the Princess. What is this? Seol Young couldnt understand what had happened, and the entire ce began to sh and flicker. In the midst of that, the face of the Princess could be seen changing again. Another mask ovepped the one that appeared earlier. Just as an actor changes masks, countless masks appeared in a short moment. Zahas expression changed. It wasnt just one? Eight Ghost Stories! Seol Young finally realized it. They were multiple spirits in one body. Judging from the faces that changed, they must have been the ghosts that took over her body. Now he understood it. It wasnt like the sword that went after people in the fake monk case. It was an actual spirit, not just a sword. That was why the pain of being buried alive felt real to them because it was not just one who suffered but many. But did all the spirits die in the same way and time? It was strange. Besides, if they are the eight ghosts, then they need to appear at some point. He had seen the child twice, but he hadnt noticed it until now. These souls were so perfectly fused inside her that Seol Young was tricked. It was as if they were one soul now. But is that possible? He was in a daze for a moment there. Om Amoka Salvadara Sadaya The spirits began to chant again, and those who were scattered came together. The waves of their chant were stronger. They need to be pulled out again. Seol Young threw talismans at Princess Ajin. But then Zaha, who was holding the body of the Princess on the other side, nodded slightly. When their eyes met, he pointed with his eyes. Princess Ara? Seol Young continued to use talismans and looked back. The Princess was burying her face in her nanny, maybe in fear. But [Om Amoka] As the mantra was being chanted, a certain wave moved around Princess Ara. Normal people wouldnt notice it. Even Zaun, who was there, didnt seem to notice it, but Zaha and Seol Young did. Is it because they are twins? Or is there some other reason? At that time Ack! With a shriek, the body of Princess Ajin was violently thrown into the air. [Om Amoka Salvadara.] In line with the terrifying mantra being constantly repeated, the body of the Princess was jerked back. Her little body was folded in half. Lets see Zaha immediately released his spiritual power. The evil power of the evil spirit was pushed, but it didnt retreat. The two sides were fighting in the air. Their side was powerful, but so was the other one. The Princesss little body was caught between them. Ack! The Princesss face contorted like a monster. ck blood was pouring out of her mouth. We have to stop. Seol Young said. If it were an adult, he would have taken a risk, but she was only a six-year-old child. And we obtained a good clue. He reached out and scattered the talismans. Zaha also raised his spiritual power. His golden aura swept everywhere like a whirlwind, dispelling the evil energy. Everyone had crossed the limit, even the eight ghost stories. So the moment the evil spirit found a way to escape, it hid. Thud. Princess Ajins body fell onto the nket. Princess! A nanny ran over and hugged her. Ah The Queen copsed from exhaustion. Zaun quickly rushed to her aid and clenched her hands. And she asked, looking at the men, What happened? It seems like there were several souls in Several? The Queen asked, shocked. Yes. Seol Young looked at the Queen. Do you remember what I askedst time? The smell of dirt and the symptoms of being possessed. To investigate Ah, of course I did, but it wasnt enough. I couldnt find out anything. Since then, we have found additional information through Memory Projection. Judging by the sensation of suffocation, the monks cause of death must have been because she was buried alive. And the clot of blood on white cloth Clot of blood? And Ill add some of the things I just found out. The evil spirit isnt just one. There are many of them moving together. And that some mantra was being chanted again and again. Seol Young looked at everyone. I am sure you all heard it. Looking at it earlier, it seems to be a mantra that can gather evil energy, but it cannot be just that. Right. The Queen nodded. That mantra holds a good meaning. Isnt it for the fulfillment of life? You are right. Seol Young answered. Now we have a good number of clues. We will have to take a look at all of this. What kind of incident is rted to those evil spirits When he said that, someone among thedies-in-waiting jumped up, making everyone look at her. The olddy-in-waiting had a shocked face, and the Queen asked, What is it? I remember! She said that in a trembling voice. It has to be those children! Then everyone asked, Children? Chapter 107: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (7) Chapter 107: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (7) What children are you talking about? The Queen asked. What is that supposed to mean? Calm down and exin it in detail. Yes. It is just a story I heard when I entered the pce, so it must have been around fifty years ago Thedy-in-waiting didnt bother naming who was ruling at that time because she was being cautious about not saying anything about the royal family in front of the Queen. A certain member of the royal family had a serious illness that caused him to vomit a bowl of blood every morning and evening. In order to cure it, they took orphan kids and killed them after lying to them that they would be turned into pce courtiers. By burying them alive? At Zahas question, she nodded. After that, the next one spoke. Actually, Ive heard about that too. It was said that if we didnt listen, it could happen. Me too. Testimonies kept pouring out. If you tell a child to memorize only one word while starving, they say that the words will end up having powers. So, without feeding them anything, they hung bloodied cloths in front of their eyes and made them stare at it They prayed for the illness to be cured and made them recite it with just one thoughta wish-fulfilling mantra. Then, in the end, their hands and feet were tied as they were buried alive. As long as decades ago, as short as years ago. The time when they heard that story was different, but the content was the same. As it was used to discipline the young courtiers, it seemed that the circumstances of the incident were rtively simr. That is cruel The Queen was speechless. Then are those children trying to get revenge on the royal family by taking over the body of the Princess? There must be no reason other than that. Seol Young nodded. I thought that it was unusual when I saw the bodies, but now I understand. Children are much more spiritually strong and sensitive than adults. Since those children went through the same experiences and died in a space called the royal pce, there is no way this will end normally. He exined it to all of them. Besides, a sorcery spell was used. While reciting a chant in the same state of blurred consciousness without eating anything, their souls assimted into one. Silence passed, and Zaha asked the women, How many children did you say there were? I heard that there were around twelve from the rumors. Several women agreed. While they were being cross-examined, ady-in-waiting hurriedly came in and said, Princess Ning Pa ising. The Queen and Zaun looked at each other. It seemed that they were nervous about the appearance of the concubine, with whom they had a confrontational rtionship. Why is sheing without informing anyone? I think she might have noticed something. We will take care of the Princess, so please feel free to meet her. I get it. The Queen bit her lip and went outside. In the meantime, Seol Young thought deeply. What do we do? After thinking about it for a while, he came up with a rough idea and told Zaha, That symptom. He pointed at Princess Ara with his eyes. The Princess stood there, holding the hem of her maids skirt. She looked like any normal 6-year-old. Zaha mumbled. Theres no reason to be suspicious of her, but it bothers me for some reason to just simply ignore it. Exactly. So Seol Young lowered his voice to repeat what he had just thought. Are you nning to use that shadow? Zah tilted his head. Wouldnt that be the correct way? Why bother leaving behind all the good tricks? It sounds like you want to leave the fishing rod behind and catch fish with chopsticks. But there are some reasons to use it. Seol Young spoke again. Zaha listened to his exnation. There is no other way. We should try it. Because she is a child. Seol Young moved to the next step and continued. Since it is said that there are twelve spirits, we should prepare twelve as well Soon, their discussion was over. First, Zaha approached Princess Ara. While smiling, he looked her in the eyes and asked, Is the Princess not curious about what is happening to her younger sister, Princess Ajin? That Princess Ara blinked her big eyes. Isnt that something that shouldnt be asked? Just like how I shouldnt ask why there are so many concubines even though my father has my mother, Lady Yeon Hwa As expected, you are smart. But arent you afraid to keep seeing and hearing these bizarre things? Its fine. Its not midnight yet. Are you saying bedtime scares you? The Princess was a child. There was nothing odd about her words. But still, we never know for sure. Seol Young secretly brought out a spell he could use when the Princess was talking to Zaha. The shadow of the pir got longer, little by little. It stretched out so slowly that no one noticed until it reached the shadow of the Princess, and the shadow of the Princess swayed. But nothing happened. No matter how much it shook, the shadow of the Princess stayed still. Seol Young mumbled, It isnt Zaun appeared. As if she heard Seol Youngs words, she asked sharply, What do you mean it isnt? Nothing. There was one thing I had doubts about, but I think I was wrong Seol Young replied. Then the Queen also returned. It looked like she was tired. Zaun asked, Did you send her back? What do I do? It is clear that she had noticed something, and I think they will continue to spy again The Queen looked at Seol Young with a darkened face, What do we do now? It was the question he had been waiting for. Seol Young quickly answered, I know the solution to how to get rid of the evil spirits. First, we need a good space. It should be more fortified than here, and the people outside should have no idea what is happening inside. There shouldnt be anyone who could enter it anytime and interfere. Hmm He didnt think they could find it right away, but Zaun readily nodded. Queen, talk to the people. Since His Majesty appeared in my dream, I will pray in my room all night, so please do not disturb me. Then, even if His Majesty looked for the Queen, he shouldnt be allowed to go inside. When thats done, lets go into the secret room in the basement of the prayer room and do it. Then that is the ce. We also need a few things. First of all, there are not enough ques to seal the evil spirits That issue was also resolved right away. Zaha sent the courtiers to the Hwarang hall and ordered them to bring twelve ques used by the Hwarangs. And I need twelve child-sized dolls. You have to dress them in silk and decorate them. First and foremost, what he needed right away were eight scrolls. He also needed eight courtiers who were strong and brave. In order topletely save the Princess, we need to break the eight ghost stories. Seol Young exined to everyone. It can be called a power to rule the ghost stories that came from nothing. Having bumped into the evil spirit a couple of times and discovered this much of its tightly sealed history, it seems like some of the nks have been filled. Therefore, the curse must be weaker than before. First, he cast a protective chant onto the scroll. Eight courtiers were seated, and they were in charge of writing the stories from the first one until thest. If you feel stuffy, or if your chest is mped, or you feel dizzy, stop right away. Yes. The eight courtiers took up the brushes and began to write about the stories they knew. After writing a few things, their hearts raced, and they began to feel strange. And then someone opened her mouth. Great Dharini. She began to recite the sutra for peace in a loud voice. It mentioned how one would ept Avalokiteshvara, who would save them from fear. Soon, several people began to chant together, and then their thumping hearts calmed down. The rule of the ghost stories was short, so there were only a few lines written because these were stories that had no major plot. And they finished it before anyone was badly affected. Good job. Seol Young sealed the scrolls. A monk or a traveling monk carried it and put it into a well. All that was left was to wait. When the sun went down, the twelve dolls were prepared in a secret room in the basement of the prayer room. All of them had their hair neatly done and were wearing silk clothes. Of course, they had sparkling ornaments too. Seol Young hid the ques one by one under the clothes of the dolls. Lets start then. Princess Ajin wasid t in the middle of the room. The Princesss limbs were bound by a spell. A long rope hung from one of her wrists, and its end was connected to one doll, and the other dolls were connected separately. Will this happen as nned? After looking at Zaha, Seol Young touched the forehead of the Princess. It is the Princess who is fighting the evil spirits. I am just helping her. Since you are the Princess of the Kingdom of God, be courageous and drive the evil spirits away. As he said that, Zaha moved closer to him, and then a light shed. The light was so strong that everyone had to shut their eyes. Seol Young conveyed his intention to the Princess. Thats it. Really? You did it, right? Zaha touched the rope that was tied around the wrist of the Princess. At that moment, the Princess, who was in deep sleep, opened her eyes. Realizing that her hands were tied, she struggled. Free me! The voices of several people could be heard from her mouth at the same time. Seol Young and Zaha stood on either side with their swords pulled out. The spiritual qi rose, wrapped around the Princess in a circle, and pressed her down. Ack! No! Free me! It seemed like she was trying so hard because the real voice of the Princess came out. Nanny! Nanny! Where is Nanny? Where is the Queen? Hurry up and bring my mother! Mother! It hurts! Please release these people! It hurts so much! It was the voice of the child. However, the Queen had already made up her mind. She knew that the evil spirits were imitating her daughters voice, so she tightly closed her eyes and turned away. No matter how much she searched for her mother, when no answer came back, the Princesss voice changed. Leave me! Let me out this instant! Who are you to do this to me?! Her eyes, which had turned ck with no whites on them, turned to Zaha. Are you going to kill me now? It wasnt enough that you stabbed the hearts of those who trusted and followed you! You traitor! A guy who cannot handle one thing! She was practically cursing him, but Zaha didnt seem bothered. Why is everyone talking about that all the time? Are you saying that you have nothing else toin about? This is just the start. Seol Young said, and looked down at the Princess. But Zauns face caught the corner of his vision. Her face was as pale as a sheet. Her expression looked like she was so shocked. .? Thinking it was strange, he decided to get a clearer look. And you! An evil spirit among evil spirits! The evil spirit inside the Princess shouted at Seol Young. You will burn in mes! I will drag everyone around you into chaos! The one who even ate his own benefactor! And the voice changed. You! Did you think you would be able to be safe after what you did to me! It was his teacher, Baek Sans voice. ? Seol Youngs face turned pale. Chapter 108: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (8) Chapter 108: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (8) Do you think that this is the end? It will never end like this! I will drag you down and see the end! A middle-aged mans voice rang out from the mouth of the little girl. It was Baek San. How.? As soon as the shock went away, Seol Youngs eyes lit up with blue sparks. Everything that came out of the Princesss mouth was what his teacher said. He was boisterous and benevolent when he had to be, and heughed and joked as well. And to think those words came from such a situation. It sounded like he was cursing, but they were actually words of warmth and affection. But this spirit was looking into his memories and using the voice of his teacher to shatter his will. It was a memory that only the two of them knew in this world. At that time, the expression of his teacher and his voice were all vivid to him. They were memories that Seol Young cherished so much, and no evil spirit could so carelessly look into them. They were afraid of repercussions, so they avoided it. But this one crossed the line. It seemed confident because of how many spirits it had gathered. How dare.! His blood was boiling. With the Blue Rainbow sword in his hand, a blue aura rose like mes, and he immediately tried to cut it down. But then a hand blocked him. Pretending to be strong? Zaha smiled. And only then did hee to his senses. Losing ones reason meant falling for the tricks of evil spirits. Didnt he act as if it would never happen to him? I have nothing to say. His hot head cooled down. Seol Young raised his spiritual power without another word. It hurts! A scream came out of the Princesss mouth. You cursed bastard! I can see your future! You will have the most disgusting death ever! The spirits will gouge out your eyes and rip out your tongue! Your skin will be charred, and your limbs will be broken into millions of pieces! Everyone by your side will resent you and die horribly! When he didnt listen, the evil spirits began to curse him in the most horrible manner. However, both sides silently pressed on. They focused on making sure that their power didnt drop. The golden and blue light that circled around Princess narrowed in and entwined like two dragons. Ackk! A desperate scream rang out. The evil spirits reached their limit. Tring. A string connecting the dolls trembled. Tring! Tring! The bells rang in session. ck lightning crackled along the rope. The evil spirits were being cast out. [Om] The dolls around them trembled as if they were alive. [Om-] A powerful mantra shook the air. The entire secret room shook. The next moment. Princess Ajin and the twelve dolls suddenly disappeared, and the same thing happened to Princess Ara, who was in the hands of her nanny. Princesses The Queen screamed, and the entire surrounding changed. They were no longer in the basement of the prayer room. They were in another dark ce. What is this?! Where did my daughters go?! Where are we?! Queen, you need to calm down. You have to calm yourself now. Zaha told her. His sword began to shine, lighting the ce. Finally, the surrounding scenery came into view. Dark red pirs and a faded wooden door. Aside from them, the ce was empty. It was an eerie, old ce. The old pce A sigh escaped from everyones mouth. I knew it would be like this. I already expected that the evil spirits would escape into the old pce when they would be in danger. Seol Young said as he was taking out a pouch. I make the decisions here. I will catch the evil spirits hiding in the eight ghost stories and find the whereabouts of the Princesses. At the same time, he swung his sword with one hand. Blue letters began to fly in the air, and they brightly shone throughout the entire ce as they spun around. I will draw a guardian deity so that the evil spirits cannot harm you. My Lady, keep the others safe. I understand. Zaun took out a dagger for self-defense. He was worried because she was pregnant, but she was so well-versed that he didnt have to worry about her at all. It seemed like no one could touch her. Then. He left Zaun behind and hurriedly went outside. As soon as Zaha came out, he drew a pattern with a golden aura on the door, and it shone brightly in the dark. If we do this, we can quickly find something. And then he looked at Seol Young. Everything seems to be happening as nned? That isnt up to us, but on the others Seol Young replied and reached for the pouch that had the scroll. But at that moment, he felt a warm sensation in his right wrist. A sharp pain cut through his skin. What? He unwrapped the cloth around his wrist and held it up to the light. A thin red line was drawn across it. Seol Youngs face twisted. When did this happen? Zaha looked at it. You didnt notice you were hurt? I wasnt hurt As he thought about it, he managed toe up with an answer. I get it. These are the rope marks. Rope marks? Eh, not at all. It is. Seol Young cut off Zahas words. It is not an ordinary wound. These are typical symptoms experienced by sorcerers who try to exorcise powerful evil spirits. Hallucinations and marks of the dead. Marks of the dead? It refers to scars left on the body when the deceased dies. Didnt they say they were buried alive with their hands and feet tied? It is just them taking their anger out on me. Seol Young rubbed the wound on his wrist a couple of times. The pain quickly went away, but it felt weird. It was going to continue hurting until the evil spirits werepletely eradicated. It bothers me so much. He tightened his sleeve again. We need to find the first ghost story quickly. The candles were lit by the courtiers, who were standing in a circle. The faint light cast shadows in the old pce. There was no wind, yet there was a constant creaking sound from somewhere, and it felt like they were walking in deep water. What the old eunuch said popped into his mind again. It is alright as long as we know where we are and only protect what needs to be protected. This was the world of Ghost Stories. As he continued to walk, he saw a room at the far end of the hallway. There was an old-style doorknob. What room is that? The two looked outside. There were dozens of wooden bunks lined up left and right, rustynterns that had not been lit for a long time, and the drapery shook with its fibers unraveling because it was so worn out. Isnt this the pce amodation? The moment Zaha said that, one of the scrolls in the pouch began to glow blue. !? The two exchanged meaningful nces. This is the first ghost story. Lets see. Seol Young took out the scroll and unfolded it. Pce Residence If you open your closet in the room and find that all your clothes are gone except for a skirt and a jacket being hung, you should never touch them. Close the closet as it is, and without taking your eyes off that door, step back and go outside to your superior. The superior would understand what had happened and immediately help you. On that day, you have to close your door and lock it so you can be alone. Every time there is a knock on the door, knock back the same number of times. Something like that. What was the identity of the thing that was trying to harm? It was a typical ghost story in which the important things were left nk. I dont know what is being talked Lets see. Zaha agreed and immediately went into the room. First, look for the closet. This side. There was a wall lined up with closets, and the two of them searched the numerous doors and found itthe skirt and the jacket. Here. Needless to say, they attached a talisman to it right away. The letters containing a spell were sucked into the clothes, and they caught on fire as a horrid scream rang out. Numerous hands came out of the clothes that were hanging and were engulfed in mes. Is this its true identity? Zaha raised his sword. Well, just die first. His sword shone in gold, and he shed a cross. Seol Young threw talismans into the middle, and a series of explosions erupted. Something seemed to be struggling toe out, but Zahas sword pierced its core. With Zahas sword inserted in it, he infused spiritual power into it, and it exploded again. The smoke vanished, and the ce was quiet. Then the clothes burned and turned to ashes. After they entered the room, not even time had passed to burn a single stick of incense. Following the rules was troublesome, and breaking them was easy. Then lets take a closer look. Seol Young touched the ashes with his fingers, and the story slipped past him. The shroud of a royal court. Its not a special story. Its the story of someone stealing things made of high-quality material, and he tried to sell them, and they all got cursed. The object of fear, which had been omitted from the ghost story, was revealed, which meant the missing part was now filled. The power the ghost story had is gone now. Thud! The childs doll that was in the closet fell out. One person? Seol Young checked inside the closet. There were eight stories and twelve dolls, so it had to be more than one doll. But this time, it was just one. Then it was safely sucked into the que. Seol Young retrieved the que that he had hidden in the dolls clothes and put it in his sleeve. We have caught one of the twelve. Good start. The two went outside, and at that moment, they found two people standing at the end of the hallway. The twin princesses. Ara and Ajin were standing straight in the darkness and looking their way with expressionless faces. There! The two ran hurriedly. Chapter 109: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (9) Chapter 109: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (9) However, the twins vanished right away. They tried to shine the ce with Zahas sword, but nothing happened. Who is controlling it? The eight spirits shouldnt be together anymore. After Seol Young drew a light and checked it, he carefully reaped the light. There is an evil force right within this space. Until we dispel all of these ghost stories, we will have to follow the rules. Good. Lets go to the next one quickly. A long hallway stretched out in front of them. As they were quickly walking, a bell rang. Tring, tring, tring. At that moment, a scroll began to glow. Seol Young took it out and opened it. Second. Corridor of the Old Pce. The second ghost story was quite short. There are no bells in the pce. If you hear a bell ringing when walking down the hallway, then stop right away. Take six steps back, sit down, and cover your ears. The two walked back. One, two, three, four, five, and six. They stopped right there. Then. Seol Young threw his hands into the air, and then they immediately lowered themselves. Wheik! Something sharp and huge came flying. And in an instant, it attacked them and got swept away. A de passed by him in the air. Had he stood still, his whole body would have been torn apart. It looked like an old man? Uh? An old man? Zaha threw his sword instead of answering. His sword flew at the same speed and stabbed it. It was skewered and nailed to the ceiling. Then a terrible scream rang out. Seolyoung quickly approached it and looked up. They didnt know what it was, but its whole body was covered in a white beard. It had several arms that were as sharp as teeth and were odd. What is that? Zaha was a bit confused. Not an old man? We will know if we kill it. Seol Young immediately threw talismans at the ceiling, and they exploded. When he projected it, it turned out to be someone who was once an insider. His name was Juk Man, a eunuch whose hands were cut off after striking the King with a bell stick. What. In this way, the story of the second ghost was revealed, and Zaha took his sword back. This time, there were two. Seol Young took out the que from the dolls clothes. Three of the twelve. At that moment, they heard footsteps running behind them, and the two of them looked back and saw the skirts of the twins disappearing around the corner. Wait! Seol Young and Zaha ran behind them. But again, they identally missed them. They stared at the spot where the Princesses had disappeared. It seems closer than before. Is there something about it? Probably. Seol Young looked around. Where did they go? I think they went there. Zaha pointed to the door. Drrrrrr. When they opened the door and went inside, vegetables and grains were piled up in a mess. There were several kitchens in the pcethe ce where snacks were made, the ce where tea was made, and the ce where alcohol was stored. Among them, the ce they were currently in was where the dishes were made. What about this ce? Hmm. Seol Young took out the scroll that was glowing. Third. Pce Diner Room. And then he read the story out loud. If you enter a cold room and try to leave, but the door closes by itself, do not try to open it and just turn around. The scales in that ce will be tipped to one side. There was a scale too huge to even ce a pig on it, and it seemed to be talking about that. If you look right under the kitchen knife storage, there is a red drawer. Take the pendulum out of there and set it on the weight. The door will open again when the scales are properly bnced. Do not look back, and calmly walk out. At that moment. There was a rumbling sound. They looked back and saw that the door was closed. They turned back and looked at the scale again. One of its weight tes, which was bnced earlier, is now tilted. Seol Young immediately threw his talisman. ck! The weight tes shook violently with a loud noise, and the lumps on the te were revealed. This one is rather strong. Zaha also swung his sword with a disgusted look on his face. The lumps on the tes were wriggling and trying to merge with each other. And then, when hit by his sword, it shattered. They were hit with a talisman again and were burned down as they disappeared without a trace. His name was Eon Gagi, a court noble who was sentenced to five rounds in a cold room for stealing food. Seol Young said that while suppressing his rumbling stomach. The moment the evil spirits history was revealed, a doll fell onto the weight te. And then, they retrieved the fourth que and went outside. As they went out into the hallway, they heard the twins running. The sounds got louder and then smaller, but they didnt vanish now. It seems we are following well. Nice. Lets go find the next one. The setting of the fourth ghost story was the Cold Pce. The courtiers seemed to call it the West Pce. When you go to the West Pce, you should always bring a bowl of water with you. After reading until then, Seol Young brought water in a bowl. First, put the water bowl on the table. While cleaning, you should keep checking the image reflected in the bowl. If the image is different from the real one. If the painting on the ceiling is of a pine forest, but what is reflected in the bowl are paintings of flowers and birds. Then never look up. If you do, do not panic and calmly untie the cloth hanging around your neck. Seol Young, who had been reading the ghost story until then, tilted his head. Cloth? At that moment, his neck jerked up. It isnt cloth. Normal clothes didnt have nails and teeth. And this was smooth and bouncy hair. Even normal hairs didnt have nails and teeth I dont know what this is. Seol Young calmed himself, burned the thing around his neck, and was released. ording to the past, a concubine was hanged from a pole. In this story, he safely gathered two ques. Seol Young summarized the results. Its the fourth ghost story, and we have six ques. We are halfway down. His wrist continued to hurt. It seemed like the wound was constantly being rubbed. But on the contrary, he could feel the advantage of the space gradually shifting to their side. It will end soon. Following the images of the princess, they found the fifth ghost story. Fifth. Infirmary. If you find a ck bag with the Chinese character MU written on it among the other various medical pouches, hang it between the licorice and linguine. If you hear a voice from inside it, be sure to answer Polygonum is Polygonum to any question. This phrase was actually from the Book of Songs, and it was all about filial piety. The two of them defeated the ghost of the Crown Prince and obtained a que. And then, they arrived at the sixth location, the torture chamber. Various instruments of torture wereid out in rows. On one wall, coffins were propped up for those who died during torture. No matter which tool they looked at, they were dripping in blood or had flesh stuck to them. Sixth. Torture chamber. Seol Young opened the scroll and read it. When cleaning the wooden chairs in the torture chamber, make sure to push every chair once. The wooden chairs being referred to were the torture chairs. They had handcuffs bound to them. If one of the chairs doesnt move, quickly bring a cloth, specifically a skirt, over it and shout Wang Ming! Then go out when the cloth starts to turn red. They approached the chairs and pushed them one by one. Indeed, there was one chair that didnt move. Seol Young could hear Zaha taking out his sword. How do I break it? Not yet? Seol Young pointed at the pouch holding the scroll. It looks like there is one more. Right. Before they knew it, another scroll was shining, so Zaha lowered his sword. Maybe this torture chamber holds many stories, so there must be two rules. I will read it. Seoil Young took the scroll out and opened it. If the wind blows or if a coffin falls without anyone touching it, never look inside it and get out. There are no coffins in this chamber. That was when a coffin copsed. The two looked at each other. If it is a coffin, then I should do it. Zaha immediately changed the target and began to break the coffin. Seol Young took the chair. Both resisted. However, after being split, burned, and beaten down with their energy, the history behind the ghost story was revealed. The chair was inhabited by the ghost of Nam Ji, the eunuch, who was a notorious torturer. A chair is just a chair. It seems like a mysterious phenomenon created by the negative energy that filled the torture chamber. They acquired three dolls in this room, and Seol Young retrieved three ques. With this, a total of ten ques were collected, and only one ghost story remained. The eighth one must have something to do with the kids being buried alive. This is really the end. The two quickly ran down the hallway, but then Zaha stopped. Wait. Why? He looked around with alert eyes. Dont you think something is strange? What is? Dont you feel empty? Like something is missing? Something was missing? Seol Young pondered it and then realized it. Right. At first, when we broke out of the ghost stories, we could see the Princesses. They looked around. Where are they? Thats it. So far, we have been following them closely as we quickly resolved the stories. Then, while solving two ghost stories at the same time, did we end up overtaking the Princesses? That means. That is where it happened. The two looked back at the torture chamber and rushed back again, but there was no more chamber present. Amid the flickering lights were the torture instruments and an eerie stillness. They looked around once, andrge jars of water used for torture were there. Only one of them had its lid closed, so they went and opened it. Euk! The sound of choking could be heard, and a child in fancy clothes looked at them with a pale face. It was the twin sister of Princess Ajin. It was Princess Ara. Chapter 110: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (10) Chapter 110: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (10) As if relieved that the lid was opened, Princess Ara finally let out a breath. Phew Tears welled up in her huge eyes. She had the same face as her mother, the Queen. Zaha reached into the jar and pulled the Princess out. Princess! What happened?! What about Princess Ajin? I dont know. She shook her head. I was in the arms of my nanny, and when I realized it, I was in here. I want to ask what happened. Seol Young and Zaha looked at each other. Well, everything is fine now. He lifted up the Princess and hugged her. We need to find Princess Ajin soon Seol Young looked around, and at that time, they heard the scream of a child from behind. It sounded like Princess Ajin. We need to leave soon. They held the Princess and rushed to the ce where the sound came from. Meanwhile, Seol Young unfolded thest scroll while running. Eight. The backyard of the Old Pce. It was the eighth ghost story. There are twelve pagoda trees in the backyard. When passing this ce, be sure to count the shadows of those trees. Twelve shadows are fine, and it is okay if there are more than twenty-four. However, if it is between twelve and twenty-four, then go find a superior right away. They will get you out of the pce. The rules didnt end there. Below is a piece of advice for the seniors. If the one who reports is still alive, get him out right away. If not, never leave his body and burn it to ashes. When he finished reading the full text, they arrived in the backyard. There were trees under the moonlight. Seol Young threw the first talisman. Pat! Two shadows rose in the blue light. The spirits of the children who were buried alive were now almost sealed. There were just two left in this ce. Kuak! The two spirits hit by the talisman bounced back. Zahas sword flew like the wind and attacked them. So simple. Unknowingly, Seol Young mumbled that. Of course, they were all powerful spirits. However, after dealing with twelve, two seemed like a small number. Puak! A blue aura formed in the shape of a whip and struck the two spirits one after the other. And, unable to hold out any longer, they copsed. Your history has already been revealed. You were the twelve children who were buried alive and died to cure the disease of a royal family member. Seol Young lowered his sword as he said that. With this, all eight stories were revealed. The two souls that had lost their powers were sucked into the spirit-sealing que. Then two dolls fell from the trees. Then they saw a little girl lying on her stomach beyond that. Ajin! Princess Ara wanted to run to her. Put me down! Wait, it is not safe. Zaha held the Princess tightly with one arm and raised his spiritual energy. A golden light shone, forming a glittering path that stretched into the Old Pce. Seol Young nodded to him. Now was the time. Put me down. Princess Ara said that again. However, Zaha ignored her words. I asked you to put me down! The Princess demanded, making Zaha look at her and he said, I am going to carry you even if you are heavy. It doesnt seem like there is just one person. What do you mean? The Princess tried to free herself, but she couldnt. Enough acting. Seol Young said coldly. I didnt want to trust you from the start. You are identical twins, but one of you wasnt possessed. Isnt it clever to stay on the sidelines and be excluded from whatever is happening? What are you talking about? I am the Princess! Speak in a way I can understand! Princess Ara twisted her body and shouted, but Seol Young looked at her coldly. Did you know I touched your soul through your shadow? What are you talking about? As the eight ghost stories were revealed, Ive been looking at the state of their souls through their shadows. But it isnt always urate. As you know, there is a saying that ghosts dont have shadows What are you talking about? Nanny! Where is my mother?! After being possessed for a long time, the spirit acquires an aura very simr to the original owner of the body. I cannot figure anything out just by looking at the shadows. But why did I bother to use such a spell? Enough nonsense! Put me down now! What are you doing to a Princess right now?! To trick you. Seol Young said without hesitation. No matter how many decades old you are, you are a child. If you make them think they are ying on the top of an adults head, then children get drunk on it. The shadow spell was bait. Bait to make you believe we didnt suspect you. . To put up with the pain of the spiritual energy and to enter the jar and hold your breath until someonees. I will admit, it was truly something we would be fooled by. Seol Young said. Are you the head of those children? Silence passed. Princess Ara red at Seol Young and Zaha like she wanted to kill them. And .she burst intoughter. Right. Another voice came out of the mouth of the Princess. It was the voice of a clever girl. I had possessed Princess Ara since she was a child. I rode on the body of a maid who didnt know the rules of the Old Pce. Holding onto the child, Zaha asked. Where is the soul of Princess Ara? Stuck down. She pointed to her chest. That girl is stupid and doesnt know anything. I can put her down whenever I want and call her out whenever I want. The Queen didnt know this and was fooled. Even when I was acting, she thought I was her daughter without another thought. Stupid woman. The spirit snorted. Well, living like that wasnt bad, but I promised to give the other kids the body of the Princess. After all, they were twins. Thats why it worked. The spiritughed. Fools! The eight ghost stories of the pce give us strength, but at the same time, they bind us! You, people, didnt know about it and broke the ghost stories. You made a huge mistake! Darkness flickered in the eyes of the little girl. It was an expression of madness taking over her. We are finally free! I can finally get my hands on what I want! Seol Young was cold. Is that even going to happen? We are twelve, and we are one! We can work perfectly fine! The Queen didnt even doubt her daughters. Even if you im we are fake, no one will believe you, right? The body of Princess Ara began to rage. In Seol Youngs arms, the ques began to move and float in the air as if they were alive. The next moment, dolls appeared. There were twelve childrens dolls in colorful clothes. They wrapped around the body of Princess Ajin, who was lying on the ground. The spiritughed. Do you know what we will do now? First, we will annihte the soul of Princess Ajin! Then, Princess Aras soul too! And we will upy the bodies of the two Princesses forever! The air shook. [Om] The mantra began to ring. Princess Aras body, which was being held by Zaha, suddenly vanished and appeared in front of Princess Ajin. The spirit raised a powerful force with both hands and mmed it down Ajins back. Rumble. A ck thunderstorm erupted. It was such a powerful force that it lit up the entire dark space. However Something unexpected happened. The mighty power that was about to attack the soul of Princess Ajin missed her and spread all over the ce. Therefore, the body of Princess Ara, which was in front, was hit by the attack. ? The evil spirits were startled and fled. Because they were quick, they were able to avoid being hit. However, its aftermath was too much even for their spirit bodies. They felt paralyzed. Why? Princess Aras eyes went wide. Her mouth was stunned, unable to move, but her mouth seemed to be saying something. Why, why Why? Seol Young said coldly. As nned, the eight stories were broken, and Princess Ajin was about to receive a surprise attack. But why didnt it work? Princess Aras body trembled. With her eyes wide open, she red at Seol Young, but she couldnt speak. You should have done the math right. Zaha clicked his tongue and said, Count correctly again. How many dolls do you have now? One, two twelve. There were twelve dolls around Princess Ajins body. ? In an instant, Princess Aras face turned pale. They were too excited to notice. But they werent just twelve dolls. Do you get it now? Zaha asked. Twelve children. Among them, since you are inside the body of Princess Ara, only eleven souls should be there in the dolls, right? . Isnt that troublesome? If we werent here, you would have had time to check which was the right doll. However, since we are here and you have to fight us, you couldnt afford to do that. . Why are there still twelve? Princess Aras eyes were burning in anger, and her eyes were fixed on one doll. You. The evil spirit tried to speak. Who are you? Who is it? Seol Young recalled with a smile, You must have forgotten because you were busy paying attention to your friends. There was a little soul that hid to avoid being noticed by the eleven spirits. You wouldnt have cared about what or where the kid was. That was your mistake. A very huge one. Who are you? The spirit yelled, but the twelfth doll just stood still. Seol Young said at the end, The y is over. You can speak. The doll cheerfully said, It is me! The voice was clear and confident. The owner of the voice was Princess Ajin. Chapter 111: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (11) Chapter 111: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (11) The evil spirit was horrified. Y-You, how did you get. You must be surprised. You wouldnt have known it while you controlled the doll that contained Princess Ajins soul. Why? The answer is simple. Seol Young said, After being possessed for a long time, the spirit acquires an aura very simr to the original owner of the body. Didnt I say that earlier? But the opposite is also true. ..! The face of Princess Ara turned pale. Zaha said to the evil spirit inside of her, Seol Young-rang told me, This is a unique spell. One is like many, and many are like one. So it is hard to figure out the exact number of spirits from the outside. Perhaps at least one of the evil spirits has managed to sneak away and is active elsewhere. Hearing that, I began to have doubts and yed along. You should have seen us connect Princess Ajin and the doll before the ceremony started in the secret room, right? At that time, the Princesss living soul had escaped and entered the doll. Seol Young looked at the twelve dolls. Moving stealthily, lying t, and hiding without anyone noticing her. The Princess is quite good at that, right? She was amazing this time too. She got so good at hiding that eleven spirits didnt notice that she was hiding inside the twelfth doll. Ehh. Priness Ajin was a little happy. I told the Princess. Everything is just a game. Go inside the doll and stay hidden no matter who holds it. Keep quiet and fool everyone until I tell you to. Then the Princess became very excited. Of course, she was. Princess Ajin nodded her head, and Seol Young said to the doll, The game is over, so you can now go back to your body. Yes. As he stretched out his hand and removed the spell, Princess Ajins spirit, which was inside the doll, was slowly pulled back into her own body. The Princesss body fell asleep again. And the evil spirit only clenched its teeth as it was watching this. Seol Young nced at the evil spirit. You had to take care of your eleven friends and control the dolls. In addition, you must have been so excited that we broke the eight ghost stories and set them free. That is why you failed. Shut up! The evil spirit yelled. I did not fail! Everything you are saying is a lie! Who will believe your words? They will us. Zaha said. The evil spirit followed his gaze and turned its head. Beyond the overgrown bushes were three people standing. The Queen, the nanny, and Zaun. Their pale faces said they had heard everything. ! The face of Princess Ara turned white. H-How You called for them earlier, so I sent a nice spirit for them toe here. Zaha said while swinging his sword round and round. Right. The three of them waited for good news and stayed in a guarded ce, and then suddenly, the ce turned bright. At the same time, the guardian circle that Seol Young made had disappeared. Did they find them? They came out with a smile, and a golden light guided the path. They followed it until here, and they heard everything. . The evil spirit revealed everything in front of them, and now it realized how wrong it was. The evil spirits eyes turned mad for a second, and Princess Aras form shed and vanished. She reappeared behind the Queen and pushed her down. Then she drew a dagger and aimed it at the Queens neck. Do not get closer! The evil spirit shouted. Everyone get out of here! Leave the two Princesses and the dolls behind! If not, I will stab the Queen to death! Her voice, full of anger, rang out. If that happens, you people will be charged with the sin! If the two Princesses unanimously state that you people stabbed the Queen to death, who wouldnt believe it? The evil spirit swung the dagger wildly to prove it wasnt lying. At that moment, the hand of the child that was running wild was caught. ? The evil spirit looked startled when it realized that it was the Queen that was holding its hand. Everyone was shocked. The Queen didnt learn martial arts. She had a weak body, and she wouldnt even re at people, which was why she was known to be clumsy. Rather, it was an uncalcted move. While holding the hand of the child tightly, the Queen said, Child you will get hurt. They were words of genuine concern from a mother to a child. And it stirred the hearts of those who listened. Hatred appeared on Princess Aras face. Dont you understand? I am not your daughter!! The Queen stared at her and said, When my daughters and I went out to see the plum blossoms in the park, I told Ajin not to pick the living flowers and go after the dead ones it was you, not Ara, right? The hand of the child stopped. When I read a book untilte at night, even when you were dozing off next to me, you would open your eyes and look around when I would cut off the wick of the candle. When I would stay at the Buddhist prayer ce and sweat, you would always fan me from behind. When you saw the monkeys raised by the maids, you couldnt take your eyes off them. It wasnt Ara, but you, right? The Queen said. It is fine. It is definitely different. Looking back, I know each and every one. I can tell the difference between you and Ara now. The child tried to swing the dagger again, but the Queen didnt let go of its hand. You will get hurt. Child Do not call me like that! The child yelled. Lia! Liar! Everyone is the same! You are pretending to be nice, so I wouldnt hurt your daughters! You. Isnt it true that you have been living as my daughter all this time? I was just acting to buy your favor! There was nothing but hatred in my heart! Still, I dont hate you! The Queen embraced the child with her other hand. Sorry. Despite being together for this long, I couldnt recognize you. Let me go! Its strange. You obviously tried to hurt both the Princesses, but I dont feel any hatred towards you. Let go! Let me go! But the Queen only hugged the child tighter. How hungry you looked when you were possessed? She patted the child on the back and mumbled, How painful was it? How scared, how much hatred. How much you missed your mother. The Queen closed her eyes with a pained expression. Her eyes were filled with tears. Let me go! Let me go now! The child struggled. The Queen was known to have a frail body, but she was gentle, and she loved her kids so much. No matter how evil the spirit was, she must have felt some affection while acting as her daughter. Well, that kind of life wasnt bad either. The evil spirit thought so. It was a story about being happy. In its head, the evil spirit thought that kind of thinking wasnt right. However Warm arms. Soft touch. Affectionate words. Since the child was so hungry for them, it couldnt help itself. Let me go! The evil spirit yelled. The limbs that had been violently moving gradually lost strength. The child slowly closed her eyes as the Queen continued to hug her. As if it was trying to feel this warmth a little more. You cannot be evil until the end, and you cannot be mad until the end Seol Young mumbled. Even if it was an evil spirit that had a grudge for decades, even if it was a ruthless spirit that was able to continue its act even though its soul was being burnt In the end, they couldnt give up the humanity that was deep in their hearts. So, in the end, those who couldnt rise to the position of stepping on others were those who were called the weak ones in the world. Seol Young knew them better than anyone else because he himself lived among the weak. In the midst of silence, the Queen spoke, It is Sarira. Everything is originally empty. No sorrow, no pain, no hunger, no senses, no thoughts, no actions, no consciousness. It was a sutra. The Queen exined the contents in an easy-to-understand manner as if she was talking to a child. No age, no death. There is no such thing as NO. That is liberation. Her quiet voice spread out, and the Queens face contorted in sorrow and pain. But as she chanted the sutra, her face gradually turned softer. It was the state of being lost. She had entered a state of non-existence. Our hearts will be free like this without being caught anywhere. Over Princess Aras face, another childs figure could be seen. It was a face that said all of its anger and hatred had died down. The Queen hugged the child and said, So now, forget your fears and enter the realm of perfect nirvana. And the form of the child was engulfed in light. The eleven dolls were standing around in a circle. All eleven children, who shared the same wavelength, were all surrounded by a dazzling light. And they began to disappear. They had forgotten the pain and the suffering, and they turned into light as they vanished. Chapter 112: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (12) Chapter 112: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (12) Thank God. Seeing that, Seol Young felt relieved. He thought that the person who could appease the evil spirits the most was the Queen. It was a gamble, so he didnt expect much But unknowingly, she did a good job. Like Seol Young said, You must save yourself from the evil spirits. She saved her daughters with her own hands. As a result, it worked out. He nodded his head and looked away, but then he saw Zaun standing there. ? Seol Young was surprised. Tears flowed from her eyes as she listened to the Sutra the Queen said. The tears dripped down her cheek and wet her cor, but she didnt seem to notice it. I see. Seol Young realized it. When he unintentionally touched Zahas mind in the past, he saw countless other memories pass by. -How can that be?! How?! Was there no other way?! The voice in his memory had to be Zauns. And he only realized it now. Her eyes showed it. She lost someone. In the carriage that night, Zaun stuck her head out and looked back as if she wanted to say something. Now, it seemed that it wasnt just about the Princesss problem. Seol Young looked at Zaha. He had a nk face at that time. There was a thud and the sound of a heavy object falling. Ah. Everyone who was in a daze came to their senses, and they saw the limp body of Princess Ara in her mothers arms. Eleven dolls began to fall next. It was because the souls that had dwelled in them had disappeared, and they were now just empty shells. Meanwhile, Princess Ajin was in her nannys arms. There is no more nasty smell, and the strange heavy feeling when holding her is gone. She seems to be fine! The nanny said with a bright face. I am d, thank you! The Queens face brightened. It was a face that said she barely managed to survive the pits of hell. The Queen looked at Seol Young and Zaha with a smile. Thank you very much. I will never forget what you did for the Princess. After that, she must have thought about the dead children, which made her face grim. As the evil energy vanished, the surroundings changed. With the power of the twelve evil spirits gathered, the space was back to its original look. As the collected power of the twelve evil spirits was gone, the space that was overtaken by it returned to normal. They were now in the secret room in the prayer room. However The sound of something rushing could be heard from the walls. What do we do? What is it? The maids who were tasked to guard the ce were whispering, and the Queen jolted up as if she had woken up from a dream. What is it? Ah! There was the sound of the maids hurrying to the door. Princess Neung Pa ising with several other courtiers. They said they wanted to report on how diligently Princess Ara and Ajin are weaving. At thiste hour? It is already dawn. Everyone was surprised. Already? It seemed like they had stayed up all night looking for the Princess. As silence passed, a voice came from outside, Since the Princesses are still sleeping, do we tell them to head back? No. The Queen said. Hearing the sound of people talking, both the Princesses opened their eyes and yawned. I will head to the audience room, so tell them to wait. Yes. Thedies-in-waiting hurriedly went upstairs. Queen. Princesses. Then, I will see you at the festival. Zaha said. The Queen smiled and nodded, and Zaun was looking elsewhere. I will go. Seol Young and Zaha greeted them, and then they went outside through another passage. When thedies-in-waiting went up the stairs, it was bright. I want to go home. That was the expression that everyone had. But it couldnt be that. There must be amotion by now. We need to head out fast. And they headed to the Old Pce. Like thest time, the old eunuch was guarding the entrance. When they showed him the golden que the Queen had given them, he let them in without any questions. And the two immediately went inside. In the lush bushes, twelverge dolls wereid down in a circle. ! The courtiers who were supposed to clean the ce were terrified of them and didnt even touch them. Sorry. Sorry. The two of them quickly collected the dolls. They gathered them in one ce and asked them to burn them. They picked up the ques, which were scattered, and also retrieved the pouch with the scrolls before heading out. The eight ghost stories were broken, but somehow, the atmosphere didnt seem to have changed much. It still felt creepy. I never want to step into this ce again. When Seol Young spoke honestly, Zaha said, But thanks to you, we collected the eight ghost stories. It would have been impossible if you hadnt gotten a job as a courtdy. Right. Considering what they saw at night, getting a job at the pce was a disappointment. The eight ghost stories are really old, so there must be information about the evil spirit among them. And we found it. Right. But Seol Young was lost in thought. I have somewhere to go. When he handed all the scrolls to Zaha, his face changed. Where are you going, handing these things to me? I have something personal to do. He gave a vague answer and ran away. When he was alone, the expression on Seol-youngs face disappeared. Seol Young just stood there. The rope scar on his wrist was gone, but the throbbing sensation stayed. The feeling of being suffocated was vivid. Even though the situation was over, he couldnt shake it off. Things like this cant be forgotten. And his heart felt overwhelmed. Seol Young lowered his shoulders. Mount Seondo. It was a tranquil ce surrounded by deep green trees under pure white clouds. When he faced that scenery and cleared his mind, he closed his eyes and felt at ease. Seol Young entered the door to the training center. The trainees, who were carrying big logs, looked at him in surprise. ? After throwing down the logs, they ran toward him. Sa-rang! Ah! No, Seol Young-rang! What are you doing here? You didnt even inform us! I think a jade que fromst time arrived. Seol Young made a rough excuse and looked around. Everyone seemed cheerful and energetic. Even the youngest one looked stronger. A corner of his chest warmed up, and the boys were smiling. It hasnt been long since I left, and I came back again so soon. From their point of view, it seemed like the White Tiger Troops were onlyplete with Seol Young. Seol Young looked at the trainees and asked, Is everyone inside? Second-rang and Third-rang went to visit their parents. But Great-rang is making the pills. Ah, right. It was the time when many Hwarangs visited their homes, and he had to spend the holiday back in his dorm. Song Ok and Hyo Wol always went to their parents homes around this time, so Baek Eon and Seol Young would stay behind and prepare them. But this year, Seol Young wasnt part of the troops, so Baek Eon was doing it alone. I didnt even think of that. Seol Young hurried inside. The Medicine Hall was where the pills and medicine were made and stored. Baek Eon was sitting there with pine needles, sifting some powder. A refreshing scent filled the room. It was one of the scents that woulde to mind when one thought of the Mid Autumn Festival. And it was a tradition for the White Tiger Troops to make the Listening Pine Pill and distribute it to the Hwarangs and trainees. Seol Young approached him and said, Give it to me. I will do it. Baek Eon raised his head. It seemed that he was so focused on his work that he didnt notice Seol Young getting closer. Seol Young suddenly appeared, and it surprised him. He smiled and said, The escort Hwarang has arrived. . Seol Young was speechless for a moment. Rumors move fast. How long has the story been circting What a surprise. When did it take a day or two for words to spread quickly in the Moon Pce? To think you, who hates children, would take on such a task. It will be very nice to see. Baek Eon said, as if teasing him, and shook the sieve. What will happen this time? The incidents never cease to stop. He carelessly mumbled words of concern, and Seol Youngs heart pounded. There was work, but it was already over, and since I had amitment, I had to do it. Then what is with that face? Baek Eon put down what was in his hand. You must havee here because things were difficult. Do not worry and tell me. Seol Young was moved by his soft and warm words. How much did he depend on this man? His heart felt desperate. Teacher. Seol Young spoke with difficulty. If he hadnt taken me in, he wouldnt have died. ? Baek Eon looked at Seol Young in surprise. Chapter 113: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (13) Chapter 113: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (13) What do you mean? Baek Eon raised an eyebrow. Anger was evident in his eyes. Why are you suddenly saying that? Who said such a thing to you? It doesnt matter. Why would you even care about such a thing? He wanted to hear those words from his hyung. He wanted to be reassured. So he brought it up. He felt like he was a child being pampered, but he couldnt help it. Keeping it himself was too painful. No one said that. Then? What happened? Actually Seol Young told him everything. It was a story that was surprising in each part, and Baek Eon just calmly listened. It could just be the evil spirits ploy to shake my heart, but Still, I keep having this feeling that there is something in my heart. In the end, I couldnt help but think that Teacher died because of me. But Baek Eon went stiff. Isnt thatpletely far from the truth? Father had spent a lot of energy protecting all of us. Even before he met you, he already mentioned several times that he didnt think he would be around for long. After hearing Baek Eons words, his heart calmed down, and Seol Young regained his confidence. He suddenly missed Song Ok and Hyo Wol very much. It would have been nice if they had stayed here too Tell them I came. Then he cried. If something happens to hyungs and the kids, I will kill the ones responsible and die too. Why are you saying such things? Baek Eon frowned. It seems like the holiday atmosphere made me confused? Should I tell you one good news? It hasnt been made official yet but judging from how things are going, it seems like the Governor will allow me to do the festival with all of you. Is that true? Seol Young jumped up right away. Werent humans such simple beings? He thought so, but he couldnt help it. It was something he didnt expect. Right, before that. Baek Eon stopped talking and went outside. After a while, he brought a box wrapped in silk cloth. Seol Young asked him, What is that? A gift. Baek Eon pushed it to Seol Young. I wondered about it, but I couldnt hold back. With your consistent work investigating every supernatural cmity that is happening, we cannot just skip the festival just so we can see each other, right? So I prepared this. A present for the High Governor. I see. Seol Young looked at the gift and frowned. What is this? The moment Baek Eon was about to say something, But. Seol Young asked seriously, I have something to investigate, so I think we will meet ten more times before the day of the festival. When is the right time to give him the gift? The third day? The fifth day? The day before the festival? If we meet again after I give him the gift, it will be strange. Being polite was difficult. But anyway, he didnt want to be treated like an idiot. Seol Youngs face was clearly disying such thoughts. Baek Eon smiled. What should I say? Was that what you were thinking about? You can do it today or at the festival. Or give it to him right now if you want. Yes. Seol Young replied calmly and then remembered, Zaun-rang and I. The other day, I said I wanted to meet her. Ah, right. Baek Eon nodded. I told you the story thest time we ran into each other. Zaun-rang was deep in thought, and she didnt answer right away. But, since you met this time, havent you talked? It wasnt like Seol Young thought and asked, Where was the meeting ce? The hermitage their family goes to. It is in the Southern Mountains. Zaun-rang visits there on special asions to pray and give offerings to Buddha. Ah. Zauns face in pain crossed his mind. Just as he came to this ce after the pce issue was solved, she also must have gone to her safe ce. And Seol Young was sure of it. I need to stop by there. Seol Young held the wrapped gift. Then I will leave. He left after saying goodbye to Baek Eon and the trainees. A cozy hermitage buried in the mountains. The pirs in red showed traces of time. Considering the prestige of the family, it was a rather small and simple ce that would make one feel ufortable. The greenery was thick under the sky, and the insects were chirping. Somewhere in the back, a monk was reading sutras and tapping on a wooden table. Seol Young walked and stopped. There was a stone Buddha on one side of the hermitage. Zaun was bowing with her palms together, and the face of the Buddha was weathered by the winds and looked softer. He was smiling, and his eyes were closed. . Seol Young watched her and pulled something out of his sleeve. It was a spirit-sealing que. All the twelve ques were empty because the souls had left, but Seol Young deliberately kept them. He was thinking of asking for help, but he wasnt sure what to do with them. And this seemed like a good ce. Seol Young went to the ce where the incense offerings were being held. He set the ques on fire, and they burned along with the twelve items that belonged to the royal family. The smoke spread. Zaun didnt turn her gaze his way. She didnt tell him to leave, nor did she avoid him. Seol Young put his palms together and bowed. Please be reborn. Listening to the sound of the insects, he thought of the people who were now dead. When he raised his head, the things that confused his mind had disappeared. Zaun bowed her head again to match the sound of the wooden table being tapped. The prayer continued for a long time, and finally, Zaun raised her head. She didnt say anything for a moment, but then she turned her gaze to Seol-young. Follow me. Her eyes said that, and he nodded in return. He followed her to the back of the hermitage, where the sunlight was shining through thick trees, and in front of a certain room where she stood, the door opened. It was a small room for the monk who lived there. The trees could be seen through the window. Seol Young sat down, and Zaun sat on the other side. Soon after, male and female monks came inside carrying trays. Without a word, they prepared them some tea and left. Everything was happening so naturally. Even though it shouldnt, it felt like this was nned beforehand. The sound of insects, which had stopped for a moment, was heard again. Zaun listened to the insects and then opened her mouth, You must have something to offer. Seol Young put his hand on his chest, took out the golden card the Queen had given him, and ced it on the table. Zaun reached for it and took it. Then the card vanished into her sleeve. You made the soul of the Princess of this Kingdom into a living soul and put her inside a doll. Not just that, but you also lured the Queen into the presence of evil spirits. So? Seol Young looked at her with that expression. If I hadnt done that, how could I have saved the Princess? It is the same with the Queen. I just connected them because I thought I would give them what they wanted. Thats what I do, after all. I connect the dead with the living. Zaun was silent. He said that with the intention of questioning her intentions. He didnt say it upfront, but he just told her in a polite way. Or was he being defensive? It was as if he had the intention of stabbing someone with words. . Zaun lowered her shoulders. And she said, Just because a person dies, the world doesnt die with them. Only one person escapes from the vast world. . If you look into the memories of the dead, you might even see living people in them. You will be able to see truth, lies, and secrets. You will know everything, even the things that others do not want to know. She mumbled. So I hesitated, but . Nevertheless, I want to know. What? Seol Young asked with his eyes, and she said, You said you can look into the memory of a person when they die through their keepsakes, right? Yes. Seol Young replied. Zaun sluggishly raised her hand. She pulled something out of her sleeve and ced it on the table. ck. There was a light metallic sound. A ring. It was made of gold and had a pattern engraved on it. Have a look at this. Zaun just told him that. Whose was it? What was it? What was their story? Nothing. Seol Young didnt ask, either. I understand. He reached out and picked up the ring. He put it down in front of him and paid respect to the dead. I would like to take a look at the memories inside of this. Please allow me. He put his fingers on the ring and closed his eyes. He infused his spiritual power into it and started the Memory Projection. The memories of the dead that remained on that item began to flow. ? Looking at those memories, he wondered, What? He paused the Memory Projection for a moment and opened his eyes. Zaun looked calm sitting across from him, and Soul Young asked, puzzled, Is this really what the deceased had at the time of their death? Chapter 114: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (14) Chapter 114: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (14) Zaun replied, Yes. But the dead dont have any memories in this one. Seol Young clearly expressed his doubts. Seeing that memory, it seemed to be true that it was an item of the dead. But it was strange. Death is the most intense thing a soul goes through. The thoughts they would hold at that moment would radiate so many emotions that they would be clearly engraved into their keepsakes. However, the ring didnt have such memories. The memory of the moment of despair. What am I seeing? He was puzzled. Unlike Seol Young, Zaun didnt seem that shocked. No memory of death She mumbled. Right. As if she were convinced, she nodded her head. The ring doesnt hold such a special memory. So it is obvious that it was difficult for you to read it. But I heard you are an excellent person who can thoroughly read things, even from decades ago. So I thought that you could read even the faintest memories. Zauns words conveyed a sense of longing. Even though she didnt say it out loud, she was practically begging him to do it. I understand. Seol Young tried again, but it was still the same. He only saw memories that werent that important, and then they were cut off. It was as if it were cut off in the middle. It meant that the deceased suddenly died while living a normal life. But. Even so, there should have been a faint pain or at least the feeling of being out of breath. However, there was none of that here. It was as if the soul vanished without another trace Wait Then Seol Young suddenly realized it. He had heard of one such case before. He looked down at the ring. A man with a deformed spirit. The sound of cicadas pierced his ears. There was no wind, but the trees were swaying slowly, and the darker the greenery looked, the darker the darkness looked. What Zaun wanted. He seemed to know what it was now. Seol Young ced his fingers on the ring and closed his eyes. The everyday memories. There had to be something about the things that should have been normal In order to read all of them, his spiritual power had to be strong. It was a very delicate job. The memories were faint. Just by injecting his spiritual power, the memories could appear or vanish. Seol Young concentrated and grabbed the ring. They seem to be thinking about some kind of construction in a house. I dont know how to look Second? Is it a child? The face of the child is red, and the child seems to have a fever. They seem to be worried about the child He couldnt see the other side. However, he could feel that Zaun was intensely watching him and holding her breath. And Seol Young found the most intense thoughts among them. I think it is the Lady. She was called by the Empress Dowager and entered the pce. Would you have returned home by now? He is moving respectfully yet also carefully, but is looking forward to seeing you It is that feeling. He conveyed what he felt and opened his eyes, and Zaun seemed to bepletely shocked. I see. She mumbled nkly. I was thinking Her body was here, but not her mind. It seemed like she was lost in thought. It was as if she would drift away like a soul. Zaun sat like that for a long time, until she came back to her senses, and then she asked Seol Young, Do you know the owner of that ring? Seol Young cautiously said, Isnt it the Ladys husband who died At that time, I didnt know that he was a Hwarang, and that he had passed away. Right. Zaun had a calm face. And he died in the hands of my younger brother, not by someone else. Seol Young just looked at her. It was unavoidable since he was a Deformed Spirit. At that moment, that person vanished and turned into a monster that was very different from what I remembered. On the contrary, it was a situation where my husband could have killed my younger brother or innocent people, so I shouldnt be holding any grudges. I understand. Zaun said, I always kept a distance from my husband, to the point where my brother was closer to him. I didnt even know that I liked him. Because even I didnt know. You didnt know? I just thought it was one of those arranged marriages for us. And I realized it only after his death that I was going insane You resented your brother? I begged him. It was a mistake. Zaun mumbled. Since he was the only person I could rely on, I wanted to hold hands with him and grieve together. Then I thought I could bear it for a while. So, for the first time in my life, I cried and begged. I said that it was hard and that I would copse I didnt realize how cruel my actions were. I didnt know that showing him that I was struggling so much was like digging into his wounds. He always pretended to be okay. At that time, I didnt think he was human. Seeing him not showing any emotions, regardless of whether his surroundings copsed or not, all my love for him turned into hatred. In the end, I lost my reasoning and cursed him. My younger brother lost his reason, and I finally found out that he had nightmares every day, that he kept hearing voices of the dead, and that he was suffering from hallucinations and illusions. I panicked and tried to fix it, but it was already toote. The child poured out the same hatred and resentment back at me. We knew very well what to say to crush the other one cruelly. . The things I said were. right not good. But we wouldnt have been able to get back to where we were after what he said. On that day, we ended our rtionship. Zaun looked cynical now, and then she turned to him, Did that satisfy your curiosity? Seol Young was silent for a moment. Yes. She looked away again. Then she looked down at the ring on the table. After a while, she reached out and brought it back to where she had gotten it. Then, see youter at the festival, Seol Young-rang. Seol Young nodded instead of answering and got up to leave. When he returned, there was a holiday atmosphere. People who usually hide in their houses could be seen walking busily. Gifts kepting in. Even couples were busy. Normally, they would move very awkwardly together, but now, they all didnt seem to care. You are here? Ady ran up to him and greeted him warmly. It was hard to read her expression the first time he met her, but now he could clearly see that her face was softening. Did youe to greet me for the holiday? Oh my The woman had a cute smile. The silk cloth brought by Seol Young was rtively cutepared to other gifts. I went to Baek Eon-rang, and he helped me. Seol Young felt drained of his energy when he helped Baek Eon, but now that feeling has vanished after he looked at her. Sure. It should be. But you see, our master is going to the Silver Bamboo Hall after such a long time. He is going out. Then take this. No. Here. It isnt somewhere else. It is an area that isnt used often, but he said he wanted to clean it himself to see how the wind would blow near it. After eight years. She guided Seol Young, and they moved inside. And then they stopped by a building surrounded by a garden. Here. As soon as they entered, the sound of the zither 1 could be heard. Zaha was sitting on the ground and ying it, looking at the yard. The surroundings were dizzy. When he found something interesting while cleaning, he seemed to have thrown away the thought of cleaning and fell in love with the instrument. It was typical of him. He held the wood in one hand and pressed on the string with the other, looking quite lost. Then. Thedy winked at him and stepped back while Seol Young stepped inside. He didnt want to go in, but he hade all this way, so he stood and listened to him y for a while. An image came to his mind. It seemed that a transparent energy was surging, then it dispersed and formed again. The thoughts in his head felt light, and he felt refreshed. Soon, the song was over. You deserve to curse at me for the way I yed the pipa. Seol Young said as he approached him. The title? Wind Lightning. It referred to the sound of the wind hitting the forest and shooting out with lightning speed. He put down the instrument. When I was cleaning this ce, I checked it once because it was something I used in the past. What is that now? Zaha pointed to the box wrapped in cloth. Seol Young said, Because it will be a holiday soon, Baek Eon-rang prepared this. I think he made some precious pills and medicines. Share it with the White Tiger Troops, then. You, people, will always run short with that. Still, this is a holiday gift. Seol Young set it on the ground. Then, thank you. He bowed his head. After a lot of things happened, his attitude seemed brighter than in the morning, and he almost yfully greeted him. Zaha didnt respond much The smell of incense. He said that with a slight frown. Ah. Seol Young realized it toote. Earlier, at the ce where he offered incense and burned the spirit sealing ques and talismans, his sleeves seemed to have picked up the scent. Some demonic beings were known to be sensitive to smell. Therefore, it was taboo for hunters to have the smell of incense on their bodies. Did you go to a temple? Yes. Seol Young untied the cloth on his wrist. While holding his sleeve and shaking it to get rid of the smell, he said, I came back from the Banyam Hermitage. He didnt want to hide the fact that he had met up with Zaun, so he mentioned it. But there was no response. Did he not hear him? When he looked at him, Zahas gaze was stuck on his sleeve. It looked like he saw something odd.
  1. TL/N: Korean traditional music instrument
Chapter 115: Moon Palace Eight Ghosts Story (15) Chapter 115: Moon Pce Eight Ghosts Story (15) Was there a monster? Seol Young looked down at his sleeve but saw nothing. Why? Zaha was staring there. And he said, It looks like you are free enough to go to such ces. But now isnt the time for that, though. Then? There seems to be a water ghost in our pond. Pond? Seol Young tilted his head. Wouldnt it be normal for thendlord not to be angry and ask me toe? Pure energy, demonic qi, and even the energy of the Tree Spirit God That is why it is weird. Zaha guided Seol Young, and they moved to the back of the building. There was a pond there. Lets see Seol Young rolled up his sleeve to the middle of his arm and put his hand into the pond. He tried to stir between the lily stems, but nothing was caught. He didnt even feel the energy of a water ghost. Nothing? Zaha was still frowning. He seemed to be in deep thought. Um, excuse. Sit down. He went back inside and got the zither, and then he began to y it. It was a moreplicated song than earlier. What was he doing? Bragging? Seol Young sat down and listened to it, but it didnt sound good to his ears. It felt like random grains were being thrown. When the song was over, Zaha asked, How is it? It sounded ferocious. Seol Young answered honestly. The level is too high, so I cannot hear the essence of it. Zahas face became serious again. He couldnt understand him. There must have been some reason for Zaha to act like this, but Seol Young didnt know what it was. He didnt even want to think about it. It felt like he wouldnt like whatever it was. After sitting for a while, he cleared his mind and asked, But where are the scrolls you had brought from the pce? . Zaha was so lost in thought that he didnt hear the question, so Seol Young asked again, The eight scrolls with the ghost stories written on them. Where did you put them? Ah. Zaha looked up. The study. I will go take a look at them since I am already here. We should go together. The two left and went to the study. Eight scrolls were neatly ced on the desk. Seol Young sat down on a chair and opened them one after another. Among these, there were no ghost stories rted to the corridor. The long corridor where we saw the God of Cataclysm. At least, the hallways should be simr, right? The hallway where we heard the bell? Yes. If not, maybe we should pay attention to the subjects of the stories. The God of Cataclysm must have been in the form of a woman Sel Young looked at the scrolls one by one. The pce servant who was the owner of the shroud hanging in the closet and the concubine who was hanged to a pole in the pcethese two were women, for sure. There were girls among the twelve children who were buried alive, but nothing about the God of Cataclysm. The rest is a pce worker who stole food, a prince who wandered around the medicine hall, and a torturer. Then the coffins. Or could it have something to do with the stories at all? The ghost stories had rules. There might be a rule hidden in the corridor that no one knew. This kind of story was something Seol Young was interested in and liked. He forgot about everything else and fell in love with this. He didnt notice it, but Zaha was observing him beyond the scrolls. The next day. Seol Young got up and went to the Moon Pce. He met with the Governor in the hall and talked about the Princesses. His role as an escort Hwarang was discussed too. As he was about to go out after talking, Jin Rim stopped him. There are only a few Hwarangs in the White Tiger Troops, so it seems like a few of them might be busy spending the holiday with their friends. If you dont have other ns, why not go over there and help? He knew this would happen because Baek Eon had tipped him off about it, but he was really happy. Thank you. Thank you for entrusting him with that mission. Instead of answering, Jin Rim smiled. Seol Young went out of the pce. His steps were light, and he headed for the market. It was a ce where he could feel the holiday atmosphere better than anywhere else in the capital. There were fruits and various kinds of foods that looked so different. There were colorful clothes and fabrics being disyed. There was also a strange and unique smell. This is the essence brought in from the heavenly side. 1 A tanned merchant smiled and said, And we have ss marbles here. It looks good when decorated with a robe and a belt. Like the young Lords there. Should he buy these for the kids? Seol Young looked around. And then he heard a loud voice, Look here! The maidens of heaven, elephants, and even monkeys are engraved on small beads! Will you believe me if I tell you that this was made by a ghost and not a human?! A ghost? Even though he knew it was an exaggeration, his feet led him there. Seol Young approached the man. But then Pat! right in front of him. With lightning speed, a kind of shock went through him from head to toe. He went still. What? His body was feeling strange. He couldnt pinpoint what was weird, but it felt odd. He tried raising his spiritual qi. At that moment, he could feel the pain burning through the veins all over his body. ? Seol Young was shocked, but his spiritual qi didnt respond. What is this? He immediately put his hand on his sword. But what was this? His sword wasnt moving either. The Sword Spirit also didnt react. He couldnt believe it. Why is this happening all of a sudden He tried using his spiritual qi again, but it was still the same. He only felt the pain running through his mind. It seemed that his spiritual power had vanished. When he was standing there nkly. Puak! Someone hit him on the shoulder, but he couldnt see who or what it was. Seol Young realized that he had lost his ability to see. Puak! And something pushed him again. Things he didnt know were gathering one by one. It seemed like Seol Young realized faster than anyone else that he could no longer see. Puak! Again, his body shook. He couldnt figure out what to do. It was all just white. And then. Look ahead. A voice came from behind. It was Zaha. He looked ahead as he said that, and tiny lights shone in the air. To give him direction. Seol Young stared straight at them, and he tried to move faster, but they disappeared. Walk. And dont look back. Another light shone in the air, and Seol Young walked slowly this time. Wherever the lights shone, his eyes looked for them. There were no more things that rushed at him. Soon, he safely got out of the market, and then his senses came back. Seol Young looked back, and Zaha stood there with a serious face. My spiritual power vanished. What happened. Look at your wrist. He untied the sleeve and rolled it up, but he saw nothing. I see nothing Look again. He wondered and looked at it again. At that moment, a clear mark suddenly appeared, and it looked like several marks were ovepping. Seol Young was surprised. Why did this reappear? It never disappeared in the first ce. And yet, for some reason, you alone couldnt see it. Zaha said coldly. I said it from the start. It wasnt a rope mark. Then? At that time, I observed it closely at the pond, and no matter how much I looked at it, it seemed like a chain. Chain Seol Young mumbled. He was trying toe up with something to say. So you told me to catch the water ghost, which wasnt really there. And that zither was. True Vision Song. It is a song that cannot be yed or heard if the mind is polluted. If you couldnt hear it, then it would mean someone cursed you. I secretly tried to release it but failed. I couldnt even get close to it. And so he followed him. Seol Young asked, Why am I under a curse? I dont know, but I can tell you one thing. That is? Ever since I first heard about you from the broken tombs, there was one thing I was curious about Zaha said with a hard face. Is the reason why your teacher told you not to use sorcery really just for your body? To pacify the anger of various things, one has to feel what they went through to make them feel safe. Is that the only reason? Seol Young was dazed. I dont know. The blood drained from his face. I dont remember. All of a sudden, I cannot remember anything that happened. How did this happen? It is nk. Zaha said, While filling the void hidden in the ghost stories, on the contrary, you yourself have been cursed. Curse of Void. . Like the objects in the ghost stories that have died ande back, something from the past hase for you. Zaha said. You need to remember what it is.
  1. TL/N: In old Korean, India, and China borders were the same.
Chapter 116: Piano Case (1) Chapter 116: Piano Case (1) A powerful aura lit up the room. Now, here. Zaha raised his sword and swung it at Seol Youngs right hand, which was ced on the desk. But nothing happened. He swung with such force that it could have cut off his hand, but it was blocked by an invisible wall. There was no change in the chain marks on his wrist. After trying all kinds of methods, he finally took off the ne around him. Could this have an effect? He tried moving it closer to the mark, but nothing happened. . With that, they have tried all methods. Zaha put down the sword. This is absolutely not a coincidence. Some evil spirit has influenced you. All evil spirits attack those who exorcise them. You attack them first, and they will attack you back. He spoke with confidence. Seol Young looked down at his hand, puzzled. It looked pale, and the hair on his hand looked white, but he couldnt think of anything. What do I do? You have to be strong and face it. You have to solve each clue one by one. The first clue is your teachers ban. Right Teacher made sure to ban me from using my skills for some other reason? Its just what I think. Zaha nodded. Hasnt it been painful since you were asked not to use it? It hurts. At that time, the flow of generating spiritual power and using it for sorcery must have formed a natural system within your body. If you forcibly block it, then you will greatly suffer. The distant memories passed by. The smell of medicine. The ceiling that he was staring at as he was in pain. The towel his teacher was putting on his forehead. But then those memories scattered again. That is why I wasnt sure from the start. No matter how much everyone told you to cut off your hand, dont the rules of the Hwarangs prohibit that, even though you are a sorcery user? Right. I cited that as a reason and persuaded the Governor to take me in. If you think about it, there is no way your teacher hadnt thought of that. He would have known that blocking your sorcery powers was serious and would have an effect on you, but there had to be another reason for him to follow through with it. Thats what I thought from the start. Zaha said. I think your teacher was wary of something. Something reaching out to you. Something reaching out. Seol Young looked at the chain marks again, and out of nowhere. Ah. Did you remember something? I remember it clearly, then. Then? When was it? The day when monk Do Cheol misunderstood and tried to hand me the piece of the golden chain. Maybe because my mind was soplicated with the case, I dreamt of a nightmare that I havent had for a while. Seol Young said that without taking his eyes off the chain marks. When I was a child, my right hand was chained. It was a seal that bound my spiritual power, so I couldnt use it. I was stranded there with demons around He raised his head. I dont remember what happened after. I remembered it clearly then, but not now. I cannot even remember what happened before that. It was all blurry, as if his memory had been snatched away. His head hurt. Zaha thought about it. Through the Curse of Void, that part of your memory is now currently nk. And it is the one your teacher was wary of. Those two are the same. This time, you reached out, and your own ghost story was revived. Seol Young felt more worried. Do not tell my hyungs. They might not even know about it. It would only put them at risk. Was he still worried about others in the middle of this? Zaha looked at him like that. Do not worry. Because I know that much. After saying that, he tapped on the table with his fingertips. It is quite a difficult problem this time. Yes Well, do not rush it. In this case, it will be better to avoid the core of the problem and start from the end, then solve it one after another. Sometimes, things that have nothing to do with each other will suddenly have a connection. Seol Young looked at Zaha. When he thought about it, after he died and woke up, the man must have been so confused. He must have gotten pretty good at piecing together fragments of memories. That was why, even with the new chaotic problem in front of him, Zaha was able to stay calm, and this gave Seol Young confidence. Fine. One by one, and step by step. Also, it would be nice to find something that might refresh your memory. It can be an item or a ce Then we better start from there. Where I lived when I was young. Zaha nodded his head. That is a good start. Mount Toham was a sacred mountain at the defensive border of Si. There were many famous temples and statues of Buddha there, enough to say that the entire mountain was a holy ce for Buddhism. In addition, there was even a shrine to the 4th King of Si at the summit. It was a windy mountain with amazing spiritual energy. On the other hand, there were also ces where demonic beings could hide. It was said that there was a well to fetch water there. Seol Young walked on a narrow path that led there and went deep into the middle of the mountain. How many years has it been? It was unclear when hest came here. But when it came to the house, his body remembered it more than his head. As he walked ahead, his feet stopped on their own, and there was this half-copsed tomb. All of the items were gone, leaving just the stone chamber in ruins. It was covered with spiderwebs and fallen leaves. Seol Young stepped closer to it. This is the house I lived in as a child. I havent looked at it since I left Because the Guardian Spirits that you were with disappeared? Yes. Seol Young sighed. The current Guardian Spirits were in a rather vague form and appeared through his thoughts. They were also once so clear and alive around the tomb. It sounds strange to say that ghosts were alive and moving, but it really seemed like that to me. Seol Young sat on the wall of the copsed stone chamber. Those five ghosts seemed to have been buried with a certain high-ranking person from ancient times. They stayed for a long time and possessed considerable spiritual power, to the extent that they werent much different from the living. They took me in and raised me. Then after realizing I had spiritual power, they taught me various things. Seol Young recalled the past. It was interesting. Sorcery was based on words. And they taught me words that I had never used, and learning them allowed me to talk to new people. If I cast a summoning spell, then I could summon ghosts, and if I did something else, I could even kick them out. It was fun to learn at that time. And he frowned at that part. The memories were flooding in. He also remembered what happened after, but it felt so vague, as if there were holes in the memories. Then, at some point, he fell into a daze, and Seol Youngs shoulders drooped. Coming here seems to have been pointless. No. We know one thing. It seems that your knowledge is still there even when your spiritual power is gone. Zaha thought for a moment and said, If an ordinary person with no spiritual power needs to protect himself or fight a ghost, what method would they use? A talisman. A guardian talisman, a ghost protection talisman. And if you need more protection than written talismans? If you burn and eat the talisman, it will stay in the body for a long time, so the effect is more certain. Or writing it over the body. Even if you dont understand the technique, it would have an effect. Right. Zaha said. The song I yed is a method of protection. It is a teaching that has disappeared now. But since we have learned some of the rules, we can say that you are safe. Do you get what I mean? It means that only the two of us can recognize it right now. Then he raised spiritual qi on his fingers and said, If sorcery is anguage, then it is putting power into a form. He used his qi to crave out letters on the stone, and in an instant, golden letters appeared. Seol Young frowned. I cannot read it. It isnt something that should be read. I just put my will down in strokes. Write this on your left wrist. Seol Young did as he was told and imitated the strokes, and the light moved. .? It was the first time anything responded to him, and this made him happy. All the lights moved. What am I supposed to do with this? Purification spell? When his spontaneous idea worked out, Zaha was happy. Even if you dont understand the technique, you managed to ce it on your body. If you focus your mind and do it, it will calm your mind and help you recover your memories. He grinned while saying that, and Seol Young let out a breath at the feeling that he had found some hope. But. The sound of a bell? This was the sound of the Blue Dragons bell on Mount Toham. Seol Young was a bit taken aback. We need to get out of here quickly. Calm down. You said both Seo Geom-rang and his uncle had already forgotten their old grudge. I know that in my head, but after living this long as enemies. And he heard the bell again, which made Seol Young flinch. Zaha shrugged. There is no need to run, but it is right for us to go quickly. Royal Guard Hwarang. He smiled and emphasized each word. Right, tomorrow was the festival. Not only did he have to recover his memories with the help of this man, but he also had to show his face in the pce. He had to be with the princess. And Seol Young looked down at his wrist. He would have to act as if his spiritual powers were working so that no one would find him odd in the pce. This was the first time he had been this tense before heading to the pce. The front yard of the hall where the King would discuss government affairs. The soldiers were setting up archery targets for the festival. The twin Princesses held small bows and aimed them here and there, and the Queen watched them in delight. Seol Young appeared there. His face was colder than usual. A cold wind blew through his robe, and seeing that he looked colder, those watching him felt frozen. Among the many Hwarangs why him? Everyone clicked their tongues. Even a six-year-old child would be shocked at this. Why would they pick someone who would make them ufortable? This was expected. Princess Ajin. The Princesss Royal Guard Hwarang has arrived. She put down the bow, which was regarded as a treasure, and smiled broadly at him. You are here! She walked over to Seol Young and grabbed his hand. ? Everyones eyes widened. Chapter 117: Piano Case (2) Chapter 117: Piano Case (2) The two Princesses were just six years old and didnt understand what the peoples reactions were about. But some things are better because you dont understand them. Moreover, the children were sensitive to spiritual power. They knew that some spirits tried to harm them and that someone tried to save them. Seol Young-rang is a good person. Princess Ajin tightly held Seol Youngs hand with her little fingers. Seol Young was very nervous. However, when the Princess didnt forget him and treated him kindly, a corner of his heart felt warm. The evil spirits that tormented them were strong, and Princess Aras possessionsted so long. But thanks to the Queen calming the spirits down and sending them off without any major incidents, her two kids were safe. I was lucky. He went to great lengths to solve the case, and one of them was still worrying him. Still, this felt rewarding. Seol Young looked down at the Princess with a smile on his lips. But then, Dont you all know? It was really fun then. Seol Young-rang took me out of my body and put me inside a doll. I was waiting inside there, and when I went out. The Princess began to boast loudly, and the Queen stiffened, as did Seol Young. He almost reached out to shut her mouth, and if it werent for the control he had gained through training, he would have done so. Right, Princess. You remember everything? Zaha quickly stepped in to settle the situation. During that time, I became a doll and yed with Seol Young-rang, an elephant in the West, and a child picking peaches in. Afraid that Princess Ajin would say more, Zaha picked her up and hugged her, and seeing that, Princess Ara sulked. I know better! You will never be able to hug me again! How much strength did you put in your arms? Recalling the incident when she was possessed, she was angry with Zaha. Really, I hid behind the child and saw everything. She told her Royal Guard Hwarang. And the guy who didnt know about all this replied moderately, Ah, yes. I see Seol Young was already breaking out in a sweat. The Queen was smiling, but she looked stiff. Fortunately, no one took her words seriously, and the front yard was cheerful at the sound of the Princesses talking. Shortly after, Your Highness ising! A booming sound was heard. Seol Young was nervous again. He saw the King walking in swiftly, wearing a dazzling golden crown and a crimson robe. The nine-year-old Crown Prince came after him, along with the attendants, and then the Heavenly Pavilion officials. We greet the Great Highness! Everyone eximed. And the King, who seemed to have kept his youthful appearance, ascended the throne looking strict. His mere presence, with his serious face, was suffocating. The Princesses said they were finishing up the preparations for the festival, so I came to take a look. He nced at everyone and then stopped at Seol Young. After the revtion of the Heavenly Pavilion, he only gave orders and never had the chance to meet him in person. When they met here, he seemed fine and said, Come closer. Seol Young nervously stepped forward, and the King said, I heard you are working tirelessly to carry out my orders? Then the changes that have been happening will go back to normal soon, right? He seemed to be asking why the supernatural cmities hadnt been stopped yet. That was how Seol Young took it, but in a situation where many peoples attention was focused on him, even if he tried to make an excuse, he couldnt get away. So he said, Yes. Then good. The King beckoned him to go. And behind him stood the head of the Heavenly Pavilion. So far, everything had gone her way. Just the things about Seol Young havent. But in the end, everything will go my way. She looked at Seol Young with such thoughts. The look in her eyes seemed to be saying that she had regained her hands from the mud. At this opportunity, she might even try to find out what she could use against him. Good. Since everyone is working hard with one heart and mind, we will soon be able to realize the teachings of heaven through the divine flute. The King finished his speech and looked at the Princesses. Are you guys really preparing well? You werent just ying? No. The two Princesses answered in unison. Good. Then The King looked around. In the midst of preparing the targets, the King arrived, and everything came to a standstill. Therge piece of paper that the soldiers opened caught his eye. It had huge letters on it. In order for two people to keep a secret, one person has to die. The King pointed to it, Then tell me what that means. The two Princesses hesitated, and the Prince, who was watching them, said, Lady, you answer. I asked the Princesses. The King stopped him. Now,e. The one who answers first will get a reward. And Princess Ara said, It means two people die and then it means one person dies. She stuttered, as she only recognized the Chinese characters for their words and not their meanings. Who cannot read those easy letters? The meaning is important! The King scolded her. Ajin is always ying around, but Ara, didnt you always ask about this and that? Especially about the exnationst year? And yet you cannot remember! Seol young watched them in silence, It isnt Princess Aras fault, though. It would seem like Princess Ara was the one who asked questions, but it wasnt actually her. However, the King wouldnt know that. Have the Queen teach the Princesses more strictly. Yes. Each of you will learn from your escorts and thene back to me. Yes. The King turned around and immediately went away. Meanwhile, the Prince looked at his younger siblings, then rushed to his mother to say goodbye and followed after his father. At that time, more heavenly officials appeared. While carrying the harp box that had been kept in the shrine, they hurriedly moved away to make way for the Kings procession. Oh, you brought it! The Great Heavenly Pavilions head stopped. Be careful. It is a precious treasure, and it cannot be scratched or broken. And then the procession continued again. Seol Young-rang. Princess Ajin pulled his hand. Exin what that word means. That means that two people will die if you open it, and one person will die if you dont. Open what, though? The box. Seol Young began to exin. Once upon a time, during the time of the 21st King, he went to the However, he was blocked right from the start. It seemed that the first words were difficult for the Princesses already, and his eyes widened in shock. You do it. Seol Young looked at Yeon Je, the other Royal Guard Hwarang. Yeon Je smiled and said, It is called the Tale of a Goldsmith The eyes of the Princesses widened. I dont know how they did it without me for eight years. Zaha clicked his tongue. Princesses. Isnt there a time when you eat sticky rice on an early winter day of the year? Yes. Ajin nkly answered. She didnt remember much, but the memory of eating it was clear. Did you know that sticky rice is made for ancestral rituals? I have heard of it. That is right. Once upon a time, there was this King named Soji walking on a road What was the Kings name? King Soji. But there were crows and mice on the road. The mice told him to follow where the crows go, and so he had his soldier follow them but he missed it because of pigs that were fighting. Pigs fighting? Yes, then an old man came out of a pond and gave him a letter. The words written on the cover were, Two people will die if you open it, and one will die if you dont. 1 Then dont open it. King Soji also thought about that, and he tried not to open it. However, the aide, whom the King trusted, said, Two people represent the people, and one represents the King, so we need to open it. So he opened the letter, and it said, Shoot the harp box. That one? Seol Young, who was listening, turned his gaze to the harp box. There was a bit of room for one more person, but it would be impossible unless they sat too close. You want it here? As soon as the heavenly officials set the harp box on the ground, it tottered. The head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion pushed them. It shouldnt be like that. What disgrace would it be if it copsed in the middle? Find a t, nice spot and mark it. Yes, we understand. Did you check the inside? There must be something like a rat in there, right? It was strange, and as he watched them, it felt even stranger. Shoot an arrow at the top, and there is a monk and a concubine inside. The story continued. Why were they inside it? They were hiding inside to harm the King. In order to thank the crows for informing him of this, the custom of making sticky rice and holding a ritual on the fifteenth day of the first month was made. And in the Moon Pce, ording to the story, once a year, we shoot that thing to blow away the bad things. The one who wins between the two of you will do that tomorrow. Aha The Princesses finally understood. Now, even if the King asks, we can answer. Mother, we will go. As if they wanted to show off what they had learned to their father, they urged her on. Right. The Queen, who was listening with a smile, took the Princesses. And everyone greeted them. The officials also stepped back and greeted them. Lets go too. At Zahas words, Seol Young and Yeon Je turned around. The voices of the officials setting things up could be heard from behind. It shouldnt look messy when someone opens it. Ah, the spiderwebs They were talking, and then. Bang! Everyone gasped. There were about three people who wanted to leave but had to look back. The top of the harp box was rattling. The person trapped inside tried to open it, but it didnt open. What? The three ran and tried to open it, but it wouldnt budge. It was like a great force was blocking it. Look out. Zaha tried to break the top, but his sword just bounced back. Bang! Bang! The guy who was trapped inside hurriedly knocked on the door, and a short scream was heard next. Hwan Jong! The Great Heavenly Pavilion head shouted, and the door finally opened. Something fell from inside. It was a cold body. There was a huge wound on his chest, and red blood flowed from it. ! All the heavenly officials covered their mouths and suppressed their screams. Everyone was stunned.
  1. TL/N: It is like a Chinese idiom. When the King read it, it was just a small adjacent, and Yeon Je gave the actual exnation in this part.
Chapter 118: Palanquin (3) Chapter 118: Pnquin (3) How did this happen? Zaha asked. The face of the Great Heavenly Pavilions head turned white as she spoke, I dont know, the guy was inside to pull the spiderweb out, but then the door suddenly closed in Everyone looked down at the body in shock. The wounds on the body looked as if they had been hit with an arrow. However, there was no arrow, and there were just wounds. It seemed like the action of a ghost. To think that the harp box kept under the safety of the Great Heavenly Pavilion was here and someone died in such a bizarre way like this. This is a supernatural cmity too! The Great Heavenly Pavilion head questioned Seol Young, Seol Young-rang! How will you take responsibility for this? You will never be able to get away from this! Seol Youngs blood went cold. Right. This had to be a supernatural cmity. But he had lost his spiritual power. How was he going to solve this case now that everyone was watching? He remembered how stern the King looked. If he couldnt solve this, then it would mean his death. His head felt dizzy, and at that moment, What nonsense is that? Zaha asked. This harp box has been kept in your pavilion for generations, though? In addition, this happened right in front of you, the head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion. How can you hold the Hwarangs ountable for it? How does holding Seol Young-rang ountable mean holding the Hwarangs ountable? Right! I knew that the High Governor would protect him at all costs. I knew it! Why would I be obsessed with protecting him? Arent these individuals around you those whom you have taken under the pavilion and strictly supervised? There is no one who doesnt know how they are trained. Zaha didnt give up and continued, But the person who is the head of such a pavilion, who reads the will of the heavens and acts as the agent of God, cannot even protect one of her cherished people? And before an important festival happens? Lets find out then. Who will be losing more from this incident?! She couldnt answer back. The arrow she threw seemed to being back for her. Everyone followed the procession of the King, and the officials went back. So they were the only ones who witnessed it. There is no need to make a deal out of this. Let us settle this quietly, and after it is solved, you can speak about what happened. Zaha said. There seemed to be a sound of chattering from somewhere, and this startled the Great Heavenly Pavilion head. Whatever happened, Zaha was right. Even she, who believed that God was omnipotent, wasnt free from this horrid situation, and she couldnt ept it. Hm. She groaned as if she couldnt help it. Then she motioned to her people. Kids. Yes. The officials put the corpse inside the harp box and closed the door with trembling hands. Seol Young and Zaha looked at each other. They seemed to have stopped the situation from escting. But, of course, at this moment, something strange still happened. Besides, they got involved with the Great Heavenly Pavilion because of the death of one of them, and now the harp box for the festival was tainted. It wasnt good. If Seol Young couldnt use his spiritual power like usual, then the attempts of the Great Heavenly Pavilion head to harm him would work. I can never get caught. He couldnt help but be nervous again. One, two. The officials lifted the harp box, and it was heavy. Four people had to bring it here, and now eight people have to bring it back. They barely managed to put some strength into lifting it. Seol Young, Zaha, and the head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion crossed the gate through an unpopted road. Seol Young looked at the octagonal building surrounded by trees. It was a shrine. It was the ce of the Great Heavenly Pavilion and the heavenly officials. It was treated like a sanctuary and wasnt essible to everyone. The two officials guarding the entrance stood up and were shocked to see the Hwarangs, but they didnt say anything and just opened the door. Seol Young and Zaha followed the officials of the pavilion, and they all went inside. It was broad daylight, so the hallway was brighter. On the other hand, the rooms were dark. Candles were burning everywhere, and there were astronomy-rted things inscribed on the walls. The heavenly officials, who were standing around, lowered their heads and greeted the head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion. This is like being in the middle of the enemy lines. Seol Young thought as he was walking, and he stopped when they reached the inner chamber. An octagonal room. The walls were filled with books and calendars, and above them werenterns that cast a mysterious light. Enough. At their heads words, everyone except for a few went out. And then they put up the curtains. Open it. Yes. Hwa Ryeong, her confidant, opened the door of the harp box. The body was revealed, and she told Seol Young, Take a look at the body, then. Seol Young stepped forward, trying not to show his nervousness. He first bowed to the dead man, who was lying on his back. Great Heavenly Pavilion member. You were brutally murdered in front of many people. I will definitely reveal the truth and uncover the injustice done to you. And he added to himself, Even if it is difficult right now, I will do anything to help you once I have recovered my strength. After bowing, Seol Young looked at the officials. Someone roll up the sleeves of the dead man, please. A person went close to the body and folded the sleeves of the man twice around his wrist. Seol Young nced at Zaha. He approached the body and kneeled down as he put his fingers to the wrist. His fingertips glowed, and it seemed like he was doing it correctly. But it was an illusion. It was the light that Zaha was sneakily helping him with. It was sneaky. There were scammers who deceived people by pretending to have spiritual powers even though they really didnt have any. When Seol Young was young, whenever he met such people, he would feel hatred toward them. But he never thought hed be doing such a thing here. Life is unpredictable. Instead of flowing memories, he could only feel the coldness of the corpse, and then he withdrew his hand at the right time. Seol Young sighed. Something powerful is blocking me from seeing it. I cannot see anything. What? You shouldnt be that surprised. This happens often. Seol Young then projected a fake action onto the harp box. As expected, this side is also blocking my attempts. The head frowned. What is it? I dont know. But Seol Young looked at the harp box. Until now, every year during the festival, there was never a problem like this, right? Right. This harp box was made of wood. There was a golden sp in the middle that could be locked and was decorated with gold. And when he opened the door, everything was covered in gold inside. Hmm Seol Young took a good look at every corner of it. Even though he had no spiritual energy, he could feel some evil energy. The festival is tomorrow Zaha told the head, You have to somehow get a harp box simr to this one. This should be strictly stored in the depths of the shrine and never brought outside. For now, let us safely pass the festival and then conduct a proper investigation. Haa The head sighed. Why the hell did this happen to our shrine object? There has to be some reason? Zaha looked around at the walls engraved with writings and various books. Head, arent there any ghost stories or legends about the shrine? Ghost story? Legend? It might have something to do with the evil energy this thing has. I heard there are records that hold the history of the shrine and the events that happen every day. Can I take a look at them? She frowned at his question. It is something that cannot be disclosed to outsiders. If you tell me exactly what you are curious about, I will find it. Alright. I will tell you when I think of it. With that, their discussion ended. Zaha went out with Seol Young. Now that this has happened, she wont be able to move ahead of us, and we will at least be safe until the holidays end. Zaha said while looking back. So do not worry about it, and do your task well. I dont want you to get caught. I understand. The two hurriedly got out of there. Finally, it was bright on the day of the festival. In front of the yard, a ce was prepared for the Princesses to show off their achievements. Beneath the splendid awning sat the King, Queen, Crown Prince, and twin Princesses. Seol Young and Yeon Je each stood behind the Princesses. ording to tradition, the two wore feathers on them and wore robes of the same color but more colorful than usual. The winner of the weavingpetition is the older Princess! Princess,e out and receive your reward! There was a dance performance, some songs were sung, theypared and judged what they wove for a month, and there was a dance performance and some songs again And then the archery began. Come, two Princesses. At the words of the eunuch, who served the King, both Princesses got up. They wore a small crown of gold on their heads, and they had light pink skirts and light blue robes. It was very nice to see the two little Princesses walking together. Even the eunuch, Hwang Soo, smiled. Princesses, tell the two Hwarangs to stand in front of the targets. Yeon Je-rang, stand in front of the target. Seol Young-rang, stand in front of the target. Everyones eyes focused, and Seol Young stood tall. Zaha watched with a face that said, I can finally see the end. Meanwhile, Jin Rim was blunt as usual. Only the Vermillion Bird Troops watched with a frown, while the other troops were rather calm. Among them.. Well, honestly, just looking at this There was a clear voice. It was Baek Eon. I think our fourth will never fall out, no matter where he goes or who he ispared to. He spoke in a humble tone, but the face of Baek Eon said, My child is the best. There were more loud voices. Ah, right. Our fourth will never fall out. If anyone disagrees, I will gouge out their eye. Song Ok and Hyo Wol said. The White Tiger Troops were the most polite of the troops, but their voices were the loudest. They were so excited that even Zaha and Jin Rim turned back and looked at them. Zaha nced back at Seol Young. They get along well. With that, he smiled. Everyone looked at the White Tiger Troops and then at Seol Young. Seol Young just stood there, pretending nothing was wrong, but his face was red. I need to end this fast. Chapter 119: Palanquin Case (4) Chapter 119: Pnquin Case (4) Both Hwarangs, ept the arrows given by the Princesses! Hwang Soo shouted. The Princesses picked up the arrows on the silk cushions. Yeon Je-rang, receive the arrow. Seol Young-rang, receive the arrow. The two knelt down and received the arrows given by the Princesses. And they stood back again and looked at the target. In front of them, they saw the target with a grim face drawn on it. Among them, the winner would be decided depending on what part of the target they would hit. And whoever wins here Seol Young looked away. He saw the harp box standing on one side. Polished wood, golden sp, and gold trim. Ive seen something like this before. He looked at the officials of the Great Heavenly Pavilion. They had been watching the entire thing with nervous faces since morning. Then, the two Hwarangs, prepare the bow needed for the honor of the Princesses. Hwang Soo said again. Yes. The two of them answered. I have to shoot well for the honor of Princess Ajin. Seol Young raised his bow and aimed for the grim face of the demon in the middle. Yeon Je also aimed at the center. Then The two Princesses smiled and shouted, Shoot! And the two Hwarangs shot the arrows that flew at the same time, and they got stuck in the middle of the target. Both were hit. The soldiers standing on the side confirmed it and shouted, Bullseye. Bullseye. Bothnded right in the middle of the demons forehead. Apuse poured in, and the Princessesughed. Then the second shot was fired. Two arrows flew straight and hit the center. Bullseye! The soldiers shouted. This time, both hit the forehead of the demon again. Just in case, they even measured the distance, and it was the same. The two people shooting werent far behind each other in archery, yet even they thought it was strange. Theres no way its still the same even now? And they shot again Bullseye! Again, the third arrow was the same. Everyone was shocked. So amazing! Hwang Soo smiled and said, The loyalty of the Hwarangs for the Princesses is truly amazing. They hit the exact same spot all three times! How can we not ept this? However, in this case, ording to tradition, one of the Hwarangs must be selected. So they proceeded to do a lottery. Seol Young, Yeon Je, the Governor, the High Governor, and the heads of the troops were asked to stand aside so they couldnt intervene. They prepared some paper ording to the number of the rest of the Hwarangs. A red circle was drawn on only one of them, and they rolled the papers, tied them with a string, and put them inside a container. Hwang Soo looked around and said, Open it. Everyone untied the strings and opened the papers. In the midst of it, whispers broke out. Here! It was Hyo Wols voice. Hmm? Seol Young looked to one side. Hyo Wol waved Song Oks paper instead. And there was a red dot in the middle. Our second hyung has it. Aha. Seol Young was happy. Second-rang was good at shooting an arrow. He didnt have to shoot anymore, and now Song Ok would take his ce. He felt good because it would make Song Ok shine. No, this is a bit Song Ok went up, looking shocked, and Seol Young smiled. His face, with thick eyebrows and a clear nose, had aplementing feature. All the members of the White Tiger Troops were tall. And he liked how everyone was looking at their Second-rang at this very moment. Then, shoot. Yes. Song Ok picked up the arrow from the silk cushion and put it on the bowstring. With a cool motion, he fired. And the arrow flew. It firmly drove right into the harp box and trembled from the force. Exactly right on the spot! Apuse poured in. But at the moment. Bright red blood oozed from the spot where the arrow pierced the harp box. No? W-What! Everyone was shocked. Seol Young stepped forward without even realizing it, and so did Zaha. At that moment, they both realized it. That is the harp box! The swap didnt work. Could these people really not do a simple swap? They nced at where the Great Heavenly Pavilion officials were. What happened! You people! As Zaha asked with his eyes, the face of the head turned pale. I didnt know Her expression was genuine. What is this? Was there someone inside? The King was surprised. Hurry up and open it! Yes! The soldiers hurriedly opened it, and everyone turned away, not wanting to see it No one is here. A soldier said. The King was surprised. What? There is no one inside? The inside was empty, and there wasnt even a mouse or a person there. Phew Everyone was relieved. But Seol Young felt odd. It felt like he was sick to his stomach at the sight of the red blood flowing down. It didnt seem like normal blood. What kind of blood is that? He couldnt even make a guess. It is fortunate that no ones life was harmed. The Queen calmly said. But does this mean that the harp box bled out? How can that be? Right. Everyone said. Zaha sent a bloody look toward the head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion. Then, he suddenly said, Auspicious! Auspicious? The King and the Queen asked in shock. Right. Isnt that why the Hwarangs are chosen each year to hit the harp box and get rid of evil things? However, this has never happened before. This is the first time blood has been shed from it. The story of the harp box has resurfaced. Just as the misfortune of King Soji was solved, this means the misfortune of our kingdom will be resolved at once. Oh? It sounded really usible. A strange look appeared in the eyes of the King, and he looked back at the head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion. What do you think? The High Governor is right. She said as she bowed her head. The fact that only the top of the harp box is shedding blood and no lives were harmed means that the Great King is virtuous and takes care of all creations with a benevolent heart. ordingly, this is an auspicious sign saying this nations trouble will vanish. God is right. Everyone stared, shocked. There was no one who didnt know about the High Governor and the head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion being enemies. They would never agree with each other. But the two of them have agreed on something now? This was a situation where they felt like the sun and moon were rising at the same time. It was even more surprising than the fact that the harp box had bled. Is that so? The King looked at the two of them. If these two agree, then it has to be the truth. It has to be auspicious! He seemed to be in a good mood andughed. He told Song Ok, who was frozen, Come here. Song Ok approached him, and then the King gave him a gold coin, You shot very well. Well done. Song Ok could barely speak because he was still shocked by what had happened. But in the end, it turned out to be auspicious, and he was congratted by the King, so his face lit up in joy. Great-rang! He immediately went to Baek Eon and offered the gold coin to him with both hands. This was the moment when their troops shone. However, Seol Young still had an ominous feeling. And after that, the Great Heavenly Pavilion head spoke to the King, Then, the harp box that showed auspiciousness Put it in my ce, and I will look at it from morning to night to remind me that it is auspicious. The Kings reply made Zaha and the head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion go still. Wonderful idea, but we have to hold a ritual first. Right. If the heavens sent us a sign, it is our duty to thank them back in return. Again, the two opinions were the same. The King looked at them curiously. What day is it today? The arrows of the Hwarangs hit the same target three times, and the words of the two pirs that support the nation are the same too. If this happens every time, I have nothing to worry about. He smiled and stretched out his hand. It is indeed amazing. Zaha and the head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion flinched as they looked at the King touching the harp box. Then, take this and perform the ritual. Yes. The head of the pavilion lowered her head and gave orders. Take that to the shrine. Yes. And the officials moved while Seol Young just nkly looked at them. If it wasnt normal blood, then what could it be? For what reason did he have such a nasty feeling? He was lost in those thoughts and didnt feel anything around him. At that moment, he felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down, and it was Princess Ajin. What? The Princess asked with a worried face. Nothing. Seol Young replied, but his eyes were fixed on the bloodstain on the harp box. I need to see it. I need to somehow see what happened. He thought in his head. Princess, just wait one minute. Seol Young left Princess Ajin with her nanny and left. He went and intervened with the officials, who were getting ready to move the harp box. Wait. And he put his hands on the bloodstain. Chapter 120: Palanquin Case (5) Chapter 120: Pnquin Case (5) However, his spiritual power didnt work. A sharp pain pierced through his entire body as if it was being scratched with metal. Its impossible to use Memory Projection. In a situation like this, it is necessary Seol Young stood still, not knowing what to do. I am worried about who will see it. The low voices of the heavenly officials brought him to his senses. And Seol Young asked them, What happened? Why did this harp boxe out? I thought we asked you to keep We dont know either. We are going to the shrine to investigate it. I know. But do not remove the bloodstains. Yes. The officials took it and went away. Meanwhile, Zaha kept looking his way as he was talking to the King. As soon as they were done, he approached Seol Young and asked, What are those bloodstains? I dont know. Why do I have an ominous feeling about this? Of course, I didnt think it was auspicious Zaha had a stern face. Anyway, if you force yourself to do something you cant do, will it work? Then, when the timees, you can no longer move, and you might have to lie down for the rest of your life. Are you going to let your three hyungs take care of you all your life? No If you know that, then why? First of all, restore your spiritual power. That should be your priority. But it doesnt seem to react at all That is because you are nervous all the time. It is important for you to be calm. Go and watch the festival with your hyungs. Yes. If you find something,e and report it to me. Yes. He was right. Just from what he had seen just now, he still couldnt use his spiritual power. Seol Young turned around and went to his hyungs, and they were all delighted. Seol Young! Look at this! Hyo Wol gave him the heavy gold coin. Seeing his smiling face, Seol Young also smiled. You did it. What do we use this for? Both Song Ok and Hyo Wol were also excited and smiling. I thought rich people wouldnt care about money. However, that opinion crumbled when I saw your faces. Rather, I think the richer you are, the more you like money. Normally, yes. Those who have them are more obsessed. You had given me such precious money every time. Even if I have to grind my bones, I will make sure to pay you. You have grown so much. All of them smiled. Then lets go. The children are waiting. Yes. Seol Young abandoned his thoughts and followed them. Shouldnt it be okay for today? The sun went down, and the four of them got out of that ce. And they moved to the forest. There were a lot of lights hanging around, and the whole ce shone. Arge table was spread out in the yard, and everyone was sitting down. Even the trainees who kept a regr and restrained schedule were enjoying themselves today. They yed games andpeted with each other to show their growth. The trainees received rewards, and even those who did poorly were rewarded. It was an exciting holiday, and when they approached Seol Young, their excitement seemed to have increased more. Under the bright moonlight, everyone had a fun time without noticing the passing of time. Can we not sleep? The youngest of the trainees, Myung Gyung, asked with drooping eyes. You are already sleepy. They barely managed to appease him, and he made them go to sleep. And now, only the four seniors were left. All of this was exactly what Seol Young wanted. However, there was one thing that was different. Normally, there would be many bottles of alcohol Song Ok mumbled in regret. What was ced in front of them were four small tea cups. It was because Seol Young couldnt drink. I am fine. Please have a drink. Great-rang and Hyo Wol dont want to either, so are you saying I should drink alone? No. Song Ok gulped down the tea. Well, this also helps the mood. Yes. You are finally enlightened. Baek Eon smiled. Everyone looked at the moon, which shone in their teacup. It was noisy when the trainees were around, but now it was quiet, and yet the silence was soforting. Even without saying anything, it made a lot of sense. Phew. Seol Young sighed. The moon was bright, the wind was cold, and the tension in his body was loosening up. Seol Young leanedfortably against a pir, and Hyo Wol asked, Do you want to sleep? No. I want to stay here. Wait. I thought something was familiar, but its the same conversation I had with Myung Gyung just now. This is why the youngest is called the youngest, no matter how old he gets. Seol Young looked up at the sky while listening to them. There was a bright, golden full moon. He felt the light fall on him, and the feeling on his wrist came back. When he looked down, theplex letters shone. Ah, that is how you do it. Seol Young realized it. I seeded. What? Nothing. A soft, warm light enveloped his body. Do you want to lie down? Should I get you a nket? Seeing Hyo Wols face and asking that question, a memory popped up from the depths of his consciousness. it was Third-hyung. What? The first person I met was Third-hyung. Seol Young mumbled. His memories, which had been cut to pieces, began to connect themselves. It was in some vige It was a very hot day. It was one of those days when the wind was blowing dust, and Seol Young sat under the shade of a thick tree branch. One of the evil spirits he had caught in arge tomb next to this ce was troubling him. It kept trying to get out. So he put it in a bamboo barrel and banged on the lid with a hard stone. When he raised his head, he saw someone in front of him. Seol Young hid his ne. What appeared in front of him was a certain boy who had brought a white horse. His face was white, his eyes were bright, and there was a wry smile on his lips. His pure white horse and his white robe with ck patterns gave him a picturesque appearance. When their eyes met, the boy smiled. And he opened his mouth. You, maybe this. want this? The boy showed his statue of a Heavenly Horse. It looked exquisite and had cheap jade in both eyes, and it was something that any child would want. But Seol Young wasnt a child. I will give this to you if you answer my question. The boy kindly said. He had a handsome face. His attire was cool, and he had a smile without any wrinkles. Above all, he treated him like a child. With all of that, Seol Youngs judgment of him became twisted. Huh. He decided ignoring him would be the best way, but then two more horses came running, raising up a cloud of dust. Two boys jumped off the horses. One had this elegant feature and a soft voice, while the other had thick eyebrows and wide eyes and was clearly hot-tempered. All of them were wearing the same white robe with a ck pattern. It seemed like they belonged to the same troop, and they held swords. The White Tiger Spirit Troops! Seol Young remembered the name. Hyungs! The boy who came first turned to his colleagues, and Seol Young heard their conversation. Did you find something out? Only this child is around. I tried asking him. He wont. Look at him using his head like a clever scammer. Second-rang, it wouldnt be right for us to say such things to a child who never harmed us. The gentle-looking guy scolded the thick-browed one. He seemed to be the captain. And Seol Young continued to listen to their conversation. These three Hwarangs seemed to havee to catch the evil spirit of the swamp. It was an evil spirit that ate people. But I caught it. Seol Young looked at the three of them. That evil spirit that ate people had a powerful orb within its body, and to get that orb, he had been lurking around for days. And isnt the first one to find it the winner? Should he chase them away? He thought so, but Seol Young lived in Mount Toham, and there were Hwarangs called the Blue Dragons there. He knew about their rules. And behind the Hwarangs who were young, there were always elders, and they could be people with a bad temper. And then he thought, Id better use this opportunity. After fighting the spirit, they would be drained of their energies. Then he could kill them and take the orb away. His evil n was all set. He got up from the branch and gestured to the head boy. Hm? He seemed surprised. Look. Wasnt he a kid who couldnt speak? Of course, he deliberately pretended not to speak in case someone noticed his power. And he conveyed his thoughts through his gestures. I will guide you to the swamp. And they soon understood him. Fine. Let us follow the child. And the head boy turned to him first. We will give you money if you guide us properly. The cheerful-looking one held up a money pouch, and the boy with thick eyebrowsughed. They all seemed to think that Seol Young couldnt speak and was stupid. And Seol Young thought he would just punish them with his hands. However, both sides were terribly wrong about each other Recalling that made him smile. Song Ok said, Great-rang, the youngest is smiling while sleeping. I am not sleeping. Seol Young shook his head. I was just thinking about what happened in the past. When we first met. And the missing parts began to connect in his head. Seol Young went with the three of them to the swamp, but not everything went as nned, and eventually, when a crisis urred, he revealed his strength. A child who looked less than ten years old possessed tremendous spiritual power. The three were surprised. After everyone worked together to get out of the swamp, Baek Eon said, You have amazing talent. You will grow better if you are taught right. Since you were born with outstanding skills, how about using them for good? No. Seol Young coldly shot back at him. But Baek Eon didnt care. He took out a wooden que with a plum pattern engraved on it and held it. If you change your mind, show this to any Hwarang and ask for Baek Eon of the White Tiger Troops. And the boy with thick eyebrows said, It is a pity to give it to this guy. He will definitely throw it to the ground. He was really going to throw it, but since he said that, Seol Young held onto it. Do you think I will do anything you say? He red at them, not throwing the que, and they went away. But after a few steps, the cheerful guy came back. Ah, right. He put the Heavenly Horse and the money pouch on the ground. I am Hyo Wol. It means Morning Moon. Now, whenever you see the moon at dawn, you will think of me. And you will remember what our Baek Eon-rang said. And he smiled, making Seol Young look dumbfounded. And that was before he was called the Ghost Demon King Seol Young mumbled. Third-rang. What would have happened if I had followed you back right then? Now he is even talking in his sleep. Hyo Wol gently helped him get up. Go in and sleep. Seol Young opened his eyes and saw Hyo Wol smiling. He tried to say something At that moment, something blurred. His eyes widened. In the hallucination, he saw Hyo Wols body copsing, with red blood staining his chest. [I shot it!] Song Oks sorrowful voice could be heard. [I killed our third!] . What? Seol Young was shocked. Chapter 121: Palanquin Case (6) Chapter 121: Pnquin Case (6) The hazy feeling he felt disappeared immediately. What did I just see? The blood in his body went cold. It was as if someone broke his head and poured ice on him, and Seol Young closed his eyes. Seol Young must be so tired. It was Song Oks voice. Then let him be. Let him rest here as it is. Shall I bring a nket to cover him? Hyo Wol, why are you so obsessed with nkets? Because I was in charge of nkets. It was hard to wash and dry them. Baek Eon and Hyo Wol were also talking. Everyone was calm and happy. It waspletely opposite from the scene Seol Young had just seen. What was that thing? It was not an illusion. He actually saw something. No matter how much he lost his spiritual power, he could still tell the difference. And he hadnt forgotten the feeling. But it was a reality that would happen in the future. Why now of all times His hands were cold. His body was about to tremble or was close to trembling, but his hyungs didnt notice anything. Seol Young desperately organized his thoughts. First of all, the background in that scene wasnt night but broad daylight. And it didnt seem like a normal day. He thought it was like a festival or an event. I need to find out. Seol Young got up, and when the youngest, who just closed his eyes, got up, everyone looked at him. What? I forgot something. There is something I need to report to the High Governor about the festival Ah? Then hurry up and report it before the night is over. Yes. Seol Young left the three of them behind. He hurriedly headed towards the gate as if he were escaping from them and hid into the darkness. First, he went to the training grounds and collected the arrows. Without missing a single one, he put them in a box and locked it. And then, he sneaked into Hyo Wols room. When he opened the drawer, there were small, plum-shaped instruments. They were small plum blossoms. Seol Young put a pair of them in his pouch and hid himself in the darkness again. His body trembled as he stepped out of the White Tiger Troops dorms. If something happens to Third-hyung, what can I do? He could only think of that. Since it was a holiday, he didnt know how he managed to get through the streets. asionally, something pushed his shoulder and tripped his foot, but he didnt have the time to pay attention to them. Eventually, he reached Zahas home. The door wasnt locked. He didnt even think to call out for anyone inside. The moonlight shone on the wide yard. And the couple was there. The woman, who was skinny, looked like she was soaring through the air. In an instant, she jumped andnded on the long wooden board with a thud. On the other side of the wooden board was her husband. His wife struck him with great force, but he didnt budge. It is my turn this time! The husband chuckled and was about to throw himself at his wife, but he suddenly felt something, and he turned around to see Seol Young standing there. Seol Young-rang? Seol Young looked stunned even after seeing them because of all that had happened to him. Haha. You look flustered. It is holiday time so the master isnt here and the inside of the house is quite lonely, so we have been dancing around The couple looked a bit embarrassed and told him, and only then did they notice that Seol Young was trembling. They both asked in surprise, What is it? Did something happen? N-Nothing Seol Young barely managed to speak. What he was seeing and hearing wasnt even reaching his head. But he could understand one thing from their words. The High Governor isnt here? He didnte home from the Moon Pce today. Seol Young was taken aback. That man didnte home? He cannot be somewhere else. He must have been stuck at the banquet. The wife said. Right. Only then did Seol Young realize it. He probably wasnt stuck at the banquet, but. He must have gone to investigate the harp box. It made sense when he thought of it like that. The harp box was supposed to be sealed in the shrine by the head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion, but it appeared at the festival today. Seol Young was sent to his hyungs to recover his spiritual power as soon as possible, and he went to investigate alone. I understand. Seol Young immediately left the house and headed for the Moon Pce. Thenterns were lit everywhere. The events of the day were followed by singing and dancing, with the entire ce buzzing. The Great Heavenly Pavilion head should also be there. Seol Young headed for the shrine. The officials guarding the entrance opened the path without even questioning him. Once inside, another person guided him, as if it were natural for him to go there. He arrived at the octagonal room with stars engraved on the walls. As expected, Zaha was there, examining the harp box. An official went inside and said, Seol Young-rang has arrived. While looking at the harp box with a candle, he said, I just cannot stop you. On days like this, I will just pretend like I dont know anything, but why are you here again? Dont you really not know that at this rate, you will not be able to rest even after death? Seol Young nced at him as he was scolding him, but he wasnt talking, and Zaha noticed his paleplexion. What now? I have something to tell you. And he looked at the officials. It is dangerous, so please leave. As expected, they were afraid of the harp box, so they stood at a distance. And when Seol Young said that, they left without a word. After they disappeared, Seol Young took out a pair of small plum blossoms. The lid of the harp box was still stained with blood, and Seol Young held the small plum blossoms close to it. And the small plum blossoms began to suck up the bloodstains on the harp box. ! Seol Youngs hands trembled, and he almost let go of it. The tool of righteousness, imbued with spiritual power, could feed on the blood of its master. It wasnt a rmended method, but in an emergency, it was possible to ovee a crisis by using it. However, Hyo Wols blood weapon was sucking the blood from the harp box. It proved that it was Hyo Wols blood, and that was what Seol Young wanted to know. Zaha also knew what that meant, so he asked, Whose weapon is that? Third-rang. Seol Youngs face was red. The blood shed after the harp box was hit with an arrow, and the blood is Third-rangs. So every drop of blood on it could be erased now. Seol Young rubbed the bloodstains with the weapon over and over again, erasing them, and the bloodstains cleanly disappeared. But that didnt mean it didnt happen. His hands shook, and he ended up dropping the weapon. How Zahas eyes were full of questions as he looked at Seol Young. I dont know whats going on. How did youe up with the idea that it could be Hyo Wol-rangs blood? I managed to recover my memory. Seol Young pointed to his left wrist, and the golden letters that were written there have now vanished. The parts that were all scattered and missing are now connected, and even my memories of the first time I met my hyungs returned. But at that time, there was this scene that was like a vision. It is a future event that hasnt happened yet, an image of Third-rang falling down after being hit by Second-rangs arrow What? Seol Young exined what he saw. It seems like my hyungs are connected by some vicious curse. Second-rang shot the top of the harp box, and the blood of Third-rang flowed. I guess it is some kind of evil ritual. It seems like the two are tied together in a life and death bond. Seol Young couldnt believe it despite saying it out loud. How could such an absurd thing happen That is why I thought something would happen where Second-rang shoots an arrow and kills Third-rang. Its all because of that archery. I didnt know that, and I was happy that Second-rang was ced in an honorable position Seol Young couldnt speak anymore. The wordsing out of his mouth were so horrible. What should I do? Zahas face turned serious, and he thought for a moment. God, how did this happen As if he couldnt believe the terrible misfortune that had befallen the White Tiger Troops, he shook his head and approached. Suddenly, right in front of Seol Youngss eyes, he pped his hands. Get yourself together! Seol Young was startled. What appeared on Zahas face wasnt sympathy, but pity. As he looked at Seol Young, he asked, I have a question. If you lose your spiritual power, do you also lose your mind? No Then what is this? What would the other side, who is aiming for us, be thinking when they see you acting like this? Their n would work! Those words brought him back to his senses. All of this was no ident, and some evil was lurking. When Seol Young seeded in regaining his memory by activating the chant, it broke down hisposure by showing him Hyo Wols death. That was true, but Seol Young opened his mouth, But it wasnt an illusion. Since Ive been doing something like Memory Projection for a long time, I can naturally tell things apart. Which is false and which is true. Who said it wasnt an illusion? Anyway, it is true that it hasnt happened yet. Then, we can still stop it. If you went to the hermitage, then you should have heard from my sister. That I wasnt happy when I cut down those Hwarangs. I am the kind of person who never does anything I do not want to do. But why did I still do it? Because it could only end when your sword cuts them down? Yes. So why did I have to do that? To make sure the others were safe. Right. Zaha nodded. Even if I killed a Hwarang, I killed him. I alone killed him. Do you get it? But Hyo Wol-rang will die? Because of an arrow Song Ok-rang will shoot? Then the White Tiger Troops end right there. Will you just let it be like that? Then, one word at a time, he spoke with strength, Hyo Wol-rang will not die. I will stop that. . Seol Young looked dumbfoundedly at Zaha. Why? You cannot believe me? He asked. Do you think you cant handle it? Or are you afraid that if you think about the past again, you will not be able to wield your sword? No. Seol Young lowered his stiff shoulders. Seeing the person who always has something to say confidently and gets things done assures me a lot. You must have a n. I feel a bit reassured. When Hyo Wols weapon absorbed the blood, it was dark before his eyes. All he could think was, What do I do? But aftering here and talking, he managed to calm down. Zaha was right when he said that it hasnt happened yet. So what should he do now? It wasnt something he should be afraid of, but it was something he had to stop no matter what. I have calmed down. I will not be intimidated again. Then sit down now. He pointed at the chair with his finger, and Seol Young went over there and sat down. Didnt you say losing your spiritual power doesnt make you lose your mind? Then prove it. If you are right, the skills you have learned from seeing a lot of Memory Projections will still be there. The skill of watching so many stories and storing them in your head. The skill to analyze what is right. Right. Such things wouldnt vanish so suddenly. Then start remembering them nowwhat you saw earlier and what you might have missedbecause I want to ask you something. I understand. Seol Young closed his eyes. He recalled what he saw earlier. Hyo Wols body copsing Chapter 122: Palanquin Case (7) Chapter 122: Pnquin Case (7) Looking back now, his vision was shaking. It must have been the scene he saw with his own eyes. The moment he saw the scene, he realized how shocking it was. As he slowly traced back the memory, something fluttered in the background as Hyo Wol copsed. It was a g with the sun and moon on it. sunrise? There was a sunrise g? So it was a sacrificial ritual? Zaha said right then. The Great Heavens Ceremony. It was a ritual held for heaven by offering a sacrifice, and the Hwarangs had to attend it. He only realized it nowthe reason why he felt it was so special, like there was an event happening. It was because the sunrise g was fluttering behind. And he unconsciously saw the g, which was only taken out during rituals, so he made a quick guess. For now, it looks like it isnt going to happen tomorrow. Then, think of your Third-rang now. Yes. Seol Young recalled the scene of Hyo Wol copsing. His chest is bloody. I can hear Second-rangs shout from the side. I cannot see his face, though How did Hyo Wol-rang fall? Did he copse? To the back? To the front? Hyo Wol was standing upright before he copsed forward. Seol Young closed his eyes and gestured. In front. Like this. Good. Then what I want to ask you this. Did the arrow get stuck in his chest? Seol Young was shocked by those words. He only realized it at that moment. there was none. He could see how distracted his emotions made him. He was so shocked to see the red blood flow out of his chest that he missed the most important thing. There was nothing stuck to Hyo Wols chest at all. There was no arrow. Seol Young opened his eyes. It is the same as a fake arrow. And he finally realized it. Lets try something out. There was a scroll across them. He quickly grabbed it and set it on top of the harp box. When he let go of the scroll, it fell forward, simr to how Hyo Wol copsed. This. It was like this. Seol Young told Zaha. Third-rang was kept inside the harp box, and the moment the lid was opened, he fell out. That means Hyo Wol-rang didnt die from the arrow shot by Song Ok-rang on that day. Zaha said. He was killed by the harp box. That gave them another clue. Seol Young nodded. I dont know for sure, but from what I saw, it seemed like Second-rang shot the arrow at Third-rang. But in fact, it was the harp box that killed him. Maybe I had mistaken everything. Why would Hyo Wol-rang even die on that day? Is it a premonition of murder? If blood flows from the harp box, will a person die? Maybe something like that? If I make a guess based on what I have seen and heard while catching evil spirits. Seol Young gathered his thoughts as he frowned. First, the person called Kkap shoots an arrow at the top of the harp box. Second, the blood of the person called Eul flows down. After that, third, Eul must be dragged into the harp box and dies. Is that how this powerful curse activates, then? So he did his own interpretation. Anyway, I discovered a new fact that I couldnt see earlier. The harp box was present at the ce where the ritual was held. What? Zaha frowned. Did the ancestral rite to thank for the auspiciousness turn into a sacrificial ritual? Since the Hwarangs participate in it, there is a reason for Song Ok-rang and Hyo Wol-rang to be there, but it is strange. Everything is weird. But still, what is it? What is more strange about it? Before I parted ways with the head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion, we had already agreed that the ceremony would be held in their shrine and only their people could attend. And she decided to tell His Highness about it today at the banquet. But is it suddenly going to be opened to the public after that? Did that also change the ritual? And for some reason, my third hyung ends up in that ce? Seol Young was enraged now. Theres nothing more to learn about the truth. There is nothing more to know. This harp box is a monster that kills people. We need to destroy it right now. I agree with that While saying what he wanted to do, Zaha pulled out his sword, took a couple of steps back, and swung his sword. A golden light shone like a whirlwind and hit the harp box. Swish! It should have been broken without a sound, but nothing happened. The light vanished as if the air sucked it in, and the harp box was still fine. See. Zaha went to one side of the wall and looked at the various weapons there. Iron clubs, spears, and hammers Zaha brought a mace of thorns and swung it around as he mmed it against the harp box. He used pure physical force, but there wasnt a single scratch on it. Seol Young asked, So neither spiritual nor physical power works? Not just that. Zaha pointed to the top of the ceiling, and there were things there too. A thick rosary, a fan, and a bell. What are those now? It seems like the Great Heavenly Pavilion head had already called several people to help. Monks, Taoists, shamans Shamans too? They came here and tried to destroy it, and when they didnt seed, they left these things here and left. See? Even most experts failed, so dont rush it. Were all of them great? You cannot see it in your current state. Zaha drew his sword and held it at the beads, fan, and bell. A golden light rose, and he saw the three objects shine and bounce back. They were strong enough to bounce back from Zahas sword. It is strange. This is a shrine, a ce protected by the heavens. Even if a monster is trying to do tricks, it shouldnt work here. In the past, I thought it was all just a bluff He slowly pointed at his chest. I can definitely feel it in my body. The fact that this ce has demonic qi. well, as long as the energy isnt used, it shouldnt matter. Despite that, this harp box is ying so many tricks on us. Right. What if this causes an ident again? Combined with the fact that the first murder is being kept a secret, the pavilion is in a lot of trouble. So, we did our best to protect it. I heard it was tied with a sacred rope, and that sacred objects were ced around it to keep it safe, and they even assigned twelve people to watch Are you saying this harp box got through all of that? Yes. And I was told they dont even know how the hell it managed to get through. What they brought out was surely a fake harp box, but it became the real one? Seol Young frowned. And he suddenly brought a brazier that had a fire with him. Will this work? Zaha looked at him and smiled. In the middle of that, the golden aura on his sword shone. Pure qi? Simr to the Asura mes? Something like that. The Asura mes could burn anything using the innate qi of the casters body and sacrifice the body of the caster to get the job done. Would it work this time? Seol Young watched him. However, the golden mes went out themselves as soon as they touched the top of the harp box. It didnt even leave a scratch. And as expected. Zaha took out the ne of the Tree Spirit God and swung it around the harp box. Yet again, there was no response. Seol Young mumbled, Nothing is working You only noticed that just now? Zaha shrugged his shoulders. Isnt that to be expected? Instead of answering, Seol Young looked at his wrist. Same. There was no way he could get rid of the chain marks that sealed his spiritual power, and it was the same with the harp box. It was a target that couldnt be hurt with force. There were now two things they couldnt do. The chain marks on my hand and this harp box that kills people. The two seem to have a connection. Right? Zaha said, putting the sword into its sheath. If my theory is right, then it can be summed up like this.. until now, the God of Cataclysm has moved by bringing up ghost stories, but this time, he or she brought up the ghost stories from within you and not from others. But I lost my memories. Right. For convenience, lets call the object whose memories were erased by the nk Demon. If, ording to the evil will of the God of Cataclysm, it has revived and is reaching out to you Seol Young looked at the chain marks and the harp box. Then what is this power? It must have been the power that the nk Demon used in the past. Yes. Buddhism, Taoism, sorcery, physical force, Nature Gods nothing works. But there is a way for us to win. The proof is Zaha pointed to Seol Young. You. Me? In the past, you must have met the nk Demon. But seeing that you are alive and well means that you safely escaped its hands, right? Aha. That was when Seol Young realized it. Then there is a way. I found out the secret to its power, and I was able to beat it by using that. Right! That is it! Zaha nodded his head. Now you see what I am aiming for? You quickly need to remember the secret to its identity and powers. Only then can we survive. I understand. Seol Young replied. It felt like the goal was bing clearer in his foggy head. The mind was more clear now. Then The moment Zaha opened his mouth, there was a noise outside. It seems like the Great Heavenly Pavilion head is back. The leader of this ce has returned. Where did shee from? Everyone in the crowd was nervous because of the holidays. Come to think Seol Young lowered his voice and asked Zaha, You came earlier in the afternoon and have been here all this time, right? Yes. Then she must be nervous and worried. Should they use this chance? The shrine was where thew and words of heaven were interpreted, and the secrets of this ce were stored. And now, the Hwarangs, who had never stepped foot in this ce, were this close, and their head had to attend the royal banquet while Zaha was able to mess around. Now that she is anxious, she must be enraged too. Isnt this like leaving a cat at a fish shop? She would go insane thinking that we stole their secrets. Did you steal anything? I usually confirm the thoughts of others. A bright smile shed on Zahas face, and it was the first time Seol Young had entered this ce on his own. Chapter 123: Harp Box (8) Chapter 123: Harp Box (8) At that moment, Great Heavenly Pavilion head. The officials split into both sides to give her space to walk. As usual, her ck hair was tied up in a bun, and she wore this fancy silk dress. Even though she was stuck in the banquet for a long time, she didnt seem to be a bit tired. But if one looked at her up close, her face looked pale. And because she was stuck in the royal banquet, she couldnt show such feelings. Seeing that Zaha was still in the shrine, she frowned. Still investigating? Still? Did you think its easy to uncover the secrets of this harp box? This harp box kills people at will, and it is something that can break through the guards in this shrine. She epted everything he said without saying anything. I am just surprised. The High Governor said hed do it alone, but since it is a holiday, I thought youd have to head home soon. Besides, you arent alone, right? That was what her eyes said, turning to Seol Young. Zaha said, I was trying to sort things out before going back. However, did you people do your task well? Of course. I alone will be in the shrine and thank the heavens for the auspicious blessing given to us, is what I told the King and received his permission. She immediately said. Seol Young listened to her. Then the King agreed right away? If that is the case, the ritual I saw wouldnt happen, right? Still, we cannot be careless. Zaha said. Until the horrid secrets of this harp box are brought to light, it shouldnt appear anywhere near the public again. I know. Then, as I said, Pavilion Head, stop this from reaching the ears of the royal family Zaha raised his hand, and a golden energy spread and covered the harp box. Spiritual power alone didnt work on the harp box, so he seemed to try and connect the evil harp box with a piece of his consciousness. And we will take this and control it. At that, she didnt respond. It was because the shrine had failed to do it once already. Prepare a string so the High Governor and Seol Young-rang can carry this. Yes. They brought a string and tied the harp with it. Then, I guess. Zaha looked at her before leaving. We will have toe here a couple more times. Its secret is hidden right in the shrine. Please cooperate. I understand. She replied, and the two went out with the harp box. As soon as the door was shut, her voice could be heard from inside, asking the officials if Zaha had touched or done anything suspicious. Zaha mumbled, It is toote. Very naturally, he twisted the candle stand attached to the wall. In an instant, the wall moved, revealing another space, and in the darkness, there were chests piled up. Seol Young was surprised. What is that? There is another ce inside the shrine. If we go in there, we can find the treasure trovethe real one. Zaha moved it back to its ce and closed it. Lets sneak in next time. All the officials were now being summoned by the Pavilion Head, but they still couldnt let their guard down. So the two got out, carrying the harp box. When they were outside, Seol Young stood there for a moment and looked at the shrine. He hadnt noticed it because he had lost his spiritual power and was concerned for Hyo Wol, but there was one thing he should have thought of before. Come to think of it, isnt this the ce where everything began? The pavilion received the false revtion that I will cause supernatural cmities, and if we carefully search here, we might find out something. Right. Zaha nodded. What if, as I guessed, the God of Cataclysm is aiming for you? And what if the revtion was for that purpose? Then there could actually be a link about the God of Cataclysm right in the shrine. If we can find it, we can get another clue about its identity. Right. Zaha agreed. But what good will it do if we talk about it? If you dont get your spiritual power back, everything is useless. He was right. Yes. Seol Young turned around, and the two of them went to Zahas house. Wee. The couple greeted them. Even after seeing Seol Young earlier, they pretended as if he had onlye now. And it looked like they werent even out to enjoy the festival. Earlier, he didnt think much about it because of the fear that seeped into him, but when he looked at them, they werent an ordinary couple either. They are not normal people. The moment the two went to the study, Seol Young hesitated. Lady Mo, Lady To, Teacher Seo, and the kids were all in the study. The sight of them standing near the window and looking around seemed so natural. Seol Young smiled when he realized that. Everyone seems to have adapted to this ce well. They run around much better than before. Zaha said. It seemed like they didnt have to monitor him every time. Could he take them back then? When Seol Young was thinking that, Zaha said, Stop looking around like that. You look like a stupid fish. They were strange words to say, but they werent mean. Lets leave them here a little longer. Seol Young sat on a chair. The spell to calm me had broken, so do it again. Ah, right. Zaha sat on top of the harp box, and then he drew the characters on the ground. Seol Young transferred them onto his wrist, and he calmed down as the letters glowed. Now, I will activate it. He showed it to Zaha. Considering the spells he cast before, this was nothing. But now, even such things helped him. The flickering light around his wrist made it seem like his spiritual power had returned. What is this Zaha looked confused. Dont do anything strange. Are you thinking of recovering your memories? I was nning to. Seol Young picked up a brush and began to grind some ink, then drew two circles on a piece of paper. Lets say this is the start. My memories of growing up during my childhood are in the nk Demons hands. And this is the memory of me meeting my hyungs for the first time. He drew a connecting line between the circles. The next problem where did I lose my memory from? He turned to the nk space. Bute to think of it, am I the only one alive in this room? At that sudden thought, his focus broke, but he managed to concentrate again. After the memory came to my mind, I looked at Third-rang and asked him what would have happened if I followed them right then He found a good reason to continue that train of thought. What could have happened? Seol Young focused on that question. The writing on his wrist shone, and the confusion in his mind was eased. If I did follow them, then Suddenly, he thought of it. I wouldnt have met it. It? Zaha asked. Are you talking about the nk Demon? It seems like it. I feel bad, anxious, and lost. Then you seem to be correct. Then you must have met it not too long after you met them. Well, that part is blocked. I will skip that and try to approach it in another way. Try to direct your thoughts to your most important memories. Anything that can be a clue to find out about it. I get it. Seol Young took a deep breath again. Where do I start? As he looked around the study, he saw a lot of things, and he stared at what caught his eye the most. The four Great Gods hanging on the wall. The moment he looked at them, the Blue Dragon on the wall seemed to move and look at him. Blue Dragon. Suddenly, something worked in his mind. After I separated ways with my hyungs, I continued to train and develop my strength. As a result, I got the name the Ghost Demon King, and I fought with the Blue Dragon Troops at their base that was located in Mount Toham. I heard about that from Seo Geom-rang. I heard that innocent people were killed. They did acknowledge that they did a bad thing then, but you didnt ept their apology for attacking the innocent, and you tried to cut off the arms of the Hwarangs who made the mistake. Yes. Seol Young nodded. During the war with them, I ran into my hyungs again. They were saddened to see what I had turned into, and eventually, I held a grudge against all of the Hwarangs. I tried to subdue all the Hwarangs further and reveal the truth about what they did like an immature kid to end the situation. So you fought with your hyungs? Yes. And the demonic beings too, but they were much stronger then. In the end, I couldnt handle it, so I summoned a stronger one, which surprised them. What was it? Seol Young was a bit taken aback by Zahas question. What was it? The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldnt say them out loud, as if he wasnt sure how they were said. I dont know. Except that it is a scary and heinous thing His head ached, and it felt like his memories were about to vanish, so he skipped that part and moved on. The three Hwarangs tried to subdue me at all costs, but the thing I summoned was so vicious that they had to withdraw. However, when they saw what I was using, they seemed concerned and went back to talk about it. And the words naturally flowed out. To Teacher. Zaha looked up. This is it. He didnt say anything because he feared the flow would break, and they just looked at each other. I did it. He managed to step into the important part. What kind of mysterious powers did that thing have? His teacher, who was Baek San, must have known about it. Seol Young tried not to get excited and he continued, To Teacher. Chapter 124: Palanquin Case (9) Chapter 124: Pnquin Case (9) Little bits of memory began to flow as if they were weaving something in Seol Youngs mind. And he followed the flow of it. I only realized itter when my hyungs went back after the first time we met, it seemed like they had already told Teacher about me, and he was surprised and worried about a child living alone. Seol Youngs voice was the only thing that could be heard. But the identity of the Ghost Demon King who was fighting the Blue Dragon Troops was the same child, and thinking he couldnt just sit by and watch, Teacher went to the mountain. And that is how you two met? Yes. But Suddenly, the next words didnt continue. Zaha asked, What? I dont remember. What had gone smoothly until then was blocked, and the flow of time vanished again. Seol Young tried to hold onto that part, but nothing worked. What should he do now? At that thought, he pulled out Blue Rainbow. Because Teacher gave this to me! Looking at it, he tried to think about his teacher but nothing Looking at Blue Rainbow didnt bring back his memories. When and where his teacher gave it to him, what he said I dont remember anything after that. All the memories rted to Teacher seem to have vanished. Seol Young was shocked. What do I do now? I barely managed to get a clue, and I lost it again. Um? Zaha jumped up and drew his sword. Then how about we do this? Dozens of sword shadows appeared from the walls, and they began to merge into one. And the next moment, the shining tip of the sword was aiming straight at Seol Youngs neck. Was your teacher like this when you first met? Seol Young wasnt sure. How did you know? It happened to me. The voice of Zaha came from afar. Seol Youngs thoughts had already gone back to the past. There was a buzzing noise and the smell of alcohol, and someone tore a sack right in front of his eyes. What poured out was white rice. I am sure. The people in front of him giggled. From the outside, they looked like normal people, but they were demonic beings. This is what I paid for. Right. Even if you were given the title of Ghost Demon King, your safety cannot be guaranteed after escaping from the burning library of Blue Dragon troops. Because Euljae ran wild then. If we hadnt appeared and lured them in by pretending to be your men, all your demons and ghosts would have been ruined. And then they all smiled. Shut up! Seol Young said it coldly. The inn was crowded with many kids, and Seol Young wouldnt stand out in that crowd. But nothing good would happen from sitting still for a long time. Anyway, with this, the calction is over. Hmm. The demonic beings still looked at Seol Young as if they were sorry for something. I heard there was a pretty high bounty on you. Seol Young just stared at them. The moment he got up and turned, a ck shadow got up and attacked his feet. Seol Young avoided it without looking back and immediately used a spell to strike them back. Euk. I told you to be careful. The demonic beings immediately surrendered. But they still wanted to get something. The spiritual power that allows one to use anything. They wanted to take it for themselves. There is no hesitation. Seol Young left them and walked away, and as he was about to leave, someone was ncing at him from the entrance. It was a middle-aged man in gray clothes with a bottle of alcohol but no snacks. He was ready to pass by him, but he heard a voice, No matter how much I didnt want to listen, I couldnt help it. Are you the kid who destroyed the Blue Dragon Troops? Seol Young went still. The conversation he had with the demonic beings wasnt normal. It was because they spoke using their spiritual power, so humans shouldnt understand them, or at least the normal ones. A person with spiritual power? Seol Young looked at him. His eyes were wide, and his jaw was strong. It was hard to see with his baggy clothes, but his shoulders seemed wide, and his fit body made him look like a tiger. Is he a hunter? Seol Young decided to ignore him and continue walking, but, Lets see if that is a bluff or not! And the man drew his sword. A number of sword shadows shone under the light of the sun, and they spun around before merging into one. In the next moment, his eyes shed. The sharp de aimed straight for Seol Youngs neck. Ack! The people around them were so scared that they ran away. We met for the first time today, and we have no grudge against each other, so why are you trying to kill me?! Seol Young was angry as he fanned his hand. Wind God Attack. In an instant, a powerful whirlwind swept things away, making everything spin. But the sword of the middle-aged man didnt budge even the slightest. And it continued to aim for Seol Youngs head. Seol Young had to move right away, and a stone statue behind him was split in half. How can he be this strong? This middle-aged man was the strongest Seol Young had met until now. Even with sorcery, he might lose. I decided not to use the Red Bone Attack Then there was just one way. Seol Young evaded the attacks and led the middle-aged man to the kitchen as he pretended to run away. He hid where the strong spices were stored and took a bunch of them in his hand. Take this! When he threw them at the middle-aged man, the man hesitated a bit and was confused, thinking it was poison or something, and Seol Young ran away. However You! Do you think you will be safe after doing that to me! He grabbed Seol Young right away by the ear. Seol Young screamed. Let me go! He tried to pull himself out, but the body attacks he learned from the grave ghosts didnt work. And the middle-aged man knocked Seol Young to the ground like a tiger trapping its prey and pressed him down like he was hugging him. What happened? As if caught by a real tiger, Seol Young felt drained and lost. He struggled and resisted. Leave! Let me go! If you dont, I will kill you! The middle-aged man turned Seol Young over, not caring, and when he hit a certain spot, his hand went numb. ? Seol Young was shocked, and it was the time when he still couldnt do any spells without moving his hands. What are you doing? Now, I told you to be careful with your mouth. I dont remember what it is called. When the man pressed somewhere again, this time, his tongue went numb, and no sound woulde out. I will not release it, so dont waste your strength. And the man smiled. I am a busy person. But I need you toe with me somewhere. He slung Seol Young over his shoulder and walked to where his horse was. He put Seol Young in front of him and immediately whipped his horse. Lets go! They left like that. It was shocking. How can a human be kidnapped in broad daylight like this! And to think Im the Ghost Demon King! They moved for a while. They crossed the mountain, then the water, and then they arrived at a small vige. They got down, and he was ced in a corner. The man touched his shoulder, and his tongue could finally move. You! Seol Young was so angry that he began to curse right away, but the man just smiled, listening to the harsh curses from this child. You can write a novel with those curses! Rather, he seemed to take an interest in them. Seeing that, Seol Young felt weak. Nothing worked. Are you tired now? The middle-aged man opened something from the backpack ced on the horse. It had rice balls in it. Now, since you cannot use your hands. Open your mouth. Seol Young red at him. Id rather die than eat what you give me! Why so? It has no poison in it. And its much faster to stab you to death. But of course, it doesnt have poison pills because they are expensive. The man took out the rice balls and bit into them. I will be away for a long time, so you need to eat when I ask you to. And he pushed the rice ball close to Seol Youngs mouth. However, he opened his mouth wide this time and bit his hand. The wound was deep enough for blood to gush out, but the man just smiled. Now, lets try again. His hand came again, and Seol Young was ready to do that again. But instead of a hand, arge lump of ricended. He wasnt sure how it happened, but there was rice in his mouth. Eup. He tried to spit it out, but his mouth was blocked, so he had to chew and swallow it. Right! You eat well! The man smiled. There is no such thing as a beast. No matter how brave they are, they are humans, so there is no way they can stand against you. Seol Young couldnt tell who he was talking about. And what was this fight about? When he had eaten six rice balls after being forced, he felt an odd sensation from the outside. This old man seemed strong. Both inside and outside. And the middle-aged man also felt it and looked outside. They are the ones who areing after me. Seol Young said. I am always being followed. So you better leave me here. They wont let you go. I know. The middle-aged mans eyes turned cold, and he picked up Seol Young as he began to walk outside. It wasnt long before there was a bang. As he looked back, the ce they were just in was in mes. Such foul hands. He mumbled. The horse began to run again, and this time they headed to a very distant ce. Seol Youngs mind turned foggy. He had fallen asleep before he knew it, and when he came to his senses, he was being carried by the man on his back. He couldnt figure out where they were. However, he couldnt feel anyone pursuing him. For the first time since that fateful day, the things that had been following him vanished. The middle-aged man put him down on a rock in a dark forest. Listen now. The reason I brought you this far was to give you a choice. He looked at Seol Young and said, If you want to forget the past and go the right way, I will take the responsibility of settling the grudges you brought onto yourself. Seol Young didnt say anything. Whether he was listening or not, the man still spoke. And the man continued, I know you arent a bad child. Since weak things that have nothing to rely on follow you, you didnt have any other choice but to protect them. Wasnt that why you borrowed its power? . But that is like walking into the mouth of the devil. It has been following after you for a long time. To get what its after. The man sighed. At this rate, there is no way out. Because the power that thing uses isnt just any evil force. Seol Young asked, Then? That is. Teacher said. Seol Young followed it. At that moment, he was shocked. Baek Sans form in front of him vanished. And the shback shattered, and everything was back to reality. ? Zaha was staring at him with a puzzled face, and Seol Young asked, What did I just say now? Causality. Zaha answered. The power is causality. In his memory, his teacher certainly said so. But now he couldnt figure out what it was. What does that mean? Chapter 125: Harp Box (10) Chapter 125: Harp Box (10) ck smoke billowed out of the blurred vision. It soon turned into weirdly used characters that were used in the underworld. Seol Young could read it. What must happen will happen With those words, Seol Young felt like he had awoken from a dream, and Zaha asked, Is that what your teacher said? It wasnt that, but it must have something to do with the mysterious power that the evil spirit has. The memory of his teacher was cut off, but this time, he had a clue. His head was spinning nonstop. It seemed wrong to sleep tonight. Seol Young realized that he had been up from his seat before he knew it and sat down again. Causality. First of all, he got lucky with it. Isnt thew of causality like, if there is a cause, there must be an effect? Then the power that thing uses is thew of cause and effect Zaha was also lost in thought. How do we interpret this? Maybe Seol Young began to think and touched his left wrist. As he kept touching it, the golden letters engraved on it began to get crushed by his fingers. Then he thought about what Zaha would say if it cleared up, so he pulled his hand back. Because of the fact that someones blood was shed on the harp box, the result is that the person will die inside it. Is it something like that? The moment someone shoots an arrow at the top of the harp box, thew of causality starts. It has been hurting people like that until now, and through it, it gains more power. It can be like that too. Zaha organized it. But arent there absolute things in the world? No matter how bound you are by the rules, there are exceptions. Everyone predicts that the sun will rise tomorrow morning, but there is a once-in-a-thousand chance for the sun not to rise. Then we need to aim for the once-in-a-thousand chance. Seol Young agreed. Little by little, things seemed to be clearing up. That is how it gets its power, so we need to break it. And then the curse will be broken. Maybe you can find the pieces of your lost memories. It might bring back your memories of the nk Demon. Then. Seol Young collected his thoughts. To break thew of causality by breaking through the ten thousandth possibility and preventing a murder, we need to know about that day in more detail. If only we can find out how Third-rang gets inside the harp box at all. Will that make it easier to stop it? If only you could see the scene before what you foresaw. But is that possible? Seol Young was looking serious. There are times when people like shamans get a glimpse of the future, but that is all just a coincidence Still, you have to do it. You need to check that scene. Zaha lowered his voice. There is a way. Originally, I wasnt going to talk about this, but now that you cant see anything, we have to do it. What do you mean? Thievery. Isnt it time to cover things up? While he himself said it reluctantly, when Seol Young hesitated, Zaha chose to boldly say it. Your third hyung is in danger of dying, and you still think you shouldnt steal right now? No. Just that, when I became a trainee, I promised never to steal Actually, a vague memory hit him. Seol Young tried to think about it, but his head hurt. Where could he even go when his entire mind was foggy? When he thought about it, it seemed like the gathering was over, and his three hyungs must have gone to sleep. Suddenly, it dawned on him that he was the only one alive here. Like the festival, which started out unusually, the end seemed unusual too. If it goes as we predicted Zaha continued. The ritual will be canceled and will turn into a rite for the ancestors. Lets find out why. Yes. Seol Young nodded his head. Their thoughts were right. The next day, the King issued an order. The Great Heavenly Pavilion head, which read the will of the heavens, and those who oversaw the rituals being dhe King gathered them all and said, Actually, only the pavilion should be holding the ritual alone, but the previous King appeared in my dreamst night and told me to hold the ceremony like normal. Just in time for the festival, the ce has been cleared, and the altar has been decorated, so you can smoothly prepare for it. Yes. However, the Hwarangs have been put through an extensive schedule for. There is no need for all of them to participate, right? The Governor and the Hwarangs who can quicklye are enough. The White Tiger Troops have no missions the next day. Then call them for the ritual. If it was the next day, then it was the day the incident would happen, and Seol Young listened with a cold body, This is how it happens? As soon as he went out, the Pavilion Head was there, looking shocked. There is no way the previous King would give such a revtion. What kind of dream did he have for this to happen? This is all because of you! She red at Seol Young. Is Seol Young-rang just going to keep taking the harp box? Other supernatural cmities had been solved well until now, but why has this one not yet been solved? Can you really solve it? She asked him with eyes full of doubt, to which Seol Young coldly said, The investigation has already beenpleted, and the decision will be given soon. Anyway, to break the harp box, we need the ritual to happen. What do you mean? Pavilion Head, you dont need to know. I dont even know either. Zaha intervened. At that time, the three Hwarangs of the White Tiger Troops appeared as if they had heard about what happened and found Seol Young. A sudden ancestral ritual? We were just on our way back to work and Baek Eon said to Zaha, There are almost no Hwarangs in the capital right now who can follow the orders of the King. It is quite sudden. Thete King appeared in his dream to say something important. Is that so? We thought it had something to do with what Seol Young-rang urgently reportedst night. When Seol Young heard that, he thought about it and asked, Were you waiting for me? No. Song Ok shook his head. At a nce, we knew you were probably working overtime and felt bad for you since you couldnt drink, and then someone collected arrows in the training hall and locked them. Was it you? Ah, sorry. I was going to take them out, but I forgot. What kind of joke were you trying to y? My righteous weapon was missing. Hyo Wol said, and it made Seol Young shocked. I borrowed it for a while because of work. I should have told you. Enough. When did we care about such things? Hyo Wol smiled brightly. The righteous tools held their own spiritual qi, and some people would never like to pass them on to others. But these four were so innocent that it wasmon for them. So Hyo Wol didnt think it was strange. I will return itter. If he returned it now, Hyo Wol would know that his weapon had sucked his blood and would be shocked. Do not worry about it. See you at the ritual. And the three of them went to the Great Heavenly Pavilion Hall because they had to talk about what they would do. After everyone had left, Seol Young stood there pretending like nothing was wrong, but his mind was losing it. This is what causality is, so it is so scary. It isnt some evil force, but it isnt a good one, either. Its just aw, aw that affects even the King. Did you see it? It was as if telling us not to even think about changing fate. A ritual was created and pointed out your hyungs. Zaha also acknowledged those words with a stiff face. It has been like that ever since. The more you avoid it, the more the rope tightens and helplessly drags you into the destiny you cannot escape from. Cynicism shed across his face. But that is all over. Lets go. While the Pavilion Head was busy, they had to move, so Seol Young and Zaha went to the shrine with the excuse of putting the harp box back in its ce. Lets see There, the two inspected the harp box again, just to distract the officials. After opening and closing it a couple of times, Seol Young suddenly came up with an idea. There may be a surprisingly simple solution. If we fill the inside with light and bulky things, who would be able to fit inside it? There was a vase with flowers in the room, so he grabbed it and put it inside the harp box. And then he opened and closed the lid. When he looked inside again, the vase was missing. Did it swallow it? Forget it. Lets not do anything stupid. Zaha, who was carefully watching the movements of the heavenly officials, spoke. The hall was empty. With the Pavilion Head being strict, everyone rxed when she wasnt around. In addition, their colleague was killed, so they held a peace ritual for him. Hurry. They headed for the candle stand that Zaha had seen earlier. He twisted it likest time, and the passage opened up, revealing chests in the darkness. Come in quickly. Yes. Seol Young hurried inside, and the wall closed behind them. This way. Zaha went through the aisle full of chests, and then, at some point, he twisted another candle holder, and the wall slid open. Sel Young asked curiously, Do you want to just leave? Shhh. Beyond, there was another space. Is this a trap? This is the right way. But I have no idea how many traps are here. Then how do you avoid all of them? Because I have tricks up my sleeve. Right, he did. That was the bad luck of the Great Heavenly Pavilion. Zaha raised the energy from his sword and projected it around. Now, be quiet, and look for it. What should I be looking for? Mirror. What kind? Life and Death. I knew it from the journals these people have. It is one of the ten treasures of the shrine, and it is said that when you look into it, the most important fate will be shown. Zaha said as he walked ahead. Not everyone can use it, but I was a priest once. That was his n. Seol Young followed him and looked around. Some ces creaked, so he walked slowly. To think the High Governor will be stealing things from a treasured ce of a shrine. Seol Young felt nervous at the thought of someone finding out about it. Eventually, a round ce appeared. Ten pirs stood tall in the room. And there were items ced around. No matter who sees them, they are undoubtedly the ten treasures of the shrine. Life and Death. Here. Zaha approached the ce where a bronze mirror was. Seol Young had no spiritual power now. However, he could see with his naked eyes that a strange light clustered in the middle of the mirror. It had to be heavenly qi or godly qi. Seol Young-rang, now look at Death. He carefully touched the mirror, and when there was no problem, he took out Hyo Wols righteous weapon and ced it there. They exchanged nces in the dark. If this mirror really had power, it would show how Hyo Wol goes into the harp box. Chapter 126: Palanquin Case (11) Chapter 126: Pnquin Case (11) On the other hand, Seol Young was nervous. He is reallymitted. If the fact of stealing the treasure was discovered, everything would be over. Seol Young was willing to leave here, but Zaha didnt seem to want to. They got out of there and moved slowly without making any noise. When they reached the entrance, he put his ear to the wall to check and it was quiet. Nod. After exchanging signals with Zaha, he opened the passage and they got out of there. Just before leaving, Zaha reached out and took a ritual candle. How natural his actions were in stealing. Seol Young couldnt help but think to himself. if he goes in there a couple more times, then this ce would be ruined. It truly was a misfortune for this ce that Zaha had stepped foot here. When they left, both of them had calm faces and didnt look like thieves at all. They left the pce and went to Zahas ce. He told the couple to lock the doors and keep watch outside. It was dark because it was already sunset. Now then The first thing Zaha did was light up the ce. He brought a mirror stand and ced the mirror he had stolen there. Then Seol Young wrote Hyo Wols name on the paper and handed it to him. Priest, here. Watch carefully from now on. Zaha lit the candle he had brought from the shrine in front of the mirror. The me burned slowly and touched the paper. I am asking you to show me in detail the most important moment that wille for this person. The smoke reflected on the mirror, and at some point, the actual smoke and the smoke being reflected began to move differently, and it spread on the surface of the mirror and formed an image. Seol Youngs eyes went wide. The blurry image was bing clearer. The sunrise g. The ritual. Hyo Wols back could be seen between the gs. Third-hyung. Seol Young stared at it. However, some things were a bit different. Hyo Wol hurriedly ran to the harp box as if he was being chased by something. His movements looked stiff, but he was lightning fast. Nobody stopped him. Zaha couldnt be seen there, but Seol Young was there. He tried to hold Hyo Wol but missed him by a second. In the blink of an eye, Hyo Wol ran into the harp box, and it was as if he was possessed by something. What is it? Seol Young couldnt understand. Why did he have to run into it in a hurry? Was he possessed? It is my first time seeing it. Third-rang has such a positive outlook and character so he isnt the type to be influenced by the mood of Well Zaha also stared into the mirror. The top of the harp box rattled, and then it stopped moving. It seemed as if the scene had frozen. The smoke from the burning paper began to dissipate before they realized it. All done. Zaha extinguished the ritual candle. What we need to do is stop him. If we stop him from doing what he is being made to do, the power of this harp box might break. I will protect the harp box from opening, so you watch over your third hyung. I understand. Hyo Wols life was at stake. Even if no one said anything, he was going to watch Hyo Wol very closely. Seol Young promised that to himself. Yet there was this strange feeling of uneasiness in the corner of his heart. Without realizing it, his fingers fiddled with his wrist, and a golden light shone. It glowed around his fingertips, and the spell around his wrist was changing. Ah. Seol Young hurriedly pulled his fingers back, and the light flickered. What is this? Before Zaha saw it and said something, he put his hand back. Now that he didnt have spiritual power, he was wary of everything. It might not be obvious to others, but Seol Young knew how careful he was being. And considering what he was doing, he had to be as careful as he could. Seol Young got up. Then lets go. We have to get up early tomorrow. Right. Zaha was lost in thought. But will you be fine? The streets at night are scary, and with a bruised hand like that, you will be an open target. It sounded like he was worried but no. Bruised hands at night meant that goblins would catch young trainees. Seol Young would be fine if he saw them, and he could handle himself. What do we do? Can you go alone? Should I leave you? What do you want to do? Zaha mumbled. Enough! Seol Young cut him off and turned around. He didnt even want to answer him anymore, but, If not, I can ask Bibi and Chunchun. And so, unknowingly, Seol Young asked, Who is that? You dont know them? They are very scary people who used to dominate this ce. In fact, this house is called Bichun House because of them. I just live on top of them. What was that supposed to mean? He went out, thinking it was odd, and saw the married couple standing there, looking a bit embarrassed. And then he realized it, Bibi and Chunchun. Are you the real owners of this house? He thought it couldnt be so, but he still decided to ask. Haha! As if that can be. Right. If you are okay with it, shall we drop you off at your ce? No. Seol Young declined them, and it wasnt because of his pride. In a state with no spiritual power, he would have to find other means to live. Seol Young walked alone on the night street towards his ce, and when a person is blind, their other senses are known to develop. Simrly, Seol Youngs sense of his qi running through his skin felt more sensitive. Even if he couldnt see ghosts and other beings, he could still somehow intimidate them with his sword. He arrived at his ce after a little struggle against the evil spirits and felt exhausted. Now, it is tomorrow. Ever since he had lost his power, he had been collecting his memories one after another. If he could break the harp tomorrow, he would probably get another piece of his memory back. That was what he thought, but his heart was feeling reluctant. Lets calm down. He rubbed his arms and turned around. With a feeling of drowsiness taking over his body, the light of the full moon he had seen with his hyungs yesterday seemed to shine through. His consciousness sank into the depths, but at that moment, a scene suddenly came to his mind. The demonic beings who had fallen were covered in blood. Each of them had a scar on their chest, but the weapon was nowhere to be found. They looked like puncture marks. If he waved his hand, everyone would die. [Almighty presence!] Came a loud voice, and Seol Young jumped up. His heart was beating insanely fast. It cannot be stopped! As if to refute it, another thought shed through his mind. -Hyo Wol-rang will never die. Because I will stop it. Zaha said that. His gaze, which had been looking at the Life and Death mirror, also came to his mind. Now that he thought about it, he was searching hard for something with his golden eyes. What are you searching for? He was trying not to get anxious. Seol Young rummaged through his sleeve and pulled out the small plum blossomHyo Wols righteous weapon. Seeing that, he remembered the face of his third hyung, who smiled brightly. Teacher, protect us all. Seol Young held it in his hand and calmed himself. Ghosts can never defeat people. The reason they cause fear, trick people into not seeing the truth, and constantly toy with our hearts is because they dont have the confidence to ovee us. He mumbled that over and over again like an incantation and stayed up all night. Then, when it was time for the ritual, he headed to the Moon Pce. Now, Seol Young. A voice called out cautiously from right next to him. And Seol Young turned his face, puzzled, and looked at that person. Hyo Wol was pointing at his sleeve with a puzzled face. Seol Young, will you let go of this? Ah, yes. Unconsciously, he was holding onto the sleeve of his third hyung again. Was that the 15th time? He forcefully took his hand back, but Seol Youngs body followed Hyo Wol like a shadow. Seol Young-rang! What are you doing? Will you still be like this even when the ritual starts? What did the Pavilion Head say? Then, with her eyes, she asked, You are really solving this, right? If you cannot, I will assume there is something wrong. It was that look, and Seol Young just looked at her, pretending to be calm. And he looked behind her. Zaha was standing next to the harp box. He would not leave that ce until the ritual was over. Just do this. Do it like this. Seol Young thought. But why do I feel anxious? He could feel Hyo Wols righteous weapon in his hand. Having it made him feel a little less anxious. And he thought that he would never be able to let go of it. He had been holding it sincest night. Then why is this Seol Young turned his gaze. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were right next to each other, and they were talking with the Pavilion Head. Yet, his heart pounded. Why He squeezed the small plum blossom again with his left hand. However, at that moment, his vision shook, and a scene appeared before his eyes. He felt the familiar sensation in his hand. He couldnt believe it. .Memory Projection? Why did it suddenly happen when he lost his spiritual power? That was one thing Then this thing belongs to a dead person? His blood went cold. NO! But the images were pouring through his head. It was Hyo Wols time. He broke through the gs, hurriedly jumped into the harp box, and mmed the lid shut. What? Hyo Wols thoughts seemed to be vivid, like they were being conveyed to him. At that time, there was a loud noise outside the harp box. Amidst the buzzing noise, someones voice could be clearly heard. W-What is that, suddenly. It was Song Oks voice. .??? Seol Young listened. These words. Hyo Wol was shocked. This? Then, shoot! At that moment, he heard another voice. The voice came from Hwang Soo, who assisted the King. Yes. Song Ok replied with a calm face, and it made Seol Young turn pale. In the Memory Projection, it was the time of the festival. Song Ok, who was picked from the lottery, was about to shoot the harp box. What?! Why did you go back at that time? Hyo Wol barely turned around and tapped on the harp box. Strange! Open it! But the harp box didnt budge. Second-rang! Dont shoot! Hyo Wol desperately yelled. Stop! You shouldnt shoot the arrow! Ahhh! Seol Young!!! At that moment, there was this booming sound, and a sharp arrow struck the harp box, and he could feel the piercing pain in his heart. Hyo Wols body fell forward. Warm blood covered his chest and flowed through the hole the arrow pierced. Then his sight went ck. .! Seol Young was in shock. Now he knew the secret. No, he already knew it, but something kept preventing him from recalling it. The time inside the harp flowed differently! Chapter 127: Harp Case (12) Chapter 127: Harp Case (12) No wonder. Even when exining thews of causality, Seol Young kept feeling confused. I misunderstood it. The sight that became ck returned to normal. But Seol Young couldnt see or hear anything. He couldnt even hear those talking next to him. It was as if his heart would burst. I need to tell someone! He hurried to where Zaha was. ? Seeing how unusual Seol Youngs expression was, he felt confused and felt fear. For him to leave his position and rush to him meant it was about something huge. What is it? Its not that! Seol Young said without hesitation. Causality is not what we thought it would be! It doesnt mean that it is cause and effect! It already happened, which means it is bound to happen! What has already happened? Second-rang has already shot Third-rang! In the archery! On that day, Third-rang was in the harp box! No one knew. Time warp. Yes! After the congrattions and speeches came the prayers and greetings. Time flowed in a straight line. However, not in the harp box. The flow of time seemed to be twisted. That is why it seemed possible! The demonic beings that were wounded and died immediately. The image of them came to his mind again. That is the trick it uses! It distorts the flow of time! That is why it managed to be this all-present thing! The cause and effect. The thing that was attached to one was divided into two and separated at its will. That was the power of thew of causality that the evil spirit was using. Because it wasnt an evil force, it couldnt be expelled from the harp box. As it was thew of nature, even the King wasnt free of it. Then how do we stop it? Zaha asked right away. How do we get it out? I dont remember! Seol Young shook his head. That was the limit, and he couldnt remember anything more. At that moment, someone hurriedly jumped to where the ritual was happening. It was an official of the Ministry of Justice who investigated crimes. It is dangerous! He shouted loudly. Get everyone away! That golden harp box kills people! What? The face of the Great Heavenly Pavilion Head changed. Seol Young, Zaha, and the White Tiger Troops as well. The Pavilion Head asked, What is that supposed to mean? The official didnt die in an ident! He was killed by this harp box! Stop this ritual right now! Everyone was shocked. And everyone should back off right now! Someone did something to that harp box! We need to find the criminal behind this right now! At that moment, the lid of the harp box opened on its own, and a small light shone that everyone saw. Isnt that spiritual qi? From which troops? The people groaned. Seol Youngs face went pale. ! Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were also shocked. Even if others didnt know, the White Tiger Troops knew what it was right away. The glow was clearly in the shape of a small plum blossom, and if taken out, it would radiate a blue light. It was the spiritual qi of the White Tiger Troops. What the hell just happened? Seol Young felt his body tremble. His hands were ice cold, and Hyo Wols righteous weapon that he had been holding had disappeared. There was some mysterious force that couldnt be exined. That was what made the righteous weapon end up inside the harp box. [What is meant to happen will happen.] A coded text appeared before his eyes, and it dispersed like mist. [What is meant to happen will happen.] Right. The future that hasnt yet been decided could be changed by breaking through the odds of one thousandth. But what had already happened in the past couldnt be changed at all. The past was fixed. Under the restraints of that powerfulw of causality, which transcended everything, the final result appeared. That? Hyo Wol turned to Seol Young. What shone inside the harp box was his weapon, which Seol Young borrowed. He didnt know why he took it, but now he understood. He used it to investigate that. And he identally dropped it inside. Apparently, the others didnt seem to know that Seol Young was working on it. Well, there must have been a reason for it. But what now? Do they believe that someone did that Seol Young had been dealing with the supernatural cmities that had been happening, and even though he was suspected to be evil, he worked hard. But this time, it seemed like he could not escape. He was sure that he would be in real trouble now. Fortunately, the people didnt know that it was a weapon of the White Tiger Troops. It is fine. Hyo Wol smiled at Seol Young. This third hyung of yours will handle it. He was known for his quick movements and quick hands. He just has to retrieve it before it falls into the hands of the other officials and rece it with something else. He thought that and ran. Third-rang! Seol Young screamed. Everything happened too fast. Before the official from the Ministry of Justice jumped in and found Hyo Wols weapon inside, everything happened in the blink of an eye. Wait! Third-rang! No! Hyo Wol-rang! Seol Young and Zaha both ran after him. Third hyung! Seol Young stretched out his hand and touched Hyo Wols sleeve. He almost caught him, but with a hair difference, Hyo Wol slipped away, and he went inside the harp box right then. No! Seol Young screamed. At that moment, a small light shone from his left hand, and it hit the lid of the harp box that was about to close by itself. Spiritual qi? Seol Young was surprised. It is true that I did cast Memory Projection earlier. He could only feel a little bit of spiritual qi, though. He hasnt recovered everything yet, and the letters around his wrist are still there to calm him. It was like he had been tricked. It was such a weak force that it was difficult for him to detect. But when Hyo Wol was in danger of dying in front of him, it sprang out of his hand and hit the top of the harp box to stop it from closing. You did well. Zaha, who followed Hyo Wol, quickly held the lid. He opened it and went inside with Hyo Wol. ? Everyone just stared at them in disbelief. What was happening? They saw it with their own eyes, but it felt like nonsense even then. ording to the legend, the harp box should have two people inside it. However, considering their bodies, wouldnt it be impossible? No. it will be fine. Seol Young realized it. This scene was familiar. It was because it was something he had seen through the Life and Death mirror, which they stole from the shrine. But there was one thing. There was a very crucial difference. Zaha was also here, but at that time, he was invisible in the Life and Death mirror. I didnt realize it. The question that had been on his mind was cleared up. Zaha had told him while stealing the mirror, -Because I also have to check that scene. The circumstances that led to Hyo Wol entering the harp box. Seol Young thought Zaha was trying to figure it out. But when he saw it, he wasnt trying to confirm anything. Is ones image reflected in the Life and Death mirror or not? Whether that was true or not. Zaha was a dead person in that sense, and he didnt exist in the world. That also meant that he didnt exist at all in the timeline. This was why he wasnt shown in the mirror, and the harp box didnt recognize him at all. Which was why he could follow Hyo Wol inside. The harp box didnt recognize it, but there was definitely truth to this. Which means Puak! The lid of the harp box was pierced, and blood gushed out. Ack! Everyone screamed, and the lid opened. Hyo Wol, who had turned pale, copsed, but he didnt fall. It was because Zaha held him with one hand. High Governor! Everyone screamed in shock. The left side of Zahas back was covered in blood. Finally, everyone knewwhat the blood was that seeped from the top of the harp box. It hurts. Zaha frowned and set Hyo Wol to the ground. Then he turned to Seol Young. Do not worry. Your third hyung is fine. Then he added, I told you I would block it. He did. But did that block mean to literally block it with your body like this? Seol Young stared at him. Chapter 128: Harp Case (13) Chapter 128: Harp Case (13) Seol Young was dumbfounded. High Governor! Hyo Wol! Baek Eon and Song Ok hurriedly ran to them. What is this? What happened inside? Eu Hyo Wol got up from the floor. The High Governor His white clothes were stained with blood, and seeing that, his face turned blue. It was the first time Seol Young saw his third hyung make such a face. But it made sense because of everything that happened in a short amount of time. Being stuck inside the box, the arrow that Song Ok shot a couple of days ago returned, and right at that time, Zaha jumped in and blocked it. Hyo Wol couldnt help but be shocked, and he had every right to be. Hyo Wol looked at his clothes. Great-rang, this isnt my blood. The High Governor is injured because of me! I know. Baek Eon turned to Zaha. Let me take a look at your wound. No need. Zaha refused. It must be because he couldnt show his body to anyone. They shouldnt find out he was dead. Didnt it have to be looked at though? It was an arrow that was strong enough to kill a person inside the harp box, so how huge would the wound be? Seol Young was shocked and was about to walk toward them when Zaha shouted, What are you doing, Seol Young-rang? That treasure is here! He was conscious of the Ministry of Justices presence.. Seol Young came to his senses at his shout, Right! Zaha intervened and ruined the causality. And as the power of causality was broken, there was a possibility that the harp box would copse. They shouldnt miss this chance. Zaha outwitted the opponent while watching the blood flow. I understand. Seol Young hurriedly moved there and grabbed the harp box with all his might. He didnt even have to use his spiritual power. The top was open, and it lost its power. All it held was its shape, and it broke when he touched it. At that moment, Seol Youngs right wrist felt a shock, and he felt that the evil force that took control of a part of his consciousness had taken a hit. Ah, it broke. Said Seol Young. ? The Pavilion Head stared at him. She was also shocked at two people being stuck in the harp box and one of them being injured. But even in the midst of that, she kept observing Seol Young. Why is he dying this? Can it be that he cant solve this case? With such doubts, she continued to look for a loophole in Seol Youngs movements, but in the end, he managed to solve it. The harp box, which no one in the shrine could do anything. The evil thing that refused to budge even after calling the best people to exorcise it. It shattered from Seol Youngs touch. As promised, they destroyed it at the right time. So what could she say? She was speechless. Is it over now? Seol Young quickly went to where everyone was and checked if there were any problems left. Baek Eon insisted on helping Zaha, and eventually, he allowed him to help, so Baek Eon cut a part of his clothes off and used a familiar powder and herb mix that was on him to stop the bleeding. The wound isnt as deep as I thought, but it will hurt for a while. While Baek Eon was healing his wounds, Song Ok went somewhere and got a ck robe. It seemed like he nned to put it on Zahas bloody clothes. Almost done. The official, who didnt belong to either side, was watching them all with wide eyes. Ah, we need to be careful. Seol Young had nothing to do now, so he went over to the official and asked, Where did you hear that this harp box killed a person? ? The official hesitated, So, while I was looking for the death record of the official Hwan Jong of the Great Heavenly Pavilion, I thought it was strange. And? And then I was informed of what I just said. Who informed you? The official looked shocked, like he couldnt recall what had happened. As I thought. Seol Young nodded. Some unknown force must have done this. Well. The official didnt know. But it is true that there were questions regarding the death of the official. Contrary to custom, he was immediately cremated without a funeral. Didnt the Pavilion Head know this? Would the subordinates move without the order of their head? The official seemed to want to confirm that. The Pavilion Head silently looked like she was lost in her thoughts. But seeing this When the official brought up the story of the dead heavenly official, Seol Young had a question. Who shot the arrow that killed the heavenly official? Wasnt the Pavilion Head thinking the same thing? She watched this entire thing happen right from the start. Originally, she would have received something from the heavens to help her out. She had been handling things for decades now, so she must have guessed that there was a connection between Song Oks archery and Hyo Wols ident by now. If someone shoots the harp box, someone will die after a while. If she had thought about it until there Then her memories would go back to what had happened a few days ago. Before the death of the official. Who shot the harp box? Looking at her face, it seemed like she understood it. ! Herplexion noticeably changed, and her eyes moved to a certain ce. The officials, who hadnt understood what had happened, were standing there with frightened looks on their faces. She gazed at them, and everyone else also looked at them. And it could be guessed enough. The Great Heavenly Pavilion head. She was the one who brought the harp box out and tried to do everything perfectly by ordering her people so something bad wouldnt happen. So she must have made the necessary preparations before that. And an arrow was shot? Wasnt it an unsightly disy in front of the King and Queen? Couldnt one of the officials under her test it? Of course, they were all just spections. But her eyes seemed to say that those guesses were right. When she noticed Seol Youngs eyes on her, she suddenly came to her senses. Seol Young, Zaha, the White Tiger Troops, and the other Hwarangs were here. Everything that happened was enough for the Hwarangs to know the truth, and she just realized that it was toote. When she didnt say anything, the official turned to the Hwarangs. Wasnt it strange? Was there a slight suspicion from the Hwarangs? The Pavilion Head was shocked, and so were the people under her. What if everyone learned the truth? Looking at the Hwarangs Seol Young opened his mouth instead of his hyungs, who were busy treating the wound. The real cause of the death of the official. Seol Young-rang! Be quiet! Do not speak! it is exactly as it appears on the death record. The Pavilion Head tried to control him without even listening to his words and went silent at his unexpected answer. Seol Young just said what he wanted to say and shut his mouth. Of course, he thought about the dead official. The official died first, so it helped them understand what would happen next, and it could be said that the official died to help the others. Seol Young made a promise to his soul that he would definitely reveal the injustice and help him. But back then, he knew nothing, and now he couldnt help but ask, Does the deceased really want the truth to be revealed? Maybe not. So he decided to stay silent. And the Pavilion Head didnt expect Seol Young to do that. -One of their own was killed by an arrow shot by one of their own. It seemed like she thought he would reveal that or at least hint at it to everyone, making everyone question them. Considering how she had treated the guy over the years, she couldnt me him. But Seol Young frowned a little. Still, would he do it? Besides, didnt she see it? He almost lost two of his hyungs at the same time because of the harp box. Now matter how much you look at me, I am a human. Seol Young nced at her coldly. Well After Zahas treatment was done, he said, This harp box is a sacred thing and is not an object anyone can manipte. Following the words of the previous King, we performed the ritual, and the harp box had to show auspiciousness once again. Hyo Wol-rang tried to open it, but at that moment, he got stuck inside. He pretended to exin it to the Hwarangs. And the Pavilion Head, who had been still, opened her mouth slowly, It seems like that to me too. And then she turned to the sky, We can no longer hold the ritual, so lets go. Yes. The people below her turned around and followed after her. They didnt even look back, as if they were all fed up with the harp box. Right. Then us too. When Zaha and the Pavilion Head had done their work, the official from the Ministry of Justice had nothing else to check. So he also left. Everyone had left. As if they were listening to the words of the Pavilion Head, the soldiers began to clean up. The sunrise g, which indicated that the ritual would happen, was pulled out, and the altar was cleaned with just the remnants of the harp box left. The future that Seol Young saw didnt happen. Seol Young was dead sober until then. He was gazing at the scene that just happened when he suddenly felt his body go numb. Its the end, really. His eyes spun, and his legs lost their strength. Then he fell forward. Everyone was shocked. Seol Young! Zaha spoke as if it was absurd, Seol Young-rang, I am the one who is hurt. Chapter 129: Harp Case (14) Chapter 129: Harp Case (14) He was right. It was self-evident that he was pierced with an invisible arrow. It was Baek Eon and Song Ok who looked into his wound and treated it, and it was Hyo Wol who almost got killed when he was trapped inside the harp box. But why did Seol Young fall down? I am sorry. Seol Young got up right away. Baek Eon brushed off the dirt from Seol Youngs clothes and lowered his voice, So this harp box killed the official? Yes. Seol Young replied. I will tell you now. It was not a coincidence that the White Tiger Troops were entrusted with the ancestral ritual. I saw a strange vision when I was dreaming during the festival. Is that why you ran out so suddenly? And worked overtime? I apologize. I was so shocked that I felt so lost. I just thought that I had to respond quickly to save my hyungs. But in the end, I couldnt do anything Seol Young sighed and looked at Zaha. Phew Hyo Wol sighed. I really thought that was the end, I couldnt believe that the White Tiger Spirit Troopss Third would die like that, but the High Governor suddenly rushed over, and He blocked the arrow shot by the Second hyung. He couldnt bear to say that, so he lowered his head. Thank you for saving me. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Seol Young also bowed their heads. Instead of trying to answer, he moved his injured arm around. I can still use this. Still, it would be hurting and ufortable for a while. Baek Eon said, Im not sure what to do because the High Governor suffered instead of us as a result of ourck of understanding. No. Zaha shook his head. No matter how proud you are, your troops or the other Hwarangs couldnt have stopped this. I was the only one who could stop it. You mean to say that it was that strong? Hyo Wool was a bit taken aback by Song Oks question. Baek Eon, however, seemed to have guessed it to some extent. But Song Ok was not like that. His personality was simple and easygoing. He wasnt the type to keep unpleasant thoughts in mind for a long time. He didnt pay much attention to the fact that he had shot the top of the harp box and that blood flowed from there. Do not say anything. Hyo Wol shrugged. It was like some amazing archer had shot the arrow to pierce the target. I dont even want to think about it anymore. Do not think about it. Seol Young said that right away, and he looked at Hyo Wols hand that was holding the righteous weapon that he had picked up from inside the harp box. Show me that. He asked him and looked at it. The small, plum blossom-shaped weapon no longer shone. There was no trace that it had sucked up the owners blood. It now looked the same as when Seol Young first took it out of Hyo Wols room. It felt strange. It was as if Hyo Wols blood hadpletely vanished. Was that normal? Well, Hyo Wol wasnt the one shot by the arrowit was Zaha. Then the blood that was smeared onto the harp box during the festival day? Did it turn into Zahas blood? If Zaha was hit by the arrow instead inside the harp box, what happened to Zaha during the time of the festival? One person couldnt be in two ces. If they went back and looked at the past, would Zaha and Hyo Wol vanish from the festival? His head felt so confused with those strange thoughts. He couldnt go back to the past now, so he wouldnt know the answer either. Well, this is what you should know. Zaha spoke. Take it slow. You never know what will happen, when, and where. You need to be careful in the future. Yes, High Governor. Seol Young didnt answer as he was lost in thought, so Hyo Wol patted him on the shoulder a couple of times. It seems I havent said anything to you yet. ? Did you forget? If it werent for you, it would have been horrible. You sent out your spiritual qi to stop the harp box from closing at the right time. Thanks to that, the High Governor was able to follow me. Ah. Seol Young remembered that and looked down at his left hand. At that time High Governor, Hwarangs. We have finished cleaning. The soldiers approached them and reported. Ah. The ones who were lost in their own thoughts were brought back to their senses. Then we will wrap things up and go to the Governor to tell him about all of this. High Governor, please head home, and Seol Young, you should take a rest too. Yes. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol once again bowed their heads to Zaha and turned around. As they disappeared. Ah, I cannot do this anymore. Zaha slumped down on the stone next to him. I pretended to be sane for so long. It was truly so long. Seol Young looked at him. When he thought of the horrible situation earlier, several emotions ran through his mind. But he couldnt think of anything to say. Ha. First of all, what came out was a sigh. Blocking it with your body? With your body? Was that your best n? Why didnt you tell me if you were going to do that? You should have said something instead of doing it alone! What would change then? Zaha asked him. It isnt so strange when you think about it. I didnt know what else to use, but your third hyung was bound to die in any way, so I had to use my body to block his. And if I told you that, what would have changed? Then you wouldnt have stepped aside because of your pride, and you would have said something like wanting to save him because it is your own business. But you cannot go in there. Because it was me, only because it was me, I could go inside and stop it. Seol Young, who wanted to say something, tried to open his mouth, but Zaha beat him to it. I made a promise and kept it. Isnt that what happened? Thank you. There was nothing you could do. Is it because you were thinking something else about me? Or maybe its because I cared enough to put my body on the line? But why did I have to use my body to take the arrow? It was because it was one of those situations that would have blown out if I had stayed still. Because it was obvious that the child, which is you, would have rushed in like a mindless person and done something crazy. He worded it so clearly that Seol Young couldnt say anything. He was the one who brought up the subject for no reason, and now he couldnt even say anything back. And this has always happened since they first met. Zaha was always better at talking. If he had known in advance, would Seol Young have stopped him? But was there even another way? That was a question that he couldnt answer. Zaha made Seol Young go silent and said, Show me your left hand. Seol Young undid the cloth tied around his sleeve. As I thought. He tried to check it earlier, but he couldnt see it clearly. The characters on his hand had changed. It wasnt gold but silver now, and the shape disappeared and gathered together as one mass. Moreover, upon closer inspection, they scattered and gathered along his pulse. No matter how one looked at it, it was a form of spiritual power. Seol Young thought it was strange and took a closer look. What happened? It seems like. Zaha carefully looked at him as he said, Your Spirit Meridian was pierced. Spirit Meridian? Seol Young asked in shock. The Spirit Meridian was the path through which spiritual qi flowed through the body. It was like a blood vein, so it was called the Spirit Meridian. And only when it was open could the qi be freely used. My Meridians were open since I was little. Not the old ones, but the new ones. Zaha said. Didnt I teach you how Miss Dohwas dice worked? With that, you were introduced to a higher level of the world. You learned how to use your spiritual qi in a new way. But I never even considered thinking about the situation after that. When you learn how to swim, you float without even thinking about it. You improved your qi by learning from me, and you unconsciously continued to use it. Then it seems like your meridian was pierced during a crisis. In other words, it seemed like a new path had opened up while something was still tightly shutting it down. It didnt seem like it would be of any use since it was only the second or third daypared to everyone who had been training for dozens of years. This solves one question. Seol Young looked at his right wrist, and it also seemed to be changing. When he broke the harp box, he did feel a strong shock. He was about to take off his sleeve and untie it, but then Zaha said, Wait He paused for a second and frowned. What is it? I spoke too much, so it hurts. Seol Young flinched. The man got injured while saving his hyung. He couldnt help but think about that fact again. Shouldnt you head home and lie down without pushing your body to the limit? Right. After moving his shoulders a couple of times, Zaha put one hand in front of him. Seol Young stared at him, not knowing what to do. ? Get up. Ah, yes. Seol Young helped him up. Should we borrow a pnquin or a carriage? What are you talking about? Is this something that I can go around talking about? Zaha walked out of the pce on foot, and he walked as if he were fine. And the injury wasnt obvious through his robe. He pretended it was nothing and walked home. The married couple came out and greeted them. Did the ritual go well? Yes. Zaha didnt show his injury even in front of them. Was he really not going to take care of it? Seol Young was puzzled but still followed him without saying a word. Zaha calmly entered the main hall like usual. Could it be that he was truly fine? It didnt look like anything serious, so he even had that thought. But of course, it wasnt like that. The moment they reached his room, This is it. Zahaid down on the chair as if he would copse, and then he said, Ah. And then he got up. The wound hurts. Then? A cushion. Seol Young looked around the room. Here. He brought some cushions and put them behind Zaha. This is better. He said, stretching himself. Water. You didnt say anything to the couple, though. He thought so, but he couldnt do anything about it now. Yes. Seol Young quickly went to fetch water. The water bottle was filled with clean water that the couple gave him. Seol Young poured water into a ss and brought it to Zaha. Here. He drank the water and wanted to lie down again. I can live a little longer now. It isnt something a dead person should say, though. And he closed his eyes. I cannot get used to being hurt for the first time after eight years. Get some rest. No. Zaha opened his eyes again. It is ying with other peoples thoughts. This is actually the most important moment. Chapter 130: Harp Case (15) Chapter 130: Harp Case (15) Now isnt the time to rest. Saying so, Zaha held out his hand. Now he knew what to do. Seol Young raised him up and made him sit down. Baek Eon handled it so well that his wound no longer bled. I am in big trouble now. Zaha said with a frown on his face. I nned on getting out of the way using the fact that I dont exist. Actually, I was going to use that method to survive in an emergency, but now it has been exposed. I traded my way out for your third hyungs life Yes So shouldnt you pay me back? If I am in danger, you will have to save me. It is all up to you now. I understand. Seol Young answered. There was nothing more he could say. Was he in pain? As he looked at Zaha with such a thought, he said, Open the bottom drawer of the desk. Seol Young did as he was told and opened it. There were several yellow papers inside, and he was a bit taken aback at the silver letters written on them. Thinking he was wrong, he looked at it again. Talismans? Can you see them? Then I seeded. I just imitated them, but they have to work at least once. You know how to summon a guardian, so stick them. Yes. Seol Young positioned himself and attached the talismans. The moment they touched the wall, they began to glow one by one and then vanished. It worked. Zaha said, Now look at your right wrist. Seol Young unbuttoned his sleeve, and there was a change there. The chain marks around it were cut off as if they had been cut in the middle. It was because the harp box was broken. Now is your chance. Zaha said, You have to remember who the nk Demon is. You need to do whatever you can to get your memory back. There is no other chance than now. Yes. Seol Young looked down at the broken chain marks. There was a reaction there. In the fog that filled his head, he could remember several things now. I am going to try to follow something. Well, do not rush. We need to get as much information as possible. After stopping there, Zaha asked, Do you remember the Heungryun-sa Temple? Yes. There was a high monk who died while trying to exorcise the evil spirit that possessed Princess Ajin, and they went there to get information. At that time, we watched the Memory Projection together. Yes. It was a normal spell. It didnt seem like it needed a lot of spiritual power, right? Yes. It isnt like attacking or defending. It is just connecting. Then would it be possible with the spiritual power of your new open Meridian now? Yes. Seol Young nodded as he knew what Zaha was trying to say. Are you saying you want to look into my memories together? That is right. There were scenes he didnt want others to see, especially Zaha. But he couldnt help it now because it was such an important thing. Fine. Seol Young took a talisman and wrote the character Permission by using his newly opened meridians spiritual power. Zaha removed his ne and put it on the talisman. The silver letters were sucked into it. Soon, a thick mist began to spread. If you dont think hard about it, it will never happen. You have to follow the flow of time, and I will help you with that. Zaha took out something that looked like a small rock and had a moon shape engraved on it. It was the item that Miss Dohwa used as a die. How far had he thought about it for him to prepare everything so well? Seol Young thought about that for a moment. Sit down. After sitting down as instructed, Zaha held a droplet bell in front of Seol Youngs eyes. Look at this and focus your mind. You will turn your memory back and head to the time before you first met your teacher. Before? Right. The first time you met the Hwarangs from the White Tigers and went to the swamp. You seemed to have gotten into a fight around that time, and at some point after that, you met it right after the swamp fight. The nk Demon. The droplet bell moved right in front of his eyes. Remember when that was. If you look at this, you will remember something. It slowly swayed, and a small light began to move before his eyes. Left to right, right to left And its movement began to get faster and faster. Ah. Seol Young recognized it. It was a mace. A mace wielded by someone came flying in It passed by his face, hit the tree next to him, and got stuck! Even in the middle of that mess, Seol Young thought, Is someone helping me now? Or am I interrupting? Sorry! Ghost Demon King! The group of mountain ghosts shouted in shock. Move! Yes! Everyone hastily disappeared, and at the same time, Seol Young pierced the forehead of a three-headed fox that was struggling in front of him. Light shone. Ackl! There was a scream from all three heads at the same time. It was a three-headed fox with three heads and nine tails. It wasnt amon thing to find around the capital, but when it suddenly appeared and tried to kill Seol Young for his spiritual power, he didnt just stand still. Just why is this. Seol Young threw several bamboo barrels at the staggering enemy. The evil spirit sealed inside came out and bit its lips. This is thest time! Seol Young threw a bundle of talismans at the ghosts open side, and there was an explosion. The three-headed fox copsed with a desperate scream, and the ground thumped. He did it. Seol Young slumped to his knees. Then the mountain ghosts came running. Seol Young looked at the sky without saying a word. In the corner of the blue-purple sky was the moon. Huh. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. The words of the boy named Hyo Wol were like a curse, and he really came to his mind each time he saw the moon. He still didnt throw away the wooden que that they had given him. I should throw it out tomorrow. Seol Young gave up thinking and went to the dead, three-headed fox. He put his hand inside its body and pulled out a ball of energy. After that, he looked around to see if there was anything else to pack and found a strange mark on the nape of the dead ghost. What is this? Uh? What is? The mountain ghosts also went close and looked at it. It looked like a bite mark from a snakes teeth. The snake formed a circle by biting down its own tail. One of the mountain ghosts looked startled. T-This! Do you know what this is? Y-You shouldnt touch it. Just run! That thing is.! The mountain ghost couldnt speak anymore and stepped back. The guy who had never done that until now ran away without another thought. What is up with him? I dont know. The other mountain ghosts also didnt seem to know why. Well, they need to find out, then. But right now, they were too tired. Seol Young walked back to the grave, and as expected, everyone was waiting outside the tomb, not knowing why Seol Young was outte. I am back. Seol Young bowed to the five ghosts. When he told them what had happened, they were surprised. A three-headed gumiho1? But I defeated it. I stole the spiritual qi orb from it. And right. Seol Young drew the snake pattern on the ground. What is this? A mountain ghost saw this and ran away. The five ghosts looked at the image. I dont know. The most knowledgeable one also said so. Well, it doesnt sound like its a good thing. Lady To carefully said. It is strange how heinous things keep happening around here. As the rumors about the Ghost Demon King spread, more people seem to be curious. And she sighed. While he was away, they would always wash his room and even worry about him. Lady Mo opened her mouth, It has been over ten years since we have lived together. Even though we knew this wouldnt work out, we dragged it out each day and ended up like this. But we cannot push this any longer. I think this is the end. Seol Youngs face changed. What do you mean? We were wrong. The child said. We should have sent you back to the humans. It isnt good for a living person to live with ghosts like us. The boundary between humans and ghosts is quite clear, so we need to leave. Seol Young was shocked. Were they going to leave? His eyes looked lost, and his ears turned red. He wanted to say something, but the words were choking his throat. Seol Young looked at them for a long time and then got up. Seol Young. Lady Mo called out. Seol Young had a difficult time following her fierce and venomous personality, so he never went against her. But for the first time, he ignored her words. He didnt respond, and he walked out and left. Because they were ghosts, they were cold and couldnt show their emotions well. Growing up with that, even Seol Youngs personality became simr to theirs. However, upon hearing those lightning-like words, his emotions naturally surged, and tears welled up in his eyes. Why are you trying to abandon me? That was the only thought in his mind. After wandering aimlessly for a long time, he came up with the answer. Its because they are afraid I wont be able to win against a strong enemy. His eyes looked determined. Seol Young crossed the mountain and went to the other side. He went to visit the demonic being called the Third Grandpa with whom he was familiar. What is it, kid? I want to know something. Seol Young first offered the head of the three-headed fox and said, Do you know what this is? He drew the snake biting its tail. At that moment, the face of the Third Grandpa turned blue as he jumped up, shouting. I have given you all the information you needed until now, so there is no reason for you to hold any grudges against me, but why are you doing this? Then he picked up an awl and stabbed himself in both eyes. Seol Young was shocked. Why Right then, someone suddenly came from behind and blocked his mouth. A strange scent spread, and his consciousness became clouded. How much time had passed? Get up. Someone said while tapping his foot. His consciousness was dim, but he could tell that he was sitting on his knees. Where was he? Someone grabbed him by the hair to raise his head, and Seol Young looked around. It was a circr space. A man was seated on a high tform. He was wearing this long red robe and a mask made of a skull to prevent his face from being seen. Are you the Ghost Demon King? He said. From his voice, it was hard to tell if the person was a man, woman, young, or old. Seol Young shouted. Why did you capture me?! Who are you to catch me?! Cheeky bastard! He shouted, and kicks came in from all directions. The person on the altar raised one hand, and at that moment, blood gushed from the chest of the beings that kicked Seol Young. ! All of them copsed on the spot and died. At first, he thought that person threw a talisman. But no, there werent any traces, just scars. He just made a hand gesture, and it pierced holes in their bodies? Seol Young was shocked.
  1. TL/N: A nine-tailed fox
Chapter 131: Harp Case (16) Chapter 131: Harp Case (16) Who told you to kick him? The man wearing the skull mask asked. There were quite a few ghosts in this wide space, but not a single one of them even made a sound of breathing. Seol Young got up, and his face was stiff and he red at the opponent. At that moment, the man stretched out his hand again. Wheik! Something flew his way with the sound of the wind being cut. It was a chain with shackles. Seol Young quickly turned away to avoid it, and at the same time, he got out of the grasp they had in the blink of an eye using the skills he had learned from the grave ghosts. Catch! The hall was a mess again. Seol Young realized just then that he had entered the mouth of the tiger, and thinking and acting at the same time was too much. Hundred Ghosts Perishing Talisman. A huge, bloody aura formed in the air. And it took the form of a talisman and exploded, making the entire ce shake. Euk! All the low-level ghosts screamed and disappeared on the spot. The rest of the ghosts were also hit, both big and small. However, the one with a skull mask didnt even frown. As I heard. The demonic beings came running and surrounded him. Seol Young was caught again and forced to kneel down. The skull mask pointed to the snake mark on the ceiling. Have you ever seen that? You killed one of my elders, so you deserve to die. Then kill me. Seol Young bit his teeth and grunted. Even in death, he would avenge himself. He would kill them a hundred times more brutally than they would. It was that kind of look. The other partyughed, like this was fun. Killing would be an easy thing, but to find someone like this is not easy at all. And then it said, Come under me. I will give you the position of an elder. In fact, Seol Young didnt even know what the elder position was. No. He t-out cut it off. At that moment, something flew again, and he thought he would die this time, but his palms were stinging, and a red light shed. Everyone bowed their heads, and someone told Seol Young, Cant you just thank him? He just gave you the Red Bone Disease. Red Bone Disease? There was a red dot on the inside of his palm, and it looked bright. Then, in an instant, it moved to a different part of his body and hid. The man wearing the skull mask said, The Red Bone Disease is a mysterious and powerful weapon. Use it in case of an emergency. Feeling its power will change your mind. Sure. Seol Young replied calmly. At that moment, another strange scent emanated. He tried not to breathe it, but it was toote, and he lost consciousness again. When his consciousness returned, he was back in the house of the Third Grandpa whom he had visited earlier. All the foxes who had been just fine were now dead. There was no sign of being stabbed with a weapon on their bodies, only wounds. The eyes of the corpses stared at him. Seol Young was scared for the first time. He rushed out there and ran to the grave. Lady Mo! He went in screaming, but no one was there. He went to the tombs, but they were all empty. His heart went cold. -Now we need to leave. Her words went through his mind. They left. Seol Young slumped down. If someone leaves you, you be abandoned and thrown away like you never even existed. He always knew that, but the past years had been too long. From a young age, he ran around the tombs and talked with them, studied with them untilte at night, learned tricks and spells, went hunting for the first time All those memories came to his mind. Tears flowed without a sound and without ending. Seol Young didnt leave the tomb for days and days. He just sat there like a kid who had lost his mind. Like his mind didnt exist Ghost Demon King! We have trouble! The demonic beings came running, and Seol Young managed to regain hisposure. He asked them, What is it? Gusuri, Ttedeogwi, Mulsari, Dalgaebi, and Suyuri are all dead! What? They were the mountain goblins who woulde out to help him, and they even helped in the three-headed foxs hunt. They were fine until then. Is it him? The one with a skull mask? No! The Hwarangs! Those Blue Dragon Hwarangs and their trainees mistook them for the ghosts they were chasing and What? Seol Young was dumbfounded. He ran to see the corpses. It was only when he saw them that he realized that he had gotten attached to them. Even the mountain goblins who followed him so loyally. Seeing them with dead eyes and covered with blood everywhere. Why did they have to die like this? He couldnt understand it. In the meantime, the Blue Dragon Troops were the Hwarangs located on the same mountain that the goblins or any ghosts were trying to avoid meeting. And the Hwarangs were known for not harming the life of anything carelessly. And yet this happened. Seol Young was furious. The Blue Dragon Troops acknowledged their mistake and apologized. However, Seol Young didnt ept it. In the end, his emotions got the best of him, and the damage to both sides increased, making the library of the Blue Dragon Troops burn and get destroyed. He didnt regret it. But the real problem was after that. Stop! He released too many demonic beings and ghosts under him to fight and couldnt control them. The strong ones began to kill the weak, which made Seol Young shocked. Stop! At that moment, he thought of the Red Bone Disease. The supposedly powerful weapon. Come out! Red aura shone from somewhere in his body. In the mayhem, a figure made of bright red skulls appeared. And it had a huge spear in its hand. Thud. When that thing took a step, the entire mountain range shook. The next moment, the Red Bone Disease jumped between ces, and anywhere the spear touched had a thick red mist. The guy didnt cut the opponents. No matter what he did, everything turned into a handful of red blood. It only took a moment to clean up the mess that Seol Young couldnt control. This Seol Youngs heart skipped a beat. The Red Bone Disease was unusually strong. It was a being against thew of nature. If something like that was used, there should be a huge price to pay. The Red Bone Disease stood quietly after the ughter, and when Seol Young stretched out his hand, it turned into a red mist and began to get sucked into his body. At that moment, red blood poured out of his mouth. I shouldnt have used it. Seol Young regretted it. But it was toote now. After summoning the Red Bone Disease, the watchers followed. No matter where or what he was doing, they silently watched him. I need to get rid of it quickly. Until then, I will not use it again. Seol Young knew what he had to do. But things didnt go how he wanted them to. After the riot at the library, the enraged Euljae decided to catch Seol Young. And sneakily, he hid from them Ghost Demon King. The cold voice from the shadows of three people blocked the path, and Seol Young was surprised to see them. They were Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol. How did you end up bing such a madman? At that time, even though the eldest spoke to you so kindly, you couldnt understand a thing, and you decided to do this? Song Ok tried to grab Seol Young by the cor right away. There must have been a reason. But you really live like there is no tomorrow. That is why you cannot live up to your name. Hyo Wol also stopped smiling and looked worried. Meanwhile Actually, I was going to leave it up to you, but youve lost your judgment. I will take you by any means today. A cool breeze passed over Baek Eons face. He drew his sword before Seol Young could even answer, and it moved with a blue me. Do not interfere! Seol Young raised wind and lightning and summoned ghosts to confront them. However, those three boys were prepared. It would be better if you just obeyed my words. Baek Eons sharp sword almost stabbed Seol Young several times. He was determined to stab Seol Young if needed. And the moment Seol Young stumbled while avoiding the attack, Song Ok kicked Seol Young in the leg. As he fell to the ground, Hyo Wol covered him and pressed him down. I got him! Seol Youngs eyes darkened. He couldnt help it. The Red Bone Disease. A red aura rose from his body. The next moment. A blood-red skeleton soldiernded behind Baek-Song-Wol with a thump, making them surprised as they had never seen a demon like that before. A bright red fog rose from their feet, and at that moment, they realized that their opponent was strong. Baek Eon called the others, Everyone, gather here! Yes! At that time, the skeleton vanished, and the next moment, a bright red shadow fell over the three boys. Guys! Yes! They immediatelyunched a pincer attack. Early on, they came up with a sword technique together as they thought about how to attack. The technique was for all of them to attack at the same time. Hyo Wol named it the Tiger Hiding in a Bush, as it was exactly like thatthey would wait for the right moment to pounce. And the three acted like they had one body, and at times, two would attack, then one, and then all three of them separately. They were in perfect harmony, and they could finish the enemy. Seol Young had already used a bundle of his talismans at the fight near the swamp, and the Red Bone Disease was done. But Their strong attack didnt work against the enemy. The dark blue aura of the three surrounded the enemy without any gaps, but it didnt seem to be affected by anything. No matter how precise their attack was, the enemy bone soldier swung its spear and pierced them all at once. In the meantime, its footnded on Song Oks chest, making him fly back as if he were paper and hit a tree. Bang! And the tree broke. Seol Young was shocked. I didnt mean for this to happen But he couldnt control that thing. Song Ok! Hyung! Baek Eon and Hyo Wol rushed to help him. This is not something we can handle. They threw onest look at Seol Young before leaving there. It was a shocked look. And it also had sadness and disappointment. Until now, no one looked at Seol Young like that. As they left, Seol Young slumped to his knees, and blood poured out of his mouth. The moment he copsed to his side out of dizziness, he coughed up more blood. I didnt mean for this to happen. Seol Young hated them. But their eyes, when they looked at him, looked disappointed. He wanted them to turn back and see him coughing up blood. Then, tears ran down his cheeks. Dont cry, and get up. Someone said. You need to continue. We have something to find. It was strange because no one was there. It is amazing that you came this far. But we still have further to go. Right. He didnt know who it was. But he was right. Seol Young got up. I have to continue. I need to find out what it really is. Chapter 132: Harp Case (17) Chapter 132: Harp Case (17) I will do it again. Seol Young spoke to someone he didnt know. It would be better to skip the part that hurts too much. He closed his eyes and began to retrace the memories. After the three Hwarangs went back Who did you meet next? S The words wouldnte out of his mouth. a middle-aged man in a gray robe. He met him in the inn and was kidnapped. The man was strong and seemed to know something about the skull mask that captured Seol Young. What did he say then? Seol Young searched through the memories in his head and found it. the power of thew of causality. Using those words as the coordinates, he positioned himself in the fog. What ce did he hear about? He soon remembered it. The middle-aged man put him on a rock in a secluded ce. Seol Young concentrated further. Then on top of that rock. I need to go there. It felt cold and hard. There was a bird chirping in the distance. He was back, and Seol Young opened his eyes. I know that you are disappointed The middle-aged man in a gray robe was talking in front of him. We dont exactly know how this causality works. But keep one thing in mind. Causality isnt something you can eradicate. The more you try to escape it, the stronger you get bound to it. So there is no way to deal with it. What does that mean? It felt too difficult for the young Seol Young to understand, so he blinked. But with that Red Blood Disease, I think we can do something about it. With the help of many people I know, we can get rid of it. If you repent of what you did and promise to walk on the right path, everyone will be willing to help you. The middle-aged man said. It could be removed? Seol Young knew the red thing was hiding in his body, but how could he believe him? He was doubtful, but then he suddenly felt this coldness. Already? The man clicked his tongue and lifted Seol Young up. If you cannot make up your mind, then I will give you some time to think. And they rode the horse, with the middle-aged man holding Seol Young with one arm. Put me down! Now! Seol Young shouted, but he pped him on the butt. The movement was so swift that he couldnt avoid it. The hands of this man hurt, making him almost tear up. Why are you hitting me? Seol Young protested, but then another hand flew to the same spot. Why am I hitting you? I need to take you with me for a couple of days to buy time. If you continue to act like this, I will lose it! Know that getting through this situation is a hundred times better than having your ass smacked. When Seol Young cursed, he raised his hand again, and Seol Young thought it would probably hit the same spot. So when he thought about that, Seol Young decided not to talk. Will you be polite from now on? Answer when an adult asks you! Yes. Seol Young reluctantly replied, and the manughed, HAHAHA! As expected, you are a smart guy. If you dress neatly and speak well, no one will look down on you. And then he asked, What is your name? Seol Young was silent for a moment. ording to the ghosts, when they first found him, he had a ne around his neck with the words Seol Young engraved on it. That must have been his name. But he didnt want to give him that name. Why are you not speaking? It isnt like the Ghost Demon King is your actual name. Dont you have a real name? Seol Young thought that the opposite of snow was spring, and the opposite of shadow was light. 1 Then it could work. Chun Kwang. The middle-aged guy nced at him. Chun Kwang? It didnt suit the kid, so he mumbled his name. By this time, Seol Youngs hands were now free. For the first time, he couldnt help but think that he had evaded the shadows. And if he could get away with this chance now, he might take it as a blessing. So he decided not to use sorcery. The man didnt paralyze Seol Young again, as if he knew the kid wouldnt do it. I need to get away from this person. Seol Young looked around and began to think, but the man didnt seem to be willing to let him go. What is this mans work? He had modest behavior, but all of his belongings were exquisite, and he had no shortage of money. It seemed like he was of high ss. But he had a cheap sword on him that guards normally use, which meant that he didnt want to reveal his identity. Then if he loses me, he will chase after me, and it would be hard for me to escape then. Seol Young pretended to be silent and obedient, so the strange journey began. The middle-aged man offered to give Seol Young some time to think, but he didnt say anything else about the Red Bone Disease or the skull mask being. Instead, he first brought Seol Young to a street. They went to an inn, washed their bodies with hot water, and bought clean clothes to put on. And the man seemed satisfied. A lot better! So much better! On their way, the two of them looked like father and son, so no one bothered them. Soon, the two were back on the road again. The man seemed to have an easygoing personality and didnt care about anything. He only made sure Seol Young was given meals at the right time. Of course, ghosts dont eat rice. If Seol Young was hungry, he would normally go and find something to eat, and if there wasnt any food, he would starve. However, this man took care of his every meal, and so Seol Young had to eat all of them. When he had no appetite and chewed on the same thing, the man would find local delicacies and make sure to get him something tasty. He ate really nice meals and would fall asleep in exhaustion. As a result, his sensitive and careful attitude softened. Going around with this man didnt make him angry anymore. Sometimes, he would sit on the horse for hours admiring the roads. He saw unfamiliarnds and strangers. Seol Young was also curious, so when he saw something new, he couldnt take his eyes off it. The middle-aged man seemed to know a lot of things, and he would exin them to him. This area is where the people of Goguryeo live, so even children can shoot arrows here. Do you know how to shoot arrows? At my house, children get together and learn how to shoot arrows, y music, and ride horses too. The orange sun setting over a river appeared before his eyes. When he heard the man talking, he raised his neck. When he hesitated in fear, the man put Seol Young on his shoulder and crossed the river. I dont hear ghosts singing at my house. At night, everyone gathers and sleeps in one room. It is cool in the summer with trees surrounding it, and it is warm with a fire in the winter. When springes, theye to train and then leave for their own tasks Seol Young listened to such stories from the man as he was being carried on the mans shoulder. Were there really people who lived like that? He felt strange and moved his legs, which made water ssh onto the man. Is it because you are worried I will be thirsty? I dont think I can find another son as filial as you! He burst intoughter as he spoke to him. His body was shaking, and Seol Young felt like he would fall into the water, so he grabbed the hem of his clothes. If you want to forget the past and go the right way, I will take the responsibility of settling the grudges you brought onto yourself. The words of the man kept repeating in his head. The surface of the water shook. However, it wasnt really the river. Seol Young lowered his eyes. I am lonely if someone treats me a little nice, my heart gets shaken. He would follow the man and see what would happen. If what he said was a lie, then he would run away by stabbing him. That was what he thought. But He was reminded of the various ghosts who followed him because they had no one to rely on. What would happen to them if he left? If this man settles the grudges, it wouldnt be like he could clear all of them. The mess with the Blue Dragon Troops, how could he get him out of that situation? it seemed like there was no going back. Seol Young was silent. I need to look for a chance and run away. It was cold in the north, with snowkes falling. Lets get your clothes changed. The man turned toward a city, but as the horse was running, it suddenly slipped, and they crashed to the ground. However, the man hugged Seol Young as he fell. The space twisted, and dozens of beings with ck lips appeared. They looked like humans, but they werent. Watchers! Seol Young froze. As I thought, I cannot escape! The man drew his sword. Go and hide! He pointed to the rock that had a crevice, and Seol Young quickly hid there. In the midst of the snow, those with ck lips attacked the man. As soon as one was hit and fell, two or three attacked him. The middle-aged man dodged their attacks, grabbing whatever he could find and throwing it to the ground. Blood gushed out wherever his sword struck. They werent a match for him. Seol Young thought that as he looked at the scene. This is it! He barely got a chance to escape. He got out of the rock and began to run away. Kid! The man called out. He sounded like he was genuinely concerned, as if he didnt think Seol Young would run away. Seol Young looked back without realizing that the man was fighting fiercely, but something felt strange. The man stabbed his opponent in the chest with his sword, but it was suddenly trembling. There was a gap. Puak! He was kicked in the chest, and the man had to get up from the ground and throw himself like the wind to stab them. But he staggered and fell. Thest remaining enemy attacked. The moment they shed, the mans sword broke in half. On the snow field, with his broken sword, he brought the enemy down and fell. He wasnt moving. Seol Young watched from afar. The snow continued to pile on top of the mans body, but he wasnt moving. I will not be fooled. Seol Young thought. If I go to check him, he will catch me again. He turned around and ran away. But he gradually slowed down and stopped. He hesitated and went to the spot where the man fell. He must have gone by now. But no. He was still there, with the snow thickly falling on top of his body. Even so, he still didnt budge. ! Seol Young was shocked and ran.
  1. TL/N: Seol Young means snow shadow or something, so as an opposite to his name, he chose heavenly light.
Chapter 133: Harp Case (18) Chapter 133: Harp Case (18) He hastily cleared the snow and turned the man over. His face was pale like a corpse. He picked up the man and checked his pulse. It was weak but still there. He didnt know the cause, but after lying in the snow for about half an hour, this was bound to happen. It seemed like there was a reason behind it. Seol Young brushed the snow off his body. it was difficult to drag the man who was huge, so he had to get help. The money is here. The hand that was touching him stopped. Asking for help by giving money might not be a good idea. An adult that lost consciousness and a child with a money pouch alone. They would kill both of them and take the money. Seol Young looked around and picked up a wood. Hallucination spells didnt take much effort. So he cast it on the wood and made sure to do it carefully so no one would suspect him. And held out his hands to the vigers passing by and shouted, Excuse me! This is my father. He came here to carry out the order of the King, and he suddenly copsed! If something happens to him, the King will take out his anger on all of you! Everyone gathered and looked at the piece of wood. This is insane! They hurriedly moved the man into a warm room and began to treat him. He is normally strong, but it seems like his energy has been greatly reduced due to a serious incident in the past. It seems like he passed out from overexerting his body and also from the cold. If he stays a few days in the warmth, he will be up soon. Everyone was relieved, and Seol Young silently sat next to him. He remembered everything that had happened since he met the man. With such a body, he convinced the kid to be with him. He nkly thought that. How long was it? The man blinked his eyes and looked at Seol Young. You came back. They were three simple words with so many emotions. Seol Young didnt say anything. When the middle-aged man squirmed to get up, he said, The physician said that you need to lie down for a few days. The man shook his head. They wille again. These people here arent guilty of anything, so we cannot bring trouble for them, right? Can you help lift me up? Seol Young helped him, and the man went to pay for the treatment. I will pay for a horse in advance. Then he asked if there was a knife, and he picked one of the hunting knives the people had offered. Would this work? Seol Young followed him and asked, Why arent you carrying your sword? It isnt that I am not. I cannot carry it. Why? I lost my Sword Spirit. Seol Young didnt know what that meant. The snow was heavy, and the moonlight made the ce look blue. Large and small footprints appeared side by side on the snowy field. After leaving the vige, they went to a forest. The man stopped in front of a tree. The ck branches were winding down like a dragon. Its upper part shone in silver under the moonlight, and its lower part was dark blue in the shade. Plum blossom. As if he liked the tree, the man stood tall in front of it. Seol Young knew he was thinking of dying here, and that he was buying time for Seol Young to escape. He handed him the money pouch. Go back to the kingdom. . Seol Young kept silent, and he thought about epting the money. But the small footsteps disappeared. The wind blew around the plum tree, and dozens of people with ck lips appeared. Knowing that the man was skilled, they attacked him at the same time. And the moment they got close, a shrill sound resounded. The whistle soon turned into a howl and the ghosts raged in the spot they were in. Seol Young stood in the middle and shouted, Spirits of the Nine Heavens and the Underground, wake up right now and open your eyes. Listen to mymand! There was a booming roar from deep within the ground. The branches with snow piled up fell all over the ce, and ghosts rose in the midst of the misty blizzard. Kill those things! When the order was given, all of them rushed at the enemies. Cries rang out in the moonlit night. It doesnt matter. Seol Young moved between them. I dont care if cannot escape this forever. The demonic beings clung to and bit their enemies, tearing them apart. He went through the gap and pulled out the man, who was covered in blood. He squinted his eyes. You. At that time, the mans back was seriously wounded. Watch out! Something shed, and blood flowed down Seol Youngs body. Suddenly, the man had a sword in his hand, and a demonic being that was behind Seol Young was stuck at the tip of it. It copsed, and the sword rolled out of his hand. When it tried to attack Seol Young from behind, the man picked up a fallen sword and stabbed it. Blood dripped from the de of his sword, and a blue aura rose. ? Seol Young was surprised. The unique blue aurahe clearly saw it. This is The man pulled the sword out of the body and spun the sword, which shone on the moon. A half-moon-like sh fell, splitting the enemies in half. ! Thest one left tried to escape, but the man was quicker. The sword that moved with a blue glow knocked it down, and it looked at him with wide eyes. The man picked Seol Young up and ran away. You are. Right. He got on a random horse and threw himself over it, and he drove the horse while holding Seol Young close to him. Baek San. The head of the White Tiger Spirit Troops. The horse ran away. Among the three boys you met, the eldest is my son, and the other two are my pupils. They were worried for you, so I came to check. He felt strange, and he couldnt exin it. They rode for days. Eventually, they arrived at a quiet vige on arge mountain. It couldnt be seen from the outside, but it was clearly full of spiritual qi. You can hide here for a while. Baek San put his hand on Seol Youngs shoulder. It is too dangerous for you to be with me now. My son and disciples are not far from here. I wille to pick you up at midnight in five days. Seol Young went to a house, and the man left him there in a hurry. Seol Young was left dazed. Will he really pick me up? At first, he decided to wait. Day after day passed, and finally, it was the fifth day. The sun had set, and it was midnight. But no one was there. The hours passed, and he stayed up all night waiting. But in the end, he didnt return. Of course, he got tired and abandoned me in this secluded ce. Someoneughed in his head. Seol Young stood there. He had money, so he could leave. There was nothing he could not find in the capital, but lets wait just another day. For some reason, he thought so, and he waited another day. But again, no one showed up until midnight. For thest time Seol Young stood at the entrance of the vige, and even after being there for a long time, he couldnt see a shadow. He wasnting back. And he epted it. As expected. He lowered his eyes. The moment he slowly turned around, his feet stopped. There was only pitch-ck darkness before his eyes. There were no trees or houses in sight. ? He turned back, and it was dark there too. Something was wrong. He raised his hand to cast a spell, but at that moment, something cold touched his forehead, and Seol Young was unconscious. He felt like he was being carried somewhere. And someone was guarding him in front. When he tried to wake up, he seemed unable to do so. He tried to move, and his consciousness began to wander around with his memories jumbling. Then, at some point, loud noises came pouring in. His body fell down and rolled hard on the ground, making hime to his senses. Ugh When he opened his eyes, he saw a stone floor. Someone got up from behind and knelt down. Then he looked at the ceiling. The man in a skull mask sat on the high tform. I got caught in the end. His mind felt like it was on the verge of copse, and someone shouted, Even though you are a cheeky child, I gave you the Red Bone Disease after seeing what you can do! Yet you betrayed my expectations! There were some people in front of him, and he was startled when he looked at them. ? They were all too familiar. Lady Mo, Lady To, Teacher Seo, and the kids. They were the five tomb ghosts. His eyes were in pain. H-How It is no use now. Lady Mo coldly said. It is true that we raised the child, but he grew up with a temper that only increased over time, and he doesnt know how to appreciate things. If we tried to do something, he would have betrayed us, so we decided to cut off ties with him. Seol Young was confused. It was only then that he found out why they had left him. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. The man with a skull mask raised one hand high, and Seol Young turned his gaze back to the five ghosts. Everyone seemed cold. Definitely betray. Lady Mos voice echoed in his mind, and it felt like his heart was being ripped open. They hated him. But When he got up, he was trying to help them before he knew it. A me glowed brightly on his hand. Do not touch them! Seol Young shouted. Really? This is fun. The man with a skull mask looked his way, and it felt like his heart was being stabbed. The me went off. An invisible force pushed Seol Young to the ground. Betrayal means death! Everyone shouted in unison. Thud! Thu! Thud! They made a sound by stamping their feet or tapping the ground with their weapons. And they called the mans name. His name resounded in his head. The world in front of him began to crumble. Then Seol Young realized that he had reached the limit of his memory. No! I need to find out! He gritted his teeth and focused again. He struggled to hear the name that everyone shouted in unison. [Omniscient and Almighty] The memory crumbled like a sand castle, and the sounds vanished. And then he seeded in recognizing the terms they used. [ Devil Lair Lord.] The empty part was filled. The Devil Lair Lord. The name that he hadpletely forgotten came out of his mouth. And at that moment, Seol Young was pushed out of his memory, and his consciousness was back in reality. He was in the main hall of Zahas house. Everything was the same as before. But Zaha, who was previously sitting down, was now standing with a golden light shing. Devil Lair Lord? When he checked his wrist, the chain marks that used to look like they had been cut off were now connected again. Before he would forget it, Seol Young said, The Devil Lair Lord. But I am sure that he died by my hand The moment he said that, something came to his mind. A waterfall. A waterfall of red, yellow, and purple flowers. A field of flowers. The flowers that Seol Young ced in the harp box seemed to beughing. It seems to be the correct answer. Zaha silently swung his sword. A golden storm broke out. And he cuts down the imaginary string of thoughts to bring Seol Young back to reality. That is it. I remember it well. Zaha had a sneer on his face. We can win now. Seol Young looked at him. In the past, when he met the Devil Lair Lord, he almost died. Or it would have been more horrifying if he died. A faint fear was about to settle into him. However It was different now. He was alone then, but not anymore. He was slowly calming down. Then he might as well give it a try. He nodded in silence and moved. Chapter 134: Harp Case (19) Chapter 134: Harp Case (19) The women who lost in the weavingpetition during the festival began to soothe their hearts with the song called the Gathering Song. The song resonated all over the streets of the capital. The holidays ended like that, but it was regrettable. Didnt the festival for the White Tiger Spirit Troops end with Seol Young running out in a hurry? Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol visited the house of Zaha as visitors. The garden next to the entrance was often visited by Hwarangs. Under a beautiful pine tree, there was a natural stone table where several people could sit down. On one side, vases, books, and fans were ced to add to the charm. And there was a stove to boil water on the other side. Baek Eon looked around and admired it. As far as I remember, there was nothing here, but this was decorated anew before I realized? It must be hard to find such arge and straight natural stone. Song Ok and Hyo Wol also said the same thing. The pine trees are great. My father likes them so much that he named us siblings by using Chinese characters that have Song in them. Hence, now I know how to tell a good pine tree from a bad one. I like this tea. Is it a heavenly tea? It must be a difficult variety to find. Zaha suspiciously nced at the three. You guys, be it in the past or now, will never bring good mountain wood for decoration, right? Do you know how hard it is to decorate this ce by myself? Seol Young mumbled softly, I heard that the couple had to decorate this. They were so bored without their owner for eight years, and Zaha looked up and said, Water. Seol Young got up right away, brought a kettle, and poured water into a ss. Towel. And he quickly brought a towel too. He was polite and fast. ? His three hyungs eyes went wide at this, and Hyo Wol asked, When did our Seol Young-rang start listening to the High Governor? He must have been trained. I dont understand how the kid who troubled the entire Hwarangs seven years ago is No. He is injured, so I am running his errands. As long as he is better, and Tea. Seol Young got up and looked at Baek Eon as he headed to the stove. Baek Eon-rang, look at the High Governors wounds while you are still here. I overheard the physician saying He put new, dried tea leaves into the teapot, poured cold water into the boiling water, and continued to brew it. He definitely said it. He said it would heal faster than expected, probably because no muscle was damaged. He said it would heal, not healed. And he brought him the tea. No, what is this? Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol couldnt help but smile. On the other hand, they were impressed. Seol Young only listened to their teacher and the three of them. He was the type of person who would rather die than follow others. However, to repay the favor of saving his third hyung, he was now running various errands. It was funny, but they felt proud of him. Baek Eon brought the teacup to his mouth and smiled. You did well. Zaha said, Right. Chun Kwang managed to learn the tea ceremony. At that moment, the three of them spewed out the tea. Baek Eon even wiped his mouth with a towel. How did you end up telling him that? Didnt you hate it when someone mentioned that name? Seol Youngs face turned red and then blue. That was why he didnt want to show Zaha his memories. He would definitely make fun of it, and Seol Young knew it, but he didnt expect it to be like this. Why didnt he manage to learn how to do things in moderation from the former Governor! Seol Young had reached the limit of his patience. But Come to think of it. This reminds me of the old days. Hyungs, we really thought that was Seol Youngs name, right? Right. Even Teacher was fooled. If we hadnt seen his ne, we wouldnt have known it until the end. Chun Kwang is a good name. It is because the feeling of acknowledging my real name was different. Hyo Wol, Song Ok, and Baek Eon smiled. Seeing Hyo Wols face in particr, Seol Youngs anger vanished. -Now, whenever you see the moon at dawn, you will think of me. Years passed since the boy turned into a young man, but the smile he had was the same as the first time they met. He might have never seen that smile again, and he could have never served tea to his third hyung like now. When he thought about that, he felt good. Seol Young sighed. Because I was immature, I harassed Teacher and Hyungs a lot. There were so many twists and turns. Baek Eon smiled. But my father kept his promise to find you eventually. He taught the four of us and spent thest years in happiness. It wasnt a long time, but he had never been as happy as he was at that time. Isnt that what happened? Seol Young nodded slowly. It reminded him of the pleasant memories he had the first time he entered the training ce. The evil force was still lurking around, and it was like he was in the eye of a storm, yet they had a good time talking about happy things. And it happened. Zaha said, Baek Eon-rang. There is a meeting tomorrow. The situation is not yet serious, so I am trying toe up with a countermeasure. Yes, Ive heard about it from the Governor. And if you have an idea, put it on the table. Also, pull out the pine trees. They dont seem to be drinking water much these days. No. It is fine. The three hyungsughed and waved, and Hyo Wol said, It would be nice to head back with Seol Young-rang, but it is a pity that we have to leave him here. Lets meet tomorrow. Seol Young lowered his head. Every time Hyo Wool said something, he thought, I might have never seen this. Maybe he could never escape the aftereffects of the damage his mind had taken. Then. Their figures vanished beyond the garden. Seol Young looked at him for a long time and then looked away. His face, which had softened up, went stiff again. How can this I did that to distract you. Arent you constantly anxious about your hyungs, noticing that youve lost your spiritual power and that you will be a target for the meeting? So I set the mood to myselfthe one with a sick body. Seol Young had nothing to say. Was it the atmosphere? His eyes seemed to shine so wickedly when the past was brought up. Seol Young looked at Zaha with doubt. Now that I have rested, I need to get back to work. He averted his gaze. Then as if it was too much trouble for him to speak, he ordered with his chin, Right, Ill wait until he has fully healed. As Seol Young thought that, he took his clothes and a few more items and headed to the main hall. The grave ghosts were outside. He walked slowly, leaving just traces of his thoughts. Zaha looked at them and asked, Did you kill the Devil Lair Lord? I dont remember. Seol Young said. But But what? Actually, I thought about the White Tiger Troops, and I dont think I need to remember the things I had forgotten. Why? Well, if I had killed it once, I can do it again. Even without my memory, I can do it. I believe so. The moment he said that sparks flew around his right wrist. One of the chain marks, which was clearly there, was now gone. ? Seol Young looked down in surprise. Am I moving in the right direction? It is fun Zahas eyes were shining. Fine. Lets go back there and think. Today might be ourst chance. Right. After discussing for a while, they left Zahas home and headed for the pce. The majestic shrine, in an octagonal shape, was standing tall in the darkness. The official on duty looked puzzled. High Governor, Seol Young-rang. What are you doing here? Today is not observation or prayer day, and the Pavilion Head is at home. So? Seol Young asked coldly, like it didnt matter. Havent you seen my righteous weapon fall inside? It must have fallen somewhere inside the shrine. If it is your righteous weapon, cant you retrieve it yourself? That is the problem. No matter how hard I tried, I couldnt find it, so I came here. Uh? The official was shocked at his words. So you are saying we picked up the righteous weapon of Seol Young-rang and kept it hidden inside the shrine? You cannot ask us that. Zaha spoke coldly. In the revtion, he was called an evil spirit and was falsely used, so I, as the High Governor went running day and night to rify the truth. What if we choose to use force? How do you n to handle the aftermath? The officials jumped up. I know nothing! I havent even seen his weapon! Then I will try to find it myself. Seol Young entered. Righteous weapon? The officials began to move in haste, and they all began to search. They initially denied it, but they werent sure if they truly had it. Couldnt someone have really found it and put it away on purpose, thinking that they were stopping the evil spirit from doing its thing? If so, they had to find it and restore it to its original state quickly. If not, who would trust the shrine? At that thought, they hurriedly disappeared. Seol Young didnt care about the living. He cared for the dead. At that moment, he thought about the dead official. I am sorry for deceiving your people, but it is to save everyone and prevent a disaster. I am trying to get information, so help me a little. He prayed from his heart. Lets go. Zaha looked around and moved inside. Taking advantage of people being in haste to search for a nonexistent thing, the two entered the secret ce. It all started with the Pavilion Head receiving wrong information as a revtion. And I tried searchingst time, but I couldnt find anything that stood out. Zaha said while moving quickly. I think there is a secret being kept here. I looked around, but I couldnt find it because I didnt have enough time. That is our goal for today, then. Seol Young followed him. The appearance of the river bing bloody, theet moving, and the appearance of ghosts and demonic beings around the Moon Pce. All the supernatural cmities must have been recorded. The storage room was full of bamboo ques and books, and Zaha went to one of them. These are the records of the Old Pce. Lets split them in half and read them fast. Yes. His heart pounded. This was turning into something worse than stealing. The pavilion was distracted for a moment because of a tragedy that had happened. If they get caught, everything they did would be investigated, and even the parts that had been overlooked would be criticized. They would find out that Seol Young lost his spiritual power, and maybe they could also find out that Zaha had escaped thew of causality. As much as this is like an adventure, there has to be something we can gain from this too. Seol Young calmed his heart and looked at the records. There is something about the Eight Ghost Stories. The concubine who hanged herself and the detailed record of the ghost appearing and making a mess, but I wonder if it has anything to He paused as he looked at the next one. He suddenly felt strange, like something had passed by his field of vision. Seol Young turned his head and looked at what it was, ? The moment he saw it, his eyes widened. Chapter 135: Harp Case (20) Chapter 135: Harp Case (20) Scrolls hanging on the walls. One of them was a figure of woman. A crown on the head, arge hairpin across the back of the head. And hairpins with beads. And the fancy dress and the unique headdress. It was the same the God of Cataclysm. ? Following the gaze of Seol Young, Zaha looked and he too was surprised. That is..? Same. Seol Young didnt know how this painting was here. For a moment he thought the woman was the evil spirit. But the things were subtly different here The woman in the painting wore a jacket till the waist and her skirt was pleated, it is a costume before the Three Kingdoms were unified. Seol Young asked. What could the two women have inmon? He approached the painting and looked at it, it had something written on it. Heavenly Member? And it means? Priest of ancient times. Now, depending on the asion, there is governor or pavilion head who preside over the ancestral rituals. But in the past, only women could do such things. Was that coffin was symbol for the priest? Or does this mean that the God of Cataclysm was a priest? Or did she wear the crown for some other reasons? Seol Young thought and at that time Zaha said We need to leave. It seemed like this was the time toe out safe. And the two hurriedly left the ce through the secret door they came out. After a while, the heavenly officials came from the other side. Seol Young-rang, is it this? A small bell like thing, which was unique to hwarangs. Seol Young nced at the officials and said This is it. I see, it was in the vase in hallway, so we didnt know of it. Zaha must have done it. h is someone who worked too diligently in this ce. Seol Young took it and without dy they both left the shrine. And they began to walk into darkness. A ce dark and with no one around. As expected, the shrine was also rted to it! after using me of being the evil thing! Seol Young was shocked I thought she was so serious about maintaining the power and stability of the nation. How can she be acting like this? I have no intention of taking sides but Zaha said, To think that a painting like that was in the storage room where many of the officials can move. There seems a high chance of her not even knowing. How can one not think of the God of Cataclysm when seeing that? Right. even the officials must have gotten a look at it, but arent they somewhere more sensitive than normal people? The appearance of the evil spirit is clear only to us and not others. Seol Young didnt think of that The appearance of the evil spirit in the eyes of the pavilion head or others could be different. It might be a blurry image or just nk space. If It were at this moment when he lost spiritual power then even Seol Young wouldnt have been able to see it clearly. Then, even if this is pointed out, pavilion head would deny it without another thought. How does it even resemble it so much? Besides, we cannot even say that we were in that room and looked at the painting Right. It seemed impossible to right now to even speak of it outside. They needed to find more evidence. Seol Young thought Well, it seems like the evil spirit had power over the revtions to some extent. In other words, nowhere is safe. Back to the start then. Zaha said, What you said might be truth. You dont need to be bound by those memories. If you have done it once, we can do it again. And besdies, there is something different this time. ? Me. Did you forget that? he asked with those eyes. I think I know what is that spell that Devil Lair Lord uses. Seol Young was surprised. is that true? Let us go and check it now. Zaha took the lead and Seol Young followed it. There were the Golden Ring troops on duty tonight What is high governor doing here? I need to head to the basement. Basement? Seol Young wondered He had been to the hwarangs building too many times but he never heard of this basement. Ah yes. I get it. They hwarangs were a bit shocked, but they went and bought this bunch of keys right away. Here it is. Zaha took the key and went in. there was a door where they thought was a wall after using the key, the door opened showing a staircase They went down Seol Young-range. The basement was firmly locked. Zaha looked at the door in front of him. I didnt think I woulde back here. What is this ce? The door opened. There was the musty stagnant air smell inside. Books all around and a lot more things too and the eyes of Seol Young stopped in the middle. He noticed it right away. Isnt that what the Seniors before us used? Right Zaha said. fter all they died, it was like no one hade down here The door opened up for the first time in 8 years and Seol Young looked around. Various materials were piled up in the spacious space. Unknown weapons like the curved sword and the tools he had never seen before were scattered around. When the Moon Troops were alive, this ce served as a major stopping point for knowledge in hwarangs. Golden Ring hwarangs which is just half now, has a lot of influence, but the days of Sun Moon Troops was amazing. Whay? Zaha searched the ce like he was familiar. Here. He found something and hid it under the hand before getting close. Seol Young-rang take a look. Could it be that this isnt the same thing the Devilir Lord used? He waved the thing ahead of Seol Youngs face It gave off this strange scent, and made his head dizzy. in an instant his body lost strength and copsed Zaha asked Right? Yes. Seol Young nodded. In the past this strange scent was ued to stun young Seol Young. And right now he felt the same thing. What is this? Zaha stretched out the hand and showed, a rainbow colored caterpir was moving inside a small bottle. Poisons animal? Not just poisonous. This is the Gu, where the poisonous are made to fight. The Red Bone Diseases nted into your body was done with that kind of intention. He closed the lid and continued The character of Gu was written with the paint of the insect ced on top. When one traps several poisonous things in a jar and have them kill each other, one survives. This gets called as Gu. The best poison. This technique is quite famous and of course Seol Youbg knew of this. the Tomb Ghosts thought him that. A way to paralyze people, a worm which sucks the blood, and the thing which devours the body But it is strange. Seol Young mumbled. I am sure I knew of this back then, so why didnt I notice it? it must be cause they were worms brought from the Kingdom of Heaven. Kingdom of Heaven (India)? This was unexpected. Kingdom of Heaven is known to b the birthce of Buddhism and one has to reach it by crossing a long dessert. And the Devil Lair Lord used the insects from Kingdom of Heaven? I am not sure but. Zaha drew the image of a snake biting the tail I saw this when I was a kid. A sailor from india had the same tattoo on the body and it was my first tiem seeing, so I followed and asked, they said it is a symbol of divine power in their nation. A symbol of eternal time with the movement continuing. Time The Devil Lair Lord had the ability to distort and use time. If he really used a technique of Kingdom of Heaven, then the trouble with Baek San was First we need a way to find a new counter to the Gu poison. That is why I brought you here. Seol Young looked at the bottle with bug in. it seemed like the dead seniors studied this. Yes Zaha nodded his head. It isnt like I can bring them back, and it can be said that the lifeline of the name of the troops is taken down. But wouldnt it be a waste to let this go? Surely. so how about this? when you go to the White Tiger troops, you apply the knowledge you get from here and inherit it proudly. Then wouldnt your troops be able to show off the prestige? Seol Youngs ears perked up. You want to pass down this huge knowledge to one troops alone? Then, he would take care of all this without missing a thing. In a different way from before, he looked around with shining eyes. And then thought Wait. Seeing that you are trying to bait me with this, it seems like the thing I have to do is quite difficult. I hate how quick you are. Zaha grumbled Listen from now. there was a hwarang called Onso in the Moon troops. Researching was something of his hobby and he was smart enough to make the strangest weapons and tools. How did Onso die then? Seol Young was curious about it but he couldnt ask it. it seemed like Zaha would say he had to kill him. Before he died, he did several studies and one of them was this. after struggling two years, he finally boasted that he created a perfect thing to counter the Gu poison. After tha, the evil spirit appeared so I didnt watch till the end Zaha picked the box with Gu written on it from what seemed to be the desk of Onso. This is that. Seol Young took it and opened it up. A small ring with a green jewel in the middle and if one turned the jewel it would only turn. I dont know what it will be. how it reacts to the other person? I dont know, but you probably might make it alive. How about it? still, it will be able to help you get out. Zaha looked at Seol Young. Now is the best moment. Since you lost the spiritual power and only posses spiritual qi, it would be easy to recognize you as the hwarang. But just in case, I would rmend leaving out Blue Rainbow sword. Remove all of the things which White Tiger troops gave you. Taking the sword down is a huge risk so can he do it? Thinking so he realized there was nothing to do. A strong counter measure had to be there to ovee the unique technique of Gu poison. -So, shouldnt you pay me back? if I am in danger, you need to save me. Now it is upto you. What Zaha said came to his mind. Lets try it. Seol Young took the sword down and put it on the table. And the gem on the belt was also taken out. Standing next to him was Zaha, who pulled his sword. I will cut it own if needed, but I might be a bitte Was this illusion or is this man having fun? It is unlikely that the nature of the demon within him raised the head I dont know. Seol Young put his finger on the jewel In the middle of the ring. I need to gamble with anything I get. With a click, the stone was touched The next moment Something huge appeared in front of his eyes. Chapter 136: Harp Case (21) Chapter 136: Harp Case (21) A huge dark hole. Something that could only be expressed like a void appeared in the air. It grew in an instant, trying to swallow Seol Young. ? He was ready to attack if needed. But if he moved too hastily, he would provoke this thing he had brought out. So he gave it a chance to realize what it was. With that thought, he brought out the spiritual qi within him and looked at the ck hole. And the hole stopped. And then it began to get smaller and smaller. I see. Zahas voice came from beyond the darkness. It is the Dragon Born Nine Sons! Dragon Born Nine Sons? A dragon with nine kids? Seol Young only realized it then. This dark hole was in somethings mouth. The darkness began to get smaller and smaller, and then there was the sound of a mouth closing. With that, a small thing appeared at his feet. Its body was covered in ck scales, and it had blue eyes on its big head. It was a small baby dragon. It must be Do Cheol, the fifth child. Zaha said. This was a different Do Cheol from the Do Cheol monk they knew. This one means to be greedy. ording to the legend, there were nine kinds of strange divine beasts that were said to have been born from a dragon. The fifth of them was Do Cheol, and it loved to eat and swallow anything. Seol Young finally understood it. Onso-rang made a tool that borrowed the power of Do Cheol, so he wanted it to swallow the Gu poison. At that moment, the baby dragon slumped to the ground. Like a human baby, it stretched its legs forward and sat on its hips, and it blinked when their eyes met. Where did the thing that was about to swallow everything go? The final weapon had such an innocent look. Such a young thing. Seol Young reached out his hand, and Zaha said, Young? This dragon is born with your spiritual qi, and in terms of ranks, it is higher than you. Seol Young-rang, hurry up and bow to your senior. ? What now? It was a thing, not a person. Wasnt that thing, which is made of qi, on the list of names of the Hwarangs? Seol Young thought Zahas words were a bunch of nonsense. But looking at the eyes of the young dragon, it seemed like it was also asking for a bow. Could it be because Seol Youngs energy felt weaker? He seemed to be looking at Seol Young like a trainee who had just started yesterday. Seol Young was being pressured by its intense gaze and had no choice but to bow. Hwarang Seol Young greets you, senior. The young dragons face didnt change, and it was like its expression said, This is how it works. Zaha said, Give a name to your senior. Seol Young thought for a moment and said, Senior Onso made it, so it will be called Oni. Oni meant to be perfect withoutcking anything, and he thought it was a short, nice name. Senior Oni. When Seol Young called it that, the baby dragon crawled and began to move. It sniffed Seol Youngs scent and climbed up to him. Seol Young went stiff. What is it now? I think it is trying to find the Gu poison in your body. And Zaha was right. The baby dragon reached all the way to his head and then went down and sniffed him again. Then it sat on the ground and tapped its tail twice. It seemed like there was nothing wrong. Just in case, it seems like the Red Blood Disease has been removed. Zaha looked at the sleeping dragon. It would be better to put it back in its home. We have to give it as much food as it moves. Thinking of that huge mouth scared him. Seol Young turned the gem of the ring, and the baby dragon vanished. It is fortunate that Red Blood Disease vanished without leaving any side effects Seol Young thought about it again. How could it be? My guess is Zaha said that, as he was also lost in thought. I think the Devil Lair Lord made it himself. Him? But why? What did he want at the time? What did he do to you? For what reason? You need to think about it. Zaha said. Through your memories, at first nce, the power he had seemed great. And it seemed like he wielded the strongest power and could manipte time and the Gu poison. But something was unstable. It seemed like the time hade for him to think about the future. That means his heir. His sessor? Yes. Session is an important thing. When you die, everything youve made vanishes. He wouldnt have feltfortable when he realized that. And among the elders, no one had the talent he could pass on the position to. Zaha continued to state his assumptions. Then he found you and thought he had finally found the best person. He must have been greedy to make you his sessor, so he passed on the ability to use poison. Seol Young listened. The problem was that you were not obedient at all. He finally found a candidate, but you were so stubborn and hard to train, so what should he do? First, he managed to catch the other guy who was trying to help you and then took your family hostage ncing at Seol Young, Zaha said, If I were him, I would have just released you right away. Even the tomb spirits. Just release us? Seol Young asked like he couldnt believe it. Why? Because it doesnt matter. I can catch you anytime if I put my mind to it. Just showing that to you is important. Think. If your family got hurt in that situation and you were forced to be under him, would you have epted it? No. Rather, you would only rebel more. But what if I came out as tolerant and let you all go? That would be the right choice. That is how I can iste you in the right manner. How? The tomb spirits would be scared of being taken hostage again, so they would have taken the chance and cut off their ties with you. In addition, you got separated from the White Tiger Troops, and the fight with the Blue Dragon Troops would have gotten worse. At that point, the other troops would be pushed to step forward. You will be alone and have to deal with many Hwarangs. No matter how talented you are, you will be cornered, and then the guy who has been waiting will extend his hand again. It is so obvious. Zaha said. What he said was all close to and matched with what had happened. Even though he couldnt remember it, he could guess it went that way. The God of Cataclysm awakened a tenacious evil spirit. Devil Lair. Seol Young mumbled. The power of the Devil Lair Lordes from their. If it had been resurrected this time, there has to be a cave somewhere. Lair Zaha nodded. First, we need to look for a clue. And I will inform everyone about it tomorrow. They decided to talk about it in detail at the meeting tomorrow, and the investigation would move from there. Seol Young looked around the basement onest time. I will use this well. He bowed to his deceased seniors and left that ce. On the next day, the heads of the Hwarang troops gathered. When Seol Young entered, everyone except Zaha and Baek Eon were puzzled. Jin Rim, the Governor, said, I called him because he is going to give us an important report. He looked around and got straight to the point. Recently, during the ancestral ritual, the top of the harp box broke on its own after showing another auspicious sign. It is officially known like that, but ording to Seol Young-rang, that isnt the truth. Another supernatural cmity happened, and Hyo Wol-rangs life was in danger. Mu Won of the ck Tortoise Troops, Seo Geom of the Blue Dragons, and Hwa Un of the Vermillion Birds were all surprised. Hyo Wol-rang? Right. Jin Rim turned to Seol Young, who stepped forward and bowed to them. There was a powerful evil spirit dwelling inside the harp box, and it will show up again. If my guess is right, I think it might appear with something else this time. Everyone looked at him. Each of them seemed to have different thoughts, but not a single person spoke. Jin Rim spoke again, It is autumn, and it is the time when the Hwarangs would train. All the troops should dispatch the Hwarangs and trainees to find out if there is anything strange rted to this, as Seol Young-rang said. We need to respond quickly so that no civilians are harmed. Zaha added. As much as possible, do not inform the others about this. Yes. All the heads of the troops responded. As soon as the meeting was over, each of them was dispatched to various ces for training. With that, they diligently gathered information. And so they finally obtained some information. At the Taehwa River. Thergest trading port in Si was located there, and the Blue Dragon Troops caught a rumor. They brought a witness to the pce, so Seol Young and Zaha immediately went there. The witness was a military officer working in Gyebyun-seong. While patrolling as usual, he noticed something strange in the waters. My feet hurt a bit when I was walking, so I took off my shoes to brush them, thinking a crab got inside them. Then, when I stood back up, the light was bright on the beach, which had been empty until just then. Suddenly, a magnificent floating market appeared. There used to be a market there. In addition to selling exotic goods, it also served as an entertainment venue. Crowds of people came in and went out. Then one day, a big fire broke out, and the people were unable to escape and burned to death. The once amazing market had vanished. But Suddenly, the burned market reappeared in its ce. The people who had died inside were selling goods and entertaining guests. People who didnt know the story were attracted to the market and went inside, but they never came back. All kinds of strange ghosts and beasts gathered inside. It slowly got called the Ghost City. Jin Rim told Zaha, This ghost incident. This was a case that was settled by the Hwarangs a long time ago. It is said that the ghosts had been taken down, and the cursed ce had been cleansed. But then they appeared again. Everything is the same as the records from the past, but there is one difference. And then he looked at the military officer. Show him that. Yes. The officer took out a crumpled piece of cloth from his chest. There was a strange g hanging in the city. I didnt know what it was, but it seemed to have some meaning, so I drew it. He unfolded the cloth, and it was a snake trying to bite its tail in a circle. Seol Young looked at Zaha, and their eyes met. As expected, that guy reappeared, and he was calling them to go there. Chapter 137: Ghost City (1) Chapter 137: Ghost City (1) Gaebyun City. This port, which was close to the capital, was a Si trading port. A watchtower loomed over the bedrock ce, overlooking the sea. Along the seashore, a solid wooden fence stood around like an iron wall. In the port, there were several sailing ships from foreign countries, such as the Tang Dynasty and more. When the ships docked, workers would rush like bees and quickly unload the cargo. It was a busy and lively ce. There was an old man with a knack for getting through the middle of this mess. He was a well-informed person about the situation in this ce. When they arrived in front of the main tower with a direct view of the sea, the man stopped. I thought so. He looked back and said politely. In the vicinity of this port, it wasnt umon to see noble kids from the capital. And so were these two young lords. They were dressed in pale yellow and light blue clothes with decorative swords like the nobles, and there was absolute restraint in their movements. The little young lord had a stern expression and spoke with only a few words, so the man only talked with the big young lord. The big young lord had a good personality, joked well,ughed, and spent money well too. So when they parted, he felt confused. That kind-looking and ignorant young Lord chose this ce, but some other young men are already here. The chief of this ce was worried, so instead of leaving right away, he peered inside the dining area. At that moment You are here? All the ferocious-looking young men in dark clothes stood up. They politely bowed to the young lord, who was kind-looking and ignorant of the world. ? The chief was at a loss for words. Seo Geom-rang! What is this? I tried so hard to act whileing this way. Did you decide to let the information out? Ah, I am sorry. When I saw the High Governor, my body just moved by itself, and I greeted Seo Geom and the Blue Dragon Troops Hwarangs were taken aback when Zaha reprimanded them. Seol Young quietly sat down and looked around. They were sitting on the seats in the guest house and watching the scene closely. It was to protect innocent people from evil. However, Seol Young frowned too much, so he ended up making people misunderstand him. He had heard of the thing that went around the port city, but he couldnt feel it. Still, maybe its because we are guarding this ce that nothing has happened yet. Seo Geom reported. Right, you did a lot. Zaha nodded his head. Now go back and train. Be sure to change your clothes before that because the people seem to be afraid. Yes. The Hwarangs hurriedly moved out, but Seo Geom didnt go out with them. He looked at Seol Young and hesitated for a moment. Zaha asked. Do you have anything to say to Seol Young-rang? Seo Geom hesitated before speaking. Seol Young-rang, since we are training in the upper part of the river This incident will not affect the training of your troops. That isnt the thing. You can contact us if you need any support. .? At those unexpected words, Seol Young looked puzzled. Zaha intervened. Seo Geom-rang, what do you mean? If Seol Young-rang is just as how we were informed, then all of this is just a ruse to cause a rift in the nation Seo Gyeom continued, Since Seol Young-rang is still in the middle of clearing up his name, and as the head of a troop, I cannot act rashly. But.. He nced at Seol Young again. Our troops owe a lot to Seol Young-rang, so we need to pay him back. It has nothing to do with whether or not Seol Young-rang is an evil spirit. Seol Young looked at Seo Geom. Recently, he had a chance to think about his old grudge against the Blue Dragon Troops as he recovered his memories. The resentment and anger of that time were still alive, so his heart felt like it was being tugged. But still, this was amazing. To say something that would be quite embarrassing if someone heard it. It seems that he really intends to repay me. He understood it The problem was that he wasnt in a position to receive support now. It is fine. There is no need. Seol Young said, and Seo Gem flinched. He meant it literally. But it didnt sound like that to Seo Geoms ears. When Seol Young cut off what he said with the intention of helping, he looked flustered. Ah right. I get it. Seo Geom said goodbye to Zaha and left immediately. At this moment, it would have been nice if the Blue Dragon Troops did something nasty instead of this. Seol Young mumbled. Then he looked at Zaha, and his expression was strange. Why? No. He shook his head. But where did the conversation end? You didnt turn around and curse at him, and he didnt shoot an arrow at you. It can be called a huge change. Whether it was a curse or apliment, Seol Young sat down. Then he untied the sword from his waist and ced it on the table. It was a sword with gorgeous work done on it, and the sheath had jade studs on the hilt. It looked like a sword that was carried by the kids of wealthy families, but in fact, it was Zahas sword. It was disguised and brought into the city. Zaha looked at it closely to see if there was a part where the original appearance of his sword could be seen, and he said, Sit down. Now we have to wait here until sunset. Yes. Seol Young also sat down and looked at Blue Rainbow. Then he looked away. I cannot believe the Ghost City is here. He looked at the sea in front of him. Several military boats with their sails wide open were patrolling the ce. They were guarding against an invasion. Military ships, sailboats, and merchants were also here. And at night, this ce bes haunted? He couldnt believe the thought of that. Lets see. Zaha took out the records that he had copied from the Hwarangs office. Even here, there is no exnation of what kind of space the Ghost City is. It will be different, but Right. With the Devil Lair Lord hiding in here, the Ghost City must have changed simrly to his nature. Seol Young guessed so too. The Lord of that ce is the Lord of this city too. Right. Zaha had nothing to say about that. The Devil Lair Lord could summon ghosts and had tried to kill them. However, they were thinking of killing him in the Ghost City. Zaha looked at the sea for a while and asked. The righteous weapon? Nothing wrong. Seol Young checked again. The ring with Oni inside had been checked a hundred times. It worked, and it could be summoned without others knowing. All that remained now was to wait. The server at this ce approached them. Young Lord, shall we bring in some alcohol? Zaha shook his head. I am being treated for a wound, so I can. Seol Young immediately said so, but he was stopped. This Young Lord is currently on an alcohol ban. You can bring in some tea. Ah, yes. It was a special situation, so he thought the ban wouldnt apply here, but that didnt happen. Seol Young drank tea and looked at the sea. Soon, the sky began to turn red. Lets go slowly now. Zaha got up, and the two of them left that ce. When the sun went down, many people disappeared like lies, and there wasnt a single seabird present. It was simr to a haunted house, not having a single rat inside of it. Such creatures unconsciously detect them and avoid such ces. On the deserted shoreline, only the darkening water remained. Is this the right ce? Zaha took out his sword from the sheath, just a little part of it, and then tried it. The Sword Spirit responded, which meant that the space was filled with evil energy, and then it glowed in gold. This is right. Zaha looked around. But how do we make it appear? Shouldnt we just follow what the military officer said? Seol Young said. ording to what the officer said, he took his shoes off, and when he looked up, the city appeared. Look away and look back again. That might be the condition. It didnt appear if you kept looking at it. It only appeared when your eyes moved. It is one of the typical characteristics of such things. Fine. Zaha turned back. One, two, three, and then look back again. Okay. Seol Young also turned away. One, two, three. At the same time, they looked back, and this time, their eyes shone. The coast, which had been shrouded in darkness until then, was now shining. The floating market. Papernterns were hung from the tents that covered the sky. Between them, pavilions rose, and various stores lined up. The splendid brilliance they emitted cast shining pirs in the water. It was like thendscape of a dragons pce. This ce was the Ghost City. But if there was one thing that was different There it is. Zaha pointed to the middle of the Ghost City. The snake that was biting its tail. The gs with strange patterns were fluttering. While standing and looking at it for a while, the Ghost City and the ghosts appeared at the sea. Everyone headed for the Ghost City as if they were possessed. The wooden nk road leading there was filled in an instant. Seol Young turned to Zaha, We need to move too. The two of them headed for the city by blending in with the ghosts and demonic beings. Chapter 138: Ghost City (2) Chapter 138: Ghost City (2) The moment Seol Young stepped onto the bridge, he thought, It should be rocking. But it wasnt. Even though it was a floating structure, there was stability on the bridge, as if they were stepping on the ground. Seol Young strongly stepped on the wooden nk several times. Strong. We are always good at such things. When others were still hammering in nails, we were already making boats and putting together uneven woods. Zaha replied. Of course, this floating market had already burned down in the past. What they were stepping on now was nothing but an unrealistic space. However, just as the Ghost City was here, it also meant that supernatural power existed here. If the original power of the city was strong, then having someone stronger in it was equally dangerous. Seol Young looked around at the bridge filled with ghosts. We dont have to worry about it copsing. Why are you this worried? I hate water. Seol Young mumbled. The Devil Lair Lord might have chosen the floating market, knowing that. And the thought of that gave him goosebumps. What are you doing? Wonte? I want toe too. Zaha said, But it is blocked ahead. Come to think of it, the crowd wasnt moving. What was happening in front? He looked over his shoulder. All in one line! They heard someone yelling. There was arge door at the end of the bridge leading to the Ghost City. Around the door, there were city officials. They all wore the same bizarre mask with white eyes. If you cant identify yourself, you cant enter the city! The officials shouted. Seol Young was puzzled. Identification? Does that mean even ghosts have an identification? It is here! The dog-headed ghost next to him shouted. While watching everyone, a ghost with horns on its head passed through the door, and a ck whirlwind immediately rose beneath its feet. The next moment, the furry clothing the demonic beast wore turned into a jacket. Amoner! Someone shouted. Looking at it, it seemed that the gate yed the role of evaluating and ssifying those entering the city. When one passed through the door, a thing that looked like a card was issued around their neck. Seol Young tilted his head. But what is the criterion for determining ones identity? After observing for a while, Zaha said, I get it. Its the spiritual power. The identity is determined ording to the spiritual power of the person who enters. Aha Seol Young thought. Now that Ive lost my spiritual power and my spiritual qi is very weak, I will be at the bottom of the list. His prediction wasnt wrong. Eventually, when Seol Young passed through the gate when it was his turn, a ck whirlwind rose beneath his feet. At that moment, the silk clothes he was wearing vanished, and they changed into a long jacket and baggy pants. Then an identity card hung around his neck. One of humble birth! The official said. Seol Young looked down, shocked. Even his sword had vanished. He screamed on the inside. My sword? The official said, Lowly people dont carry swords. You get your clothes and things when you leave. What? He tried to get it back right away, but Zaha stopped him. Arent you going in? Seol Young finally regained his calm. There was no other choice but to enter. He didnt like it but still went in, and then Zaha moved through the door. At that moment, a sh of light burst out. Noble! The official said. Everyone looked envious at this. But Zaha didnt seem to like it. I wanted to be amoner.. After saying that, he crossed the door. It cannot be. Seol Young thought. Spiritual power, the power of the Cataclysm, the power of the Tree Spirit, and the experience of dyingputting them all together, it should be normal. But why do we need status to attend the market? Well have to figure it out on our own from now on. First, while looking for the Lord. The two crossed the market and tried to move, but then they heard a whistle from behind. Looking back, it was the official with arge white face and ck mask, and white eyes that was looking at them. Not that side. Zaha looked at him and asked, Why? That is the road to the Immortal Realm. You cannot go in there. Even a noble? The official was silent and then said, Seeing that you dont know of this ce, it must be your first time here. In addition, there are other levels too. Levels? The Ghost City is made up of three levelsthe Endurance Realm, the Immortal Realm, and the Heavenly Demon Realm. The ghost continued, For people in levels nine, eight, and seven, they are allowed in the market. People at levels six, five, and four can get up to the Immortal Realm, and those at levels three, two, and one can go up until the Heavenly Demon Realm. Finally, they got some information. Seol Young whispered at this. It seems like the ck and White GO ce. There, they are also divided into three levels ording to the GO skills, do you remember? Are you saying that this is the same as that? Then the Devil Lair Lord must be in the Heavenly Demon Realm. Zaha asked, What is our level? It is on the back of your identity card. The two flipped them over at the same time. They had already expected it, and both of their cards had nine written on them. Zaha asked, How do we raise this? There was no answer, and that meant that he wasnt going to tell them. Instead, the official said, The nobles andmoners travel separately, and the order of the market is disturbed now. Zaha just turned around, and it seemed like he was acting like he didnt hear it. But everyone was looking his way. Attracting attention wont be good. Seol Young said as he headed to the Endurance Realm. It would be better to go alone for a while and gather information. Will that be fine? Can the shy one go without the young Lord to speak on his behalf and guide him? What do you mean? I am deliberately staying still to restore my mental health while talking to normal people. Seol Young replied, I will look into this and that among the lowly people, so the noble should conduct a search around the nobles. If anything happens, we will meet under the g at the center. Nice. Then. The two of them talked and parted ways. Where do I start? Seol Young looked around and began to walk. The goods sold in this ce didnt seem to be different from those sold on the human market. Earthenware, fruits, animals, imported goods from the West But it was strange that they were human things. The ghosts and demonic beings were busy buying things. Seol Young hid behind a pir and observed them. For a moment. Something stood out. The money the ghosts and the others used to pay the merchants was also unusual. It was a pitch-ck coin with the word Ghost engraved in the middle. Is that the currency of this ce? Then, someone tapped him on the back, and when he turned around, there was a ck face in front of him. It was the official from earlier. Look here. Commoner. Do you have ghost coins? Ghost coins, ghost moneythat must be the name of the currency. Seol Young shook his head without saying a thing. Then you need to earn it. Isnt that how you can buy things, drink alcohol, and enjoy life here? The official said and pointed to one ce. That ce there is hiring workers. Go make some money there. The owner of that ce was looking his way, and Seol Young headed there. What do you do here? I brew alcohol, sell it, and deliver it to those who drink. Come here if you want to work. He was quite intrigued by the alcohol sold in this ce, so Seol Young went inside. We have a neer. As they heard the words of the owner, the workers looked at him. All of them must be dead. That thought ran through Seol Youngs head. The owner took Seol Young to ady. This is a busy ce. Get to work right now. Teach the neer everything. Just tell him simple things and make him do them right away. Yes. A senior worker named Su Ryun asked with a cold face, Do you know how to read? Yes. Not a lie? She brought in an alcohol jar and asked him to read it, and Seol Young read it. Then take care of the alcohol jars. When an orderes in, the server will ring a bell and ce a wooden que. We need to read the order and quickly find the jug they asked for and deliver it. Su Ryun put the thing down. You can put the alcohol jar on the tray there and prepare to serve it. When there is just one jar, you can use your hand, and when there are two, put it on the tray. Seol Young put the tray down as Su Ryun had said. He thought he had done it right, but she shouted. You cannot do it like that! What? Without saying a word, Seol Young picked it up and put it back down. Do it right! Su Ryun groaned and bent down, reaching out for the tray. But at that moment, her hand quickly moved and wrote on the floor. Run away. Seol Young looked at it dazed and then looked at her. Chapter 139: Ghost City (3) Chapter 139: Ghost City (3) The wet letters were quickly erased. Su Ryun turned her head as if nothing had happened. Some scenes became faintly visible. Copsing from smoke while trying to get out of the fire and pirs copsing everywhere. This youngdy didnt seem to remember her death and was working in this ce again. Seol Young felt odd. Her face is cold, but her heart is warm. He made up his mind to take her soul and send her to peace Shouldnt I ignore it for now? He averted his gaze and felt very grateful for her thoughts and warning. However, he was infiltrating this ce to destroy it. To run away now Seeing how Seol Young didnt respond, she frowned. What? Was he stupid? She seemed angry, and then the owner called her. Su Ryun, when you are done teaching,e here and manage the ce again. Yes. Su Ryun went there. At that time, a bell rang, and an errand boy came in as he gave an order. The oldborer yelled, Newbie! What are you doing? There is an order! Ah, yes. Seol Young went there, picked up a wooden que, and looked at it. One Flower in Prison to the seventh room on the left. It seemed like they were asking for alcohol called Flower in Prison to be delivered to the seventh room. This was his chance to naturally observe things. Seol Young first put the wooden que down, then went to look at the alcohol jars lined up. He lifted one and put it on the tray. Since there is just one order of alcohol, I can handle it. As Su Ryun had taught him, he picked up the jar and lifted it. All the workers there were busy running around, and they didnt seem to notice anything. Seol Young went out with the jar and asked, Where is the ck Lotus? But no one answered. They just stared at him like they were judging him. Maybe asking for help isnt a good idea. Seol Young went out to the street. Beneath the papernterns that were hung in the tent, the things that were piled up glowed. Ghosts and demonic beings gathered to buy something, and people were casually selling things to them. He was looking around and found it. Each tent had a small mark on it, and all of them were in the same spot. Blue monkey Aha Now he knew it. What was called ck Lotus must also have something simr to its tent, and he carefully looked at each one to find such a tent. Seol Young took the jar and moved to another area. It wasnt long before he found it. It was a pavilion. There were rows of rooms with their doors closed. Seventh room on the left. Seol Young counted them one by one and looked for the seventh room on the left. As he stood in front of it, a warrior with a sword came forward and opened the door. The drinks are here. Inside, there were ghosts and demonic beings ying something. Looking at their clothes, they seemed to be nobles. They stopped talking when they looked at Seol Young. ? Why did this feel so embarrassing? He was on alert. Without saying a word, he put the alcohol on the table and turned around. At the same time, he observed the presence behind him. Get out through there. The warrior pointed in the other direction. Why was he asking Seol Young to leave through the other side? Seol Young continued to walk down the hallway while being alert, and after a while, he felt this faint presence behind him. It was keeping a certain distance, but it was following Seol Young. A huge shadow hung in the dark hallway. Right. Seol Young walked calmly, like he didnt notice it, and then a door to one of the rooms opened. Seeing Seol Young pass by, someone hurriedly closed the door. It was for a short movement, but he saw that the floor was covered in blood. Seol Young touched the ring on his finger as he continued walking. The shadow on the wall began to get closer, and it almost touched Seol Youngs shadow. Where do I lure it? In front of him was an empty room with its door open, so Seol Young naturally went there. The opponent took the bait and followed him. Tak! At the same time, the door closed, and something flew in the wind without making a sound. .! Seol Young had lost his spiritual power, but there was no problem with his body. He immediately twisted his upper body and avoided it, and he quickly reached for the flying object and swung it away. Puak! It turned out to be a scythe. It was firmly embedded in the huge body of the opponent. However, the opponent didnt seem to care and continued to attack Seol Young. Its eyes were directed at him, and a huge number of its teeth were visible. Monster! Seol Young leaned back and grabbed the horns on its head. In that state, the jewel on the ring activated, and darkness appeared before his eyes. Senior Oni sighed and bit the monster. In an instant, the monster fell down with just half its body remaining, and blue blood gushed from it. It was asking for it. Seol Young lowered his hand, but then there was this ck whirlwind beneath his feet, and it was the same as when they passed through the gate earlier. ? He looked confused. The wind was sucked into the card hanging around his neck, and the lower part of the ID card was stained ck. What is this? If he killed an enemy, would the card turn ck? Did it have something to do with the levels? It seemed like it. Seol Young lifted the card and observed it. But then he could feel something else outside. It seemed that it had no intention of hiding its presence. ? Seol Young looked nervously at it. Its me. The door opened, and Zaha stepped inside. The Great Mother told me to move quickly, so I came.. It is over. Seol Young pointed to the half-remaining part of the monster. Then you dont need this? Zaha pulled something from his sleeve. There were several wooden shields. ck smoke rose thickly, as if evil spirits were sealed inside them. I brought it in case Senior was starving. Please have this. Seol Young presented it to Oni like it was some lunchbox. But, what was the fight about? It was more like a hunt than a fight. The nobles asked for a drink or something, and when they looked at me, their faces changed, and one of them came to attack me. As I thought Seol Young nodded. This town is for nobles, a ce of entertainment and hunting at the same time. By determining the identity of those whoe, they are considered as meat. And the leveling system makes it easier to know who to hunt. Everyone is prey to the higher one. Yes. Through hunting, you can raise your rank and enter a new area. As they were talking, something popped into his mind. The monsters are the same. Even the monsters? Yes. It is a hunting ground for weak meat. It was slowly trying to level up. Seol Young looked at the monster on the floor. As he approached it, there was something in its pocket. When he opened it, it looked like this ghost had 20 coins. Zaha looked at it wide-eyed. What is that? Money. Seol Young was surprised at how Zaha looked shocked. It is something being used here. The first time I saw this Are you saying you killed them and didnt even look at their bodies? Seol Young-rang. I did not search their bodies. We are Hwarangs that have some dignity. But this is different. You caught three nobles, which meant a lot of money. What if there were over 100 coins Even if it was someone elses money, he couldnt let them go to waste. Zaha asked, What can you even do with the money? Buy things in the city. What would you even buy? I dont know about that, but I need to rank up. Next time, do not forget to search the bodies. I cannot believe I am saying this. Do you get it? I do. At that time, there was another presence outside. The two went silent, and Seol Young lifted Oni off the ground and disposed of the debris and waste that had been scattered. After the baby dragon returned to its ce, the door burst open. Who are you? Chapter 140: Ghost City (4) Chapter 140: Ghost City (4) The one who opened the door was a warrior guarding the city. What is he doing here? The warrior looked at Seol Young and Zaha with doubtful eyes. Then I will bring the drink you ordered to this room. Do not bete. The two pretended that one was ordering, and the other was taking the order. The warrior turned around without saying anything, as if his doubts had vanished, but then. Suddenly, his head swelled up as if it had been blown. A huge mouth appeared on the back of its head, and it rushed to attack them. ! Seol Young ended up using his Righteous Weapon. Instantly, pitch-ck darkness covered the ce, and Gulp. There was a sound like that, and the warrior disappeared without a trace inside Onis mouth. And it was done. As if to prove it was done, ck smoke rose and seeped into Seol Youngs card. Seol Young frowned. What was that? I dont know either. Zaha said as he put his sword back in its sheath. Wasnt that a warrior? Or are all the warriors here like that? Anyway, I guess we shouldnt be too careless about anything in here. He felt strange about how his head swelled up. He never wanted to witness it again, so Seol Young looked at Oni, who was sitting on the ground, and remembered. Wait. He must have had some money? Seol Young grabbed the baby dragon and said, Senior, throw up what you just swallowed. The thought of not wanting to see such a thing again vanished at the thought of money, but Oni didnt seem to care andid down on the ground. Then it swayed its short legs. Seol Young asked it, Why are you pretending not to know it? Senior! The baby dragon looked the other way, and there was Zaha at the corner. Senior, did the High Governor tell you to act like this? What would I have told him? Do not put the me on me. Zaha approached and pulled the mouth of the baby to the side. Look, Seol Young-rang. This one didnt hide the warrior, but it swallowed him. It cannot take him out, so just give up. . Seol Young looked at Oni, who was rolling on the ground. Senior is useful, but Id rather use my own weapon if possible. With that thought in mind, he flipped the card around his neck. Each kill made the card turn ck. But it was still a long way from bingpletely ck. Zaha also looked at his own card. If we kill them one by one, I have no idea how long it will take for our rank to go up. Just lure them all together and kill all of them at once. The Devil Lair Lord will know, but Its better to be quick than step on something bad. They quickly arrived at a decision, and the two looked at the room number. ck Lotus, 13th room. It was the 13th room on the right side of the ck Lotus Area. Fine. Seol Young took Oni, who was on the ground, and put it back into the ring. I will gather as many preys as possible. Both of us have to be around level 6 to step into the next realm. Do not worry about it. Deliver the alcohol properly, and do not drink in between. What kind of guy who delivers would do that? Delivering so casually or drinking? Seol Young said. There were things they had to be careful of in the Ghost City. They should never eat the food here. Eating the food here would make them part of this world. If they did something wrong, they couldnt go back to the real world. After checking a few more things, Seol Young left first. When he returned, Su Ryun was snooping around. Seeing Seol Young arrive, she sighed. Why are you sote? Do you know what will happen? I got a little lost. Be careful. It isnt good for a worker to vanish like that here without knowing anything. You are different from us. Work properly. Right, they were ghosts, and Seol Young was alive. So there was discrimination. Now, take this. Just then, another worker gave Seol Young a rice ball. Ah Seol Young pretended to drop it by mistake and picked it up. While doing so, he wrote the Chinese character Seek on the ground, and Su Ryuns face changed. The bell rang, and the errand boy called out, Newbie! Yes. Seol Young gave her a nce and walked away. On the wooden que, an order for a drink to room number 13 was written. That was where they would hunt. Fast. In addition to all the special skills, it seems like he had already gathered the prey. Seol Young found the alcohol that was requested and put it on the tray. I will go deliver this ande back. He told the owner and left right away. The hall was filled with loud sounds. I have brought your drinks. Seol Young opened the door. The room was so packed that there was no space to step on, and it was bizarre how all kinds of beings were there. I have this bad drinking habit Zaha was currently acting sloppily, and even his clothes were disheveled. He was too preupied with entertainment, not knowing he was prey. His entire body was focused on acting. Have a drink. Isnt this a wee party? The beings who were drinking together with Zaha suddenly became quiet when Seol Young appeared. Everyone looked at Seol Young without hiding their feelings. All of them wanted to bite into this appetizing dish. Look at them dreaming. Seol Young acted like he didnt know anything. He closed the door, pressed the lock, and then went inside with the jar of alcohol. Everyone was looking at him. Here it is. Seol Young put the jar down and nced at Zaha, who nodded and brought his sword to his hand. And the next moment, a golden light shone. All the heads of the beings around Zaha were cut off at once, and at the same time, the things around Seol Young also copsed. They didnt notice anything until Seol Young took a sword from one of them and cut them all down. His movements were too fast for them to realize it. As expected, looting is possible. Seol Young thought so as he swung his sword. It was thanks to his skills and speed, even though his spiritual qi was weak. And so, the hunt began on both sides. Euk! Kuak! All the ghosts and demonic beings were trapped inside and taken down without a single one of them being able to escape from that ce. Not even a scream came out, and they copsed in piles. It wasnt long before Seol Youngs sword broke, so he picked up another one and went back to killing. If only I had Blue Rainbow Seol Young threw that thought aside and focused on hunting. ck smoke was sucked into his card each time a monster fell. The card was slowly bing dark. Suddenly, he had a thought, Is this what loneliness is? The world of the weak. A system in which ones level increases as one kills their opponents. The market itself was like that. Pat! In no time, the level 9 on the card turned to 8. Zaha asked from across the room. Seol Young-rang, are you in level 6 yet? Im still in level 7. Still? Zaha clicked his tongue and threw the dying ghosts to the side. However, it wasnt enough to raise his level. In the end, the hunt ended with Seol Young unable to rise to level 6. It is fine because there is still one left. They looked outside. It shoulde soon. Since it was such a fuss, even the Devil Lair Lord must have known about it. Seol Young shook the sword so the blood on it woulde off. And Zaha saw that. Can you give that to me? No. Seol Young threw the sword. I need to find the right weapon before hees. Bodies were piled on the floor as if a war had happened, and Seol Young went through them to find a weapon that he could use. A proper weapon. Zaha also searched the bodies. Seol Young was surprised to see him searching as well. Seol Young asked with wide eyes, What is this? You said you dont want to touch corpses? I can only get out of here safely when you can get out here safely. Ah, I found it. This is perfect for you. What is it? He looked at it with half interest. Zaha held something. It was a stick. And Seol Youngs face became cold. What kind of madman would use that as a weapon? Right. If you use this as a weapon, you will be considered a crazy guy. He put the stick into Seol Youngs hand, and. Crack. It broke. Fine. I will find another one if you dont like it. Without changing his expression, Zaha went back to searching the corpses. Seol Young was shocked. Arent you being too much? I thought you were really trying to look for something, and there you go Ah, I really found it. Zaha said again. Seol Young didnt turn to him. This is for real! It is no joke, Seol Young-rang. If it is a lie, I will not me you even if I die. At those words, he turned around, and Zaha was removing a corpses belt. He is tricking me Seol Young was shocked. Take this! Zaha threw it. He decided to ignore it and just stared at it coldly. But did that shabby belt just suddenly turn into a silver snake and fly? It flew towards Seol Young. ! Only then did he realize that the belt was a soft sword. It was a soft sword that was made of iron and was known to be flexible. Because it bends freely, it could also be used as a belt. Insane Seol Young hurriedly reached out his hand before the soft sword hit him. Because of his quick movement, he was able to grab the handle of the sword, and his eyes went wide. As he was watching him, Zaha said, Seol Young-rang seems surprised. I told you it wasnt a joke. Yes. It was an attempt to murder me What now? Murder? I did it for you. I told you to be careful at all times. No. That He was about to talk back, but Zaha stopped him. Shh. Here ites. A lie. He wanted to say that, but the atmosphere felt so dark outside. The Gu revived as the Devil Lair Lord was aiming for Seol Young. Bang! The locked door opened up, and he could feel the evil energy. Seol Young trembled without even realizing it. I will kill you! He swung the sword. Chapter 141: Ghost City (5) Chapter 141: Ghost City (5) It felt good to wield this soft sword. The flexible yet strong de flew sharply. When he clenched his wrist, it changed. Pat! The being that was about to enter was blocked by the sword, and sparks flew when they collided. There! For the first time, Seol Young was able to see the Gu being used. It seemed to have no form. It was invisible and fast. It was so mysterious that it seemed to appear in many ces at the same time. At the same time, it was frantically looking for Seol Young. Look carefully. We cannot miss it. Zahas golden eyes were following it, and when it came close, he cut it down with the sword. A golden line appeared in the air. The moment the Gu, which moved strangely, made contact with it, an explosion urred. This is it. Seeing that, Seol Young felt confident. He had a sense of how to catch it. The sword was so thick that it wasnt easy to predict its movement. In addition, because Seol Youngs movements were so agile, a silver glow immediately surrounded the worm. It was as if hundreds of snakes had surrounded it. When the Gu tried to find a gap and escape, Zahas sword blocked it, and the soft sword shone as it covered it, making sure it couldnt escape. Tuk! Tuk! There was a strange sound in the air. It was the sound of the Gu trying to jump over what was covering it. However, it was impossible for it to escape. Then Seol Young entered the encirclement. The Gu, which couldnt do anything, attacked Seol Young. It had an odd smell, and it was the same as the one he had smelled when he was young. . Now. Seol Young quickly moved the rings jewel. His eyes went ck as Oni came out, and the Gu tried to escape, but it couldnt. Snap. The huge mouth of the baby dragon gulped it down at once. The next moment, there was nothing there, and even the smell vanished. Done. Seol Young lowered the hand that was holding the soft sword. It was the technique of Gu that gave the Devil Lair Lord great power in the past, and one of them was removed. This must have been a huge blow to the Devil Lair Lord. ck smoke rose, and it was sucked into Seol Youngs card. Then it turned ck, and the number changed to 6. I am in level 6 now too. Seol Young put the sword around his waist. Before we have another visitor, lets quickly enter the next one. I was going to say that too. And the two of them hurriedly left that ce. They were on a tight schedule, but Seol Young paused as he looked at the alcohol house. I quit. The owner and the workers looked shocked, and Seol Young handed the tray to Su Ryun. Zaha asked, What did you write? If something happens to this Ghost City, take the workers and go to the Ghost Room. Seol Young said. Senior Su Ryun is a ghost, so she should know where the Ghost Room is. And maybe all the unfortunate ghosts can be brought there. They didnt do anything in this city despite knowing how this ce worked. However, the power confining this ce would soon end. Seol Young thought about that and looked at his right wrist. Another chain was missing before he knew it. It was because he was able to hit the Devil Lair Lord. Another fragment of his forgotten memory returned to him. Seven years ago, he was helpless and knew nothing, but not anymore. He knew what this was, and he could respond. High Governor! Seol Young followed Zaha. He forgot about being teased and almost getting killed by the soft sword. He wanted to talk about the memory that had returned. What the High Governor said at that time was right. When I was caught by him in the cave along with the ghosts, and when he said that it was the end ck seawater could be seen connecting the ces at the bottom. It seemed that the form of the Devil Lair Lord could be seen below. Seol Young turned around and jumped over it. At that time, he really let us go. You see that. My words werent wrong. Zaha said as he walked. What did he say as he let you go? He told me that if I had no intention of being an elder aftering under him, there was no reason for me to stay there. He ordered us to return. I was surprised. I didnt think that he would act like that. From the other side, people in ck masks were rushing. The two quickly hid behind the drapes on the side, and they went out when they were gone. At that time, I couldnt guess his motive. I was so confused because too many things happened in a short time, and I was lost thinking I was abandoned by Teacher and my hyungs No, its just that a 13-year-old cant think too deeply. Zaha told him. Am I wrong? What does a kid think? You hid your identity from your hyungs. The fact that Lady Myo called you a traitor was because she wanted the Devil Lair Lord to think that, and that the ghosts werent the ones who abandoned you in the first ce, and to be taken to that cave Right. Seol Young sighed. I didnt know a lot of things. So even then He blurted that out and looked away. As the memory of that time came back, he felt like he was choking. When the Devil Lair Lord was sending everyone back, Seol Young looked at the tomb ghosts. I was hopeful that I would get released. The hope of clearing up the misunderstanding and living together again But then Teacher Seo said, -Now that this has happened, we will serve the Devil Lair Lord here. Seol Young doubted his ears. Stay here? He couldnt believe it and looked at them, but none of them looked back at him. -Really? Good thinking. And the Devil Lair Lord weed their decision. So in the end, only Seol Young got out. I see. Zaha shrugged his shoulders. Even though they were ghosts and you were a living person, you were not different from a family. Knowing that he wouldnt let you go, they nned it. They were ready to give everything up for you. Seol Young felt horrible upon hearing that. Why didnt he think of that in the past? If only I knew He looked at the papernterns swaying under the tents and murmured. Before they knew it, they were now deep inside the market. The ce they were in now was firmly fixed, and it wasnt much different from walking on sturdynd. But when he went inside, it felt like he was on a boat. He could feel the bottom of the floor shaking. Things were connected to one another, and the areas with the sea exposed were quitemon. It seems to be over there. Zaha pointed forward. A space where colorful tents other than those of the humans appeared. Some tried to enter, but they were stopped. Or it was more like they bounced back after hitting an unseen wall. The two of them headed there as naturally as possible, and Zaha asked, What happened after that? Everything after that was just as expected. Seol Young said, The Blue Dragon Troops, which suffered a lot, quickly tried to catch the Ghost Demon King and restore their honor, but then Baek San and his troops intervened and stopped them, and the Ghost Demon Kings presence became mysterious. Despite being released from the Devil Lair Lord, Seol Young had to hide in order to live. Then I started to move. They said they would catch me with their mysterious things. But I avoided all of them. He was quite shocked when that happened, but there was no need to speak of it here, so he skipped that part. And so the ck Tortoise Troops had no choice but to get involved, and that is how Mu Won-rang injured his leg. And he naturally stepped into the Hwarangs. However, the people didnt stop looking for him. They naturally went inside, and the guard didnt stop them. Befitting the name Human Desire, this market wasnt different from the market of the living. Then, what about this new world? He vaguely imagined that it might be a mysterious ce like its name. The clouds were thick, there were mysterious trees and grass, merchants and workers in the market dressed in odd clothes, and animals roaming around And that wasnt all. There was no noise. It was calm. There was no shouting or bargaining. Everything was happening behind curtains. A ck market. Zaha mumbled. On one side, everyone was looking around for something. After looking at things, Seol Young was startled. There were ghosts with holes in their chests. Its the punishment for smuggling without permission. Its a punishment from the Lord. Vite the rules of the city, and you will die with a hole in your body. No matter what you do, it cannot be avoided. Everyone was talking with scared faces. The ability to manipte causality by cutting time. It was more terrifying to those who didnt know it. Seol Young and Zaha looked at each other and left that ce. But then, someone who was walking on the other side caught their eye. ? The two went stiff. The other person also looked at them and stopped. It was a young man. A top with wide sleeves. A thick belt at his waist. Long boots under his pants. It was a typical vigers attire. But his face was familiar. His eyes made him look less handsome because of his fierce look. His thin lips were closed tightly. Even from a distance, that person was unmistakably Seo Geom. ? Both Seol Young and Zaha were shocked. Why was Seo Geom-rang here? Chapter 142: Ghost City (6) Chapter 142: Ghost City (6) Seol Young pulled out the soft sword from his waist. Seo Geom-rang cannot be here. That must be a ghost in his form. Calm down now. Zaha reached out his hand and grabbed the sword. Seol Geom-rang, he appears at the wrong time this time too. Seol Young-rang had just recalled his bad memories and is now sensitive. Then he rebuked Seol Young, who was struggling to pull out the sword. Still, do you want to pretend that this is all a mistake and kill the leader of a troop by using this as an opportunity? Its not like that Seol Young pulled the sword back. I was trying to find out who he was by attacking him. Real or not. I am real. Seo Geom said. Looking at your words and how you act, Seol Young-rang is also real. I have no desire to fight, so dont doubt me. Seol Geom-rang, are you sulking? NO! Seol Young-rang was surprised when an unexpected person appeared. How can you be here, though? Shouldnt you be training upstream? That Seo Geom hesitated. I was concerned because something odd was happening close by. And after the High Governor and Seol Young entered this ce, I was worried that other people might be dragged in by mistake. So I left things behind to Gyun Yun-rang and came to check it out But? Seo Geom turned his gaze. I saw my Hyung in here. Seo Jun-rang? Seol Young and Zaha both asked as they didnt expect it, and Zaha said, I see. It attracts people that way. Yes. It is quite embarrassing that I came here to protect the people only to be dragged in Seo Geom replied with an embarrassed face. When I entered through the gate, my brother was gone, and I tried to leave, but I couldnt find the way out. So I just continued to move forward They could understand what had happened. The two of them first explored thews of this space. It was because the Lord of this ce had a clear goal. But Seo Geom had nothing of the sort. He just came inside and killed everything. What is this ce? There are too many ghosts and other things I have never seen before here. They must be from the Devil Lair. Devil Lair? There is such a thing. Seo Geom-rang is amazing. You thought it was strange, and yet you killed everything you thought was odd? That must be why you have arrived at level 6 so fast. Zaha turned the card around Seo Geoms neck and looked at it. Then he also touched his jacket. Nice, Seo Geom-rang. I wanted to be amoner too. I wanted to be normal. This special life is a bit boring to me If it was Seol Young, he would have ignored it, but it was Seo Geom. Do you want it? He was seriously ready to undress but then halted. At that time, Seol Young was looking at Zaha with a straight face. Seo Geom nced at Seol Young and said, But I found something on the way here He untied the sword from his waist. It was disguised to be a big and crude sword, and it didnt match his personality. In addition to his own half Dragon sword, there was another sword that was clearly hidden in therge sheath. It was camouged in a different way, but it could be recognized. Blue Rainbow. ? Seol Young was surprised, and even Zaha was also surprised. Isnt that Seol Young-rangs sword? Yes. As I wasing through the gate, I found a pile of confiscated things. I kept a close eye on where they were taking it and secretly pulled it out. Seol Young was speechless. Zaha looked at him and said, You were in a hurry to see your dead Hyung. In the meantime, you took care of Blue Rainbow. Seo Geom-rang is the only person here who cares for Seol Young-rang. Ah, no. I just It would have been necessary to carry out the mission, and a Hwarangs sword being possessed by monsters like these is Seo Geom held out the sword. Here. Seol Young hesitated, but he epted it. Thank you. Zaha frowned. Is that all you have to say? After Seo Geom-rang worked so hard to get the sword back? You should speak properly. N-No. It wasnt too much work Thank you, Seo Geom-rang. Seol Young bowed his head. The Blue Rainbow Sword is as precious as my life. Youve told me that you owe me a lot since thest incident, but this is enough. Seo Geom was surprised. He didnt think Seol Young would actually say anything more. The way he spoke was blunt, but it was a lot of improvement for the Ghost Demon King. Regardless of how he looked at him, Seol Young carefully touched the Blue Sword. I am d I found you so quickly. But since its a rule here that the lowly people cannot hold swords He handed it to Zaha. I get it. Zaha adjusted the sword and the sheath so that both of the swords could fit in. Its a rule. I am not sure what is happening Seo Geom crinkled his nose. Well, there is someone who has been watching us since earlier. He told Zaha and Seol Young in a low voice, making them turn around by pretending to look elsewhere. Someone was really watching them from behind a curtain, and it was a huge monster that looked like a rock. It is starting now. Zaha nced at the two and moved ahead first. Here in this realm, there werent any good items being sold. All of them were clearly things that had been stolen. The three of them walked side by side as if they had some business and calmly moved further inside. The gigantic monster had followed them at a certain distance. It was certain that it had already marked its prey. Where should we finish it? Zaha took the lead and lifted the curtain on a certain ce. He thought it was empty, but it wasnt. There was a monster bound to a table, and a horrid thing was happening. They are in the midst of eating. He immediately closed it and went elsewhere. They went a little further away and found an empty ce. It was really messy inside, as if something had just eaten or hunted there, and so the three of them went in. Before the curtain even went down, the monster that was chasing after them went inside. At that moment, two swords flew. There were two auras shining, one in gold and one in white, and they pierced its body. At the same time, a soft silver sword danced like a whip. Puak! As the three attacks hit it in session, it split open like a rock. Was that the end? No. Something strange came out of its shell. It looked like several naked people that had been sewn together. What is that now? Seo Geom, who had a clean personality, looked like he would vomit at the sight of it. Ohhh The monster waved its hand and rushed at them, but Seol Youngs soft sword quickly shed its several arms in session. At the same time, Zahas sword split it in half. Thud. The monster copsed in despair. How can such a hideous monster Seo Geom, who looked back with a frown, was taken aback. Seol Young and Zaha were searching its corpse. Is there money? I guess so, but I dont see anything. Seol Young had taken about 200 coins, and he waited Howe there was no response? The two picked up their cards and looked at them, but nothing changed. Seo Geom, who was trying to ignore what they did, asked, Why? What is wrong? Zaha answered. Even though we killed this one, it doesnt seem like it counts. Originally, things like this should raise our level. Did we do something wrong? Seol Young checked the corpse again. At that time, the curtain was lifted, and those dressed in dark, bloody clothes tried to enter. They stopped when they saw someone inside. Ah, we are done. Zaha said, along with Seol Young and Seo Geom. Those dressed in ck went inside. They didnt seem to care about the monsters corpse. The three of them stood there for a while and secretly observed them. Through the fluttering curtain, there were ck men. Here. One of them said that and took off the bloody clothes of the person next to him. It wasnt a person, but a monster bound by shackles. Good. Another one in ck took over the monster and handed him money. At that moment, ck smoke rose and was sucked into the card of the person who sold the monster. ! Zaha looked at Seol Young. That must be the true Ghost City. They had to catch one and sell it to raise their level. The monster they had been chasing earlier didnt try to eat them. It wanted to catch them alive. Then. Those dressed in ck began to move after the deal. The three of them hurriedly got out of there. They went to the corner behind a pir and stopped. Since this is the situation, we have no choice but to make a deal and raise our levels. Zaha looked at the two. Good. Of the two of you, Ill have to sell the one who doesnt listen. The two were shocked. You dont need to do that and sell me. Seo Geom said, Isnt Seol Young-rang going to get out of here only after he ends the investigation of the supernatural cmity? I will be sold, but I can escape. If you keep repeating that, then your levels will rise to some extent. . Seol Young looked at him. If it were Seo Geom in the past, he would have never said such words. Rather, he would have suggested selling out Seol Young. But now he wanted to be the one to be sold? His change was amazing. But Of the two of them, did he seem to think that Seol Young was the one who wouldnt listen? Even if that were true, it didnt feel right. Seol Young bluntly said, Being sold because of not listening. Zaha looked at the two of them. Of course, I thought you would pass it on to each other, but to take it up He looked like he admired Seo Geom, but that was just for a moment. But do you both think you have the value to be amodity in here? He asked. Seo Geom looked puzzled. Arent I enough? I am the head of the Blue Dragons, and I know how to y the flute When I came here, everyone wanted to catch me. Seol Young said as if wanting to say, Do not be fooled. Right. 100 concessions make onemodity. Zaha said. To get out of here, shouldnt all three of us have a level 3 or a much higher level? If one of us is sold, when will that person have the chance to raise his level? Do you n on staying here alone? The two only realized it then. He must have been joking about selling someone. Seo Geom asked, Then, should we take turns selling them? No. I have a good idea. Zaha looked at Seol Youngs hand, or to be precise, at the ring on his hand. Seol Young was surprised. Senior Oni? Chapter 143: Ghost City (7) Chapter 143: Ghost City (7) Senior? Who else is here? Seo Geom looked around. Seol Young looked at him. Seo Geom was unaware of the situation. Anyway, as long as Blue Rainbow had been brought back, shouldnt they make sure to get out safely? I need to exin it. So he said, Seo Geom-rang, I dont have any spiritual power right now. What? Seo Geom was shocked. What does that even mean? The Ghost City Lord had put a curse on me. In order to kill that thing and regain my spiritual power, Oni is helping me. Seol Young brought out the baby dragon. Being the head of the Blue Dragon Troops, Seo Geom recognized it right away. The Dragons Nine Sons? Right. This ring was created by On So-rang, a member of the Sun and Moon Troops, who has passed away. Seol Young said that and looked around since he couldnt let his guard down. If Seo Geom-rang noticed it, then he must have noticed it too. Zaha said. The board we passed through is just a signboard for show. From here on out, the real thing starts. Yes, High Governor. Seok Geom answered and looked around. But they said there is another sea. Howe I did not see it? He was right. Even if they tried to use their Taoist ways, they couldnt see the other area. It was as if this area was the end. Seol Young lowered his voice. There are many secrets here. To find them, we need to pretend to follow the rules and look for the clues. He looked at the young dragon, which was wriggling under the hem of his dress. He thought giving up Oni was ridiculous, and looking at it, it had so many advantages. No matter where Senior Oni is, the moment I have this ring, I can get him back. He is a legacy of the Hwarang troops. Therefore, there are a lot of advantages if we raise our levels by using Senior Oni But? The question is if selling Senior Oni would make him think like we abandoned him Does it bother you so much? Zaha took Oni away. You dont have to worry about it. Like the troops before, this one is quite stubborn. When he was with Oni, though, it seemed like Oni was a thoughtless thing. It was quiet when ced on the ground and even when it was shackled. Do Cheol can eat a lot of things, so he lives without worries. Seo Geom nodded his head, and Seol Young agreed. Lets sell it then. Also, do some research on the market. He was still feeling bad, but should they do this so that they could get out of there safely? He hid Oni under the hem of his clothes and showed him sneakily as they walked. When a baby dragon appeared in a market selling ghosts and monsters, the attention focused on them. As they passed, the conversations stopped, and all eyes followed them. . Seol Young coldly red at them. Seo Geom also widened his eyes. What are you looking at? Isnt that a dragons child? There were ghosts approaching them through the cubicles. They had several cages with monsters. We will buy it. They suggested relocating. The moment the three of them walked through the curtains and entered the cubicle, their expressions quickly changed, and they tried to wield their swords. But before that, the soft sword swept past them. Everyone screamed and dropped their knives. They didnt know that Seol Youngs belt would turn into a soft sword. A sword for a lowly one? Stay unnoticed. Seol Young swung the soft sword one more time to punish the ghosts, and Seo Geom asked, How did you know to cut them down before they attacked? If they wanted to buy, then the price would have been the first thing they would have asked. Seol Young replied. We wont be able to follow the principles here either, Seol Young-rang. Zaha said, and he wasnt wrong. For example, they were curious about one thing in this Ghost City. Are you humans? Do you need rice? We have meat too. If one followed the whispers of the ghosts, there were some things from the human world here. However, the prices were three to four times higher than the original price. Why would someone sell these in a city of ghosts? There were even guest houses in this ce. The rooms and the kitchens were all the same as in the human world. Why do the ghosts need this? Even for a person with wide knowledge, the curiosity wouldnt die down, but Seol Young could guess it. There is a ce where people are caught and sold. If a persones into contact with a ghost or eats the food of ghosts, they will be stained with Yin qi, so to preserve their fresh human qi, they are confined here and fed with the food from the human world. After hearing that, both Zaha and Seo Geom looked shocked. It seemed that even these two hadnt guessed that far. Zaha looked around at a guest house and said, It seems like it hasnt been long since the city started considering how the businesses arent booming. Thank goodness. They got out of there and headed to the actual trading ce, and they could hear voicesing from everywhere. Are you interested in hanging ghosts? Or a vengeful one? It was full of people who wanted to sell their products at a high price. As they observed, they soon understood thew. First, no matter what deal was made, they had to make sure to do it in a cubicle because doing it outside was considered smuggling, which could be punished. Second, the higher the amount exchanged, the more ck smokees out. That meant they had to sell it at a high price to raise their levels faster. To raise from level 6 to level 5. Seo Geom calcted. I think we need about 1,000 coins. It will take even more to raise from level 5 to level 4. There are three of us, so it should be around 3,000 coins. For the first time, Zaha seemed worried about it. How many times do we have to sell Oni? At that time, a demonic being went close to them. For how much will you sell this Do Cheol? Unlike the previous one, this one seemed to want a real deal. The three had to discuss it for a while. How much do we sell him for? I had seen earlier that a 300-year-old snake got sold for 100 coins. What? Just 100? High Governor, shouldnt we be aiming for more? Right. If the entire world is searched, maybe another snake can be found, but Oni, this baby dragon with the right horns, cannot Then After discussing it, Seol Young said, 3,000. The two were shocked. Havent we decided to set it around 1,000? They sent such a gaze at Seol Young. These two nobles knew less about business than anyone else. I will get it. The other person, with high silk robes and studded jewels, said. At first nce, he appeared to be wealthy. Look at that. Seol Young sent the two that kind of gaze and began to trade. Now, here you go. After confirming the money and the Good, they made an exchange at the same time. At that moment, ck smoke rose and was sucked into the cards of all three at the same time. They had sessfully traded a rare species, and they went up to level 5 at once. Everything happened as they had expected up to that point, but then What? Seol Young felt dizzy. He had gone through the same process several times in this world, and he had almost gotten used to it, but he had never experienced this kind of feeling before. Is it because I went up one level at once? Zaha and Seo Geom looked worried. Because I am amoner? First of all, he had to retrieve Senior Oni and put him back in the ring. He went to the other side of the market to find another merchant to sell Oni. The moment the transaction happened, he felt a lot dizzier than earlier. This time, even though his level didnt go up, he thought hed copse. If we get caught cheating If needed, we can use the Divine Dragon arrow. He looked at Zaha and Seo Geom, who were talking. What is it? Seol Young thought. As I thought, this is odd. Calming himself, he asked them, It didnt happen in the previous realm, and it just suddenly began happening here. Have you felt dizzy when the ck smoke gets sucked into the card? No. Both of them said, and Zaha made a guess, Is it because we cheated? I had felt it before retrieving Senior Oni. Besides, it wasnt like I was the only one cheating. Then, are you tired? Seol Young shook his head. No. It is different from that. It isnt like that, but its a strange feeling Well, he still called Oni back right away. Before being discovered, they moved away from that ce. Zaha was lost in thought. We followed the rules, but Seol Young-rang alone experiences an odd sensation. Is it a clue to finding out the secret of this ce? I will try one more time. Then we can figure out what this sensation is. Seol Young said, Thinking this would be thest, they found a remote ce and made a trade again. From level 5, he went up to level 4. At the same time, all of the veins in his entire body were pounding, and he vomited blood. Zaha and Seo Geom were surprised. Theres blood now too? Seol Geom waved his hand to say he was fine. After taking Senior Oni back, he wiped off the blood with a towel. Now I understand. These are the symptoms when one uses more spiritual power than their body has. Seo Geom asked, unable to understand. But you said you lost your power? Then how is this even happening? Well, there is a little Seol Young looked at his left hand. But there was nothing. The spiritual qi was stable. So strange. Zaha said. When the ck smoke that raises the level appears, it is like my spiritual power is being consumed. I didnt feel it back in the first realm, but now that we moved over to the Immortal Realm Seo Geom heard that and asked Seol Young, Doesnt that mean that you are still amoner here and there? So the rules would be the same too? Could it be that you just didnt realize it? Maybe. Seol Young nodded. I raised my level little by little there, but aftering here, I am raising it at once. Maybe that is why I am feeling We need to think carefully. The first world is where the strong ones raise their level. The second is where the strong people who have been selected trade their prey. The rarer the item you trade, the more money you will get, and the faster you will rank up. In other words, it is a ce where you can sit and collect rare items from everywhere. Seo Geom, who summed it up, asked, Then where do those rare items go? The three of them looked in the direction where the huge colossus that had just bought Oni disappeared, and Seol Young thought, The citys Lord? Because he collects all kinds of monsters and spirits and uses odd techniques They followed it. The market was crowded, but these three were skilled at following someone. They were soon able to find a group of colossi. The group walked for a while and stopped at a certain point. It was a ce where the sea was exposed between the structures that supported the floating market. What were they doing here? They looked at them in wonder, but the colossus suddenly vanished. They went into the sea. Zaha said. Isnt the Heavenly Demon Realm there? That was something they hadnt even thought of. Seol Young went close and peered inside. At that moment, an illusion arose from the depths of the water. They were the five tomb ghosts that had been horribly burned. . Seol Young stepped back in shock. Chapter 144: Ghost City (8) Chapter 144: Ghost City (8) Lady Mo, Lady To, Teacher Seo, and the boy and the girl. They had disappeared long ago, and only their faint thoughts were left behind. He gave them to Zaha, and they should be at Zahas house. Therefore, what Seol Young saw was an illusion. Still, his blood went cold. Seol Young took another step to the sea. Lets go in there. We arent of that level yet. Seo Geom put his hand into the sea, but it didnt go in, it was as if the water was stopping him and this made Seol Young turn around. Then lets go raise our level. Wait. Zaha said as he put his hand on Seol Youngs shoulder. Ah Seol Young hesitated. You are fine for a while. This. At that, he took out the White Tiger Troops pill and handed it to him. Then Seo Geoms eyes widened. Is the High Governor hurt? It is because of the wound. The one when I saved Hyo Wol-rang I have heard about it. But you arent cured yet? Until now? It is all better now. But there are some side effects. It will disappearpletely after I kill the Lord of this ce. Thats true, but Zaha swallowed the pill. Seo Geom-rang, give me the sword. Yes. Seo Geom took out his half-dragon sword and offered it with both hands. Zaha turned the Yin-Yang que that hung there around. A small piece of the divine object rotated and reflected light. That meant that real light was shining in this ce, not a fake one. It was one of the methods used by the Hwarangs to distinguish between hallucination and reality. Did everyone see that? Zaha gave him back the sword. Time really flies so fast. Seo Geom-rang, how long have we been here? Around half a day? I was kind of hungry. Ah Seo Geom nodded. Right. And that wasnt all. The quiet ring began to wriggle, making Seol Young look down in shock. Senior Oni? You have eaten a lot of ghosts here Even when he is full, he feels hungry when others talk about hunger. You need to feed him, then. Seo Geom was an expert on dragons. Seol Young had been ustomed to starving since he was a child, so he wouldnt feel the hunger that much, and only when his body wasnt moving so well would he realize it. If he had been alone, he wouldnt have cared much, though. But with everyone here, he couldnt let it pass. We need to finish eating fast. But there is a problem. We cannot eat anything here. Shouldnt there be human food? At Zahas words, he remembered something. Ah, I saw it earlier. Right. There were people selling rice and meat. Seo Geom also remembered it. In this market where money was everything, there were items that had been brought in to get more profits, especially for humans, who weremodities in this ce. They were fine to eat. Zaha said, Remember? The one where there was a human cage like this? Seol Young remembered. I remember. But who will cook? I dont know. I never did anything like that. Zaha cut him off. Right. Seol Young thought. If one was a Hwarang, they should know about basic skills like cooking. It was because no matter how skilled one was or how powerful their family was, the trainee period required them to do it. And when they were left to train, all the trainees would have to do it. But Seol Young already knew before Zaha said anything that this man had such a great reputation that he didnt have to be a trainee. He started as a Hwarang at the age when his peers were trainees, and when the others were Hwarangs he was a Governor. He was a human who wasnt bound by rules. And Seo Geom? He was the one who held the pride of his family instead of his older brother. Even in his trainee days, he wouldnt have touched a single drop of water to boil. And Oni couldnt cook. Seol Young said, I know how to cook a little. Is that so? Seol Young-rang? Zaha looked happy. You dont look like you could at all! That is good. Lets finish it quickly. Seol Young went around the market and bought some human ingredients. The meat was mutton, but no matter how much he looked at it, it was suspicious, so he didnt buy it. Wait Zaha was trying to say something. What? No. Did the colossus appear? He looked around, but there was nothing there. The three of them equally paid the amount to buy all of the ingredients and went to the human cage or guest house. And they dealt with the ghosts that were attempting to traffic in humans and took over the kitchen. It will be over soon. Seol Young made stir-fried veggies, steamed fish, and rice. Then he put them in front of the two humans and one dragon. Everyone ate a bite of each dish. And then silence fell. In the next moment, Oni threw something out, making Seol Young shocked. Did it puke? The thing that shallowed anything? He frowned. Seol Young-rang? What is this? Why is the fish so nd? This isnt rice! I dont know what this is, but this cannot be rice! This is He pushed the vegetable bowl aside. Poison! No It is true since it cannot be eaten. What is this? You said you knew how to cook! I said I knew how to cook a little. I never said I cooked well. Seol Young responded coldly. What vors can I make inside enemy lines? Fill your stomach if you are hungry. I didnt make anything bad, so there is no need to puke them, and my hyungs would eat it without saying anything. Even the heavens must be impressed with your friendship! Zaha said that and screamed. I cannot do that as Ick virtue! I cannot eat this! And then he turned to Seo Geom. Seo Geom-rang, can you really not cook? Yes. But what can I even cook to make it better than this? Just boil them first. Seo Geom picked the vegetables up and ate them. Enough! Zaha took them away. The ingredients were wrong. Why are you people so out of touch? Seol Young asked, Do you even know how to make a fire? Without saying a word, Zaha picked up a knife, which made Seol Young flinch I will never tell anyone to do things for me. He cut the vegetables and put them in a bowl. Seo Geom looked shocked. High Governor, what are you doing? In the blink of an eye, Zaha mixed some rice into the bowl and made something new. He looked at the vegetables in the bowl and cut them some more. Seol Young asked, Why are you throwing them? It isnt throwing them. It is to make them appetizing. If we included cooking the spoiled parts, the entire thing would taste bad! I know that. But rather than taking the time to do that, wouldnt it be better to throw it all in . Zaha looked at him like he would explode in anger. He was so focused. He was so angry that he forgot about the pain in his hand. He made stir-fried veggies in no time, and then Seol Young cracked the eggs that he was trying to make. Soy sauce, pepper, and a few other ingredients were mixed in, and then he put them into a bamboo tub with mushrooms. The steaming bowls were ced in front of them. Seol Young, Seo Geom, and Oni took a bite of it, and their eyes widened. So delicious The rice was glossy, and the vegetables were rightly seasoned. The steamed egg and mushrooms were so soft that they had an odd taste, which felt nice. It felt like each of them was an expensive dish. Seo Geom looked like he was possessed by Zaha. You are such a good cook When did you learn this? I didnt learn. I just observed. But you said you didnt know. Why did you lie? Isnt it obvious? If I said I knew a little bit, then I would have ended up working all this time. Eh, who will make the High Governor cook? Didnt you two just make me do it? Seo Geom went silent, and Seol Young and Oni just ate. If you tell anyone, that is the day you will die. Yes. Leave anything, you die. Yes. All of them nodded, and the dishes were finished quickly. Seol Young ate silently, thinking about a lot of things. Then he remembered the tomb spirits that he had seen and realized something. Since I am not bound by memories, there is no need for me to bring them back and retrieve them. It seems like that guy is using my memories to block me. Even though he had forgotten things, it was obvious how painful the memories were. I will have a firm heart and fight without breaking. That was what he thought, and when they finished eating, they all left that ce. Since it wasnt long before they would reach level 3, each of them caught a couple of ghosts and leveled up. Maybe there was just a small amount this time, but Seol Young didnt feel his body taking a hit like before. But he was still scared. What could have been the reason? Seol Young looked at the water. The tomb spirits couldnt be seen. What else would appear now I will go first. Seo Geom went in, and his figure vanished right away. We should go too. Seol Young was also ready. The water seemed to pour in fast, and he vanished. Then he lightlynded on the ground, as if he had jumped from the air. What was this? There was nothing here. Seo Geom, who hade down first, was looking around and then told them, High Governor, this is odd. What is? We cant get out of here. We cannot? Try it. You will know. The ce theynded in was like a room, so they tried to open the door and go outside, but they were back in the same room again. They tried it again, but it was still the same. Even though the door opened and they went outside, it was still the same. What is this? Zaha tried again. But as soon as he left, his body vanished, but he was back in the room with Seol Young and Seo Geom. If we go outside, we wille back here? What? Is it going backward? Then, if we go the other way, will we go out? Seol Young changed direction and walked into the room. The next moment, he found his body in a hall. Then Seol Young told them, Right. The other two also walked the other way, and Zaha frowned. What do we do? It is upside down. Seol Young thought to himself. An upside-down world. Reverse causality. And the two said, His power is causality. Could it be that this is a world that has been mixed with it? Seo Geom asked, Cause and effect are mixed? It means things dont have to happen ording to normal reasons, neither time nor space. Zaha said, and Seo Geom was more confused now. I dont understand a single thing you are talking about. I dont either. Zaha stopped walking and pointed to the room across the hallway, and said, There it is. He had seen something familiar. The colossus was there. No one seemed to have noticed yet that three of them were here. There were many other beings here besides them. It seems to be a ce where rare monsters and demonic beings are collected. Seol Young looked around, and then his gaze stopped. There was a child who had be a wreck in a cage. That is? Seol Young couldnt believe it. Chapter 145: Ghost City (9) Chapter 145: Ghost City (9) The body of the child looked dirty and stained. It was as if like he had been rolling on the ground. His clothes were torn here and there, and his bare limbs were covered with scars. His wounds were purple from the demonic beings biting into him. But what impressed him the most was the eyes of the child. Staring into the void, his ck eyes looked hurt. Seo-geom looked at Seol Young and the child alternately with a surprised face. No, that child It is me. Although it is just an illusion. Seol Young said. He was quite surprised to see the picture of his childhood appearing here, but he calmed down. It seems like the present and the past are mixed up here. You might not know it because you have been in closed training, but that is the image of me, the Ghost Demon King, whom they tried to catch in the Hwarangs ce seven years ago. Ghost Demon King. Zaha looked at Seol Young and said. In the end, you were caught by it? No. Not caught It was then. There was a sound from the other side, with shadows moving. All of them were illusions of the past, but the three still hid themselves. That bastard got himself into the trap that was made to catch something else. An elder with gray hair came in and spoke. So I brought him here, but I didnt release him because I am not going to do what I am asked. A tall and skinny figure entered after the elder. Seol Young looked at him. It was a person in a long red robe with a mask made of skulls. Seo Geom asked in a low voice, Is that the Devil Lair Lord? The Lord of the Ghost City? Seol Young nodded. The Devil Lair Lord looked at the young Seol Young. Everyone, get out. Yes. The elders went outside. Then he walked towards his and opened the door. The young Seol Young didnt go out. He just crouched down. The Devil Lair Lord asked, Didnt you yourself say you had nothing toe here for? Why did you step into the trap we have set on your own? The Blue Dragons, Vermillion Birds, and ck Tortoises had been all crushed by your hands, and the Golden Rings or something had been too badly injured now. The anger of the Hwarangs has reached its peak, so there is no need for you to hide anymore, right? He looked at Seol Young, who was in the cage. But what are those wounds? . Aha, I get it. While fighting against those Hwarangs, your subordinates must have left. They must have been unproperly tamed, so they must have gone to find a new leader. So, they rebelled and attacked you then. The young Seol Young said nothing. He looked at him and stretched out a hand inside. The child flinched. The next moment, hazy energy rose, making the scars on his body vanish. ? The child looked shocked. Looking at it now, it was sorcery. But back in the past, he didnt know what it was. There was no ce to hide from the Hwarangs, and he was even injured. His body and mind were both hurt, and now his cruel person has healed his wounds. The Lord said, No one can rebel against me in the Devil Lair. Do you want to know the secret to absolute loyalty? . It is this. He rolled up his sleeves, and his bluish-like bones were revealed. A golden snake-shaped bracelet was around his boney hand, which was trying to bite its tail. That Upon seeing that, a little bit of Seol Youngs memory came back. Why did Ipletely forget about this important thing? He stepped forward to get a closer look, but the vision disappeared like smoke. The young child and the Lord too. Then Zaha went out of hiding. Let us go somewhere else. Yes. They went out of that ce and explored the space where the present and past were mixed in. Different things were happening in each room. Prey was being sorted out somewhere, and in some ces, hunters gathered. And then they found a room. There. All three of them went still at the same time. And they saw the young Seol Young again. This time, he was in a different form. Seol Young had this red robe with a silk belt around him. His face was pale and his ck eyes were still there, but he looked like a noble. Look at that Zaha, who wanted to make a joke, went silent. There was a golden bracelet on Seol Youngs wrist. It was the same snake that was biting itself. The voice of the Devil Lair Lord could be heard again. How is it? When you share the authority, dont they all obey it? Yes, Lord. The child responded politely. Seol Young was puzzled. Share powers? What is this now? Then show it. The Devil Lair Lord pulled the curtain on the other side, which opened up a wide space. Several gs with the same sign as the bracelet were there, with demonic beings roaming the ce. Their necks had a wooden que that was simr to what Seol Young and the others have now. The Lord asked, What is this? Seol Young answered. Identity card. Identity card? I made it. Hearing that, Seol Young was shocked. I was the one who created this system? The child continued. Status is important for our ce. There are nobles,moners, and lowly people I tried it. How? We created a rank and will give more power to those who rise up. Then they will start to fight fiercely with each other. The demonic beings in that ce began to fight. ck smoke rose and spread out from the ones who were killed. Then it flowed to those who won. Elder! Thank you for the power! The demonic being said that and bowed his head. Seol Young, Zaha, and Seo Geom watched it carefully. They thought the ck smoke was just something that was needed to level up, but it was an authority? Using the identity system, you can control countless demonic beings at your will. Let everyone die and kill each other. Then you get to choose the strongest and use them as your limbs and The child continued. I was thinking just now. There is a way for them to share more power if they can catch more good prey. The morepetent the hunter, the higher their status is. It was a familiar story. Zaha said If you put all of that together, was the Ghost City based on your idea? If Seol Young-rang was the one who came up with this, we got yed by a kid. Seo Geom and Seol Young were shocked. You are such a smart child. The Devil Lair Lord stroked the head of the young Seol Young. The demonic beings continued to fight. The winner received ck smoke and thanked Seol Young. Seo Geom asked, Seol Young-rang. What is this authority? I dont remember it either. It was then. The bracelet that the young Seol Young had wriggled, then tightened around his wrist and shone. It had sucked something up. It was spiritual power. Subsequently, the gs that were there began to light up simultaneously. After receiving the spiritual power, it changed to ck smoke and got absorbed again. The faces of the three changed. ! Only then did they understand it. The ck smoke was authority, which seemed to be amplifying Seol Youngs spiritual power through a bizarre method. When people were young, their spiritual power was strong, and the custom of catching kids to turn them into demonic beings wasmon. Moreover, Seol Youngs spiritual power was a lot higher than others. Therefore, using it, it was possible to create a veryrge amount of strange smoke. He seemed to be the one giving power to the demonic beings. The three of them looked at their cards. Now they knew how the Ghost City worked. It seems like Seol Young-rang has found where his lost spiritual power is. Zaha said, It is what runs this ce. The identity of the ck smoke they kept seeing aftering to the city was Seol Youngs spiritual power. That was why he was the only one feeling odd symptoms. His mind had forgotten, but his body remembered, and when he had absorbed a huge amount of smoke, he thought his spiritual power was being taken away from his body. It was pain. I cannot believe that I participated in Seo Geom was shocked. He applied his spiritual qi to the card and tried to extract the spiritual power of Seol Young that was in it, but nothing changed. It wouldnt work now. Seol Young said. Now I understand. We need to find that bracelet and bring it here. It has to be here somewhere. He turned around, but the two didnt respond. Zaha looked at the young Seol Young. The child was seated alone in the chair. His face was pale with no blood. Your fate has been terrible too. Zaha mumbled. He didnt say that when he saw the body of the young Seol Young with scars, but only when he saw him wearing nice robes and enjoying himself. It was because he knew that his will to never give in had been broken. That illusion cannot hear you. Seol Young said. Then Seol Geom asked, Does Seol Young-rang think of anything when you see that? Just I created this card system here, but here I am as amoner. It makes meugh at the thought of it. And then he went out first. So stubborn. He wasnt like that before. He has been fed well, so he is acting like that. Seol Young heard what the two talked about behind him. Was that so? Maybe that was true. But more than that, it was because he wasnt alone like he was in the past. Zaha and Seo Geom walked out right away. Fine. Then lets find the bracelet. And the three of them began to walk around the hallway. But after a while, Zahas eyes changed. Gu ising. Zaha, who was leading the way, drew his sword. It seems like he has finally noticed us. Then he gave Blue Rainbow to Seol Young. He didnt even have to look at him. Then they scanned around for signs. Wait. Zaha suddenly pushed Seo Geom and Seol Young to the back. It is poison! Aura spread everywhere like a golden halo. Then there was this smoke that spread around them. Zaha warned them again, It is a colorless, odorless, and very powerful poison. It must havee through from the upper side. Do not inhale it. Behind them, they could see these transparent things wriggling, but they vanished soon enough. High Governor, let me catch it. Seo Geom went out. When the enemy appeared, his eyes burned with the determination to win against it. If that is the case, you will have no choice but to give out your identity. He took out his weapon, the Divine Dragon Bow. Chapter 146: Ghost City (10) Chapter 146: Ghost City (10) Blue Dragon True Troops, took out his divine object. The flute which contains the power to subdue the evil. Wanting to show off the results of training in front of Zaha, Seo Geom infused spiritual power into the beginning. There came a muffled sound which spread from the flute at once. It is a sound that stimtes the evilness within the body and makes it explode from inside. But those things arent even monsters, are they even creatures? Seol Young was a little puzzled. Even though there is no way Seo Geom didnt know, he continued to pressurize the opponent. At some point, the air began to sparkle. Aha. Sel Young finally realized Seo Geoms intentions. It is true hat those poison things are just creatures. However, working for the Devil Lair Lord, they must havee into contact with the evil energy. Seo Geom tried to find the Gu insects through the traces. Phat! A mighty flute sound ignited sparks. The bugs floating in the air wriggled painfully. But they didnt disappear. Zaha said, Seo Geom-rang, there is no need to waste your spiritual power. I will handle the back. Seol Young stepped out. White smoke began to rie in response to Zaha;s aura which seemed thick. It was telling them where this colorless and odorless poison was. Seol Young hurriedly ran around to escape the Gu. He activated the ring and then held the sword. Instantly, darkness took over his sight. The baby dragon opened its mouth wide. Gulp. It sounded like a auditory y on him. the Gu insects attacked by the flute disappeared right then. And that wasnt all. Senior Oni gulped everything he could. Everything was disappearing. As if nothing was even there. How dare you Zaha raised the sword of his and used spiritual qi. A golden halo like light spread around. It spread evenly around without any blind spots. Good. The poison in the air has disappeared. Zaha lowered the sword. A colorless, odorless poison. It is a shame that the guy here was using it and prepared it all in advance. If I hadnt known, we would have been dead in an instant. Then they looked at Seo Geom. Exploding is good but gulping is a lot cleaner. Yes. Seo Geom looked down at the young dragon seated on the ground with legs spread out. it is quite a lot. He knew the ability it had ad the gaze was guessing it. Senior Oni is truly amazing. Seol Young replied The only problem is that they are young to crawl, so it need to give it one after another. He lifted Oni put it into the ring. This is the second time he has dealt with the technique of the Gu poison, and now he felt confident. Now you know that he doesnt stop. The spiritual qi was moving in the hand. While he was dealing with the Gu insect, the qi was moving in his hand without realizing. Seol Young drew something simr to a talisman on the air, but it didnt form right. Instead, a silvery glow stretched out and illuminated the front. The walls turned transparent. Scenes unfolding simultaneously multiple rooms. Many voices and many forms it ovepped at once. At the end of it was a logn shadow Devil Lair Lord! Seo Geoms sword was clenched. The next moment, the bamboo leaf righteous weapon of Seo Geom rushed ahead of the Lord. But the shadow vanished As expected, it wasnt the real body. Zaha walked forward through countless ovepping spaces. A long curtain began to hang over the spot where they saw a Lord and it had the image of snake biting its own tail. The symbol was clear. What is beyond this? He gazed at it with the golden eyes. It seemed like he wanted to see it through I have no idea about this. And soon gave up. Seol Young approached and said, We all have to be careful. This entire ce is messed up. Keep your thoughts and head straight. Seo Geom also said, Nice. Then we move? Let us see what is there. Zaha lifted the curtain at once. And the eyes shone up. A roaring noise came over them. Under the tent, there were rows of stalls like this where people were moving The market again? Saying that Seol Young turned back. But he could see no one. he was shocked. High governor? Seo Geom-rang? He called for them but could hear nothing. not only did his sword too vanish, but there wasnt even the ring on the hand. Even senior Oni? He couldnt figure out what happened. Seol Young stopped after looking around. He saw the g and the word alcohol was written inrge letters. Workers busily came in and out with jars of alcohol. A familiar middle-aged man was standing at the entrance which surprised Seol Young. Back again? Seol Young was more confused. This was the first time he came to the city and the alcohol house. Do it right! do not spill! There was Su Ryun who was supervising the workers and looked at Seol Young. She was surprised too. hey, newbie, I dont know what you said, but I found the Ghost Room. gs fluttered behind her as she said. A snake going for its own tail. A symbol of eternal time which circtes. Have Ie back to the starting point then? However, this wasnt the first ce. It was just the alcohol bar here. Seol Young looked around and hesitated. People who were busy buying and selling things were familiar. ! And h immediately remembered. When he was a child, he lived in Mount Toham. Sometimes there was abuse, both physician and verbal, there were times he clung to people asking them to help. Everyone knew of this Horrified of it Market of Memories. Those words popped into his head. It didnt feel right. it seemed like he had to find everyone fast. Seol Young looked around as he made his way through the people in the market. But then, Among the crowd, someone suddenly grabbed the arm ! All too instant. He tried to shake the arm off, but the opponent held on tightly. Let us talk. The opponent said. You dont know how long I looked for you. The voice made him go still. Suddenly, he realized that he was back to being a child. The child with hair and dressed in silk clothes, the henchman of Devil Lair Lord. Seol Young dragged by his opponent. He as finally released in a dark ce behind the clothes shop around. You recognize me? The opponent showed off a wide ck hat. It was a neat and nice face o a young man who seemed to have a boyish innocence left in him. and he heard the voice which he recognized. The sight of him made his heart flutter. From the meeting for the first time at the swamp of demonic being to when he puked blood. Things of the past came rushing. Why didnt you keep the promise? Why did you abandon me? He thought he forgot the resentment within the heart, but he didnt. However, Seol Young didnt express anything outside. Baek Eon hwarang. He bowed his head and said What business do you have with me? Baek Eon looked at him. The wild child had transformed sopletely that he couldnt be recognized, and greets politely with no emotions on the sleeve. It was a face full of mixed emotions. In the end you Baek Eon bit his lip What of it? it is all your fault this happened. This wouldnt have happened if you took me! Seol Young clenched his fist and the nails dug into the skin. If you have nothing else to do, I need to head back. After saying that, he looked at the hand of Baek Eon which was holding his. Leave me. But Baek Eon seemed to have no intention of it, he held tighter. It is our fault. Let go Father is in critical condition At those words, Seol Young hesitated but then he was back to normal I feel for you. I hope Mister BAek Sang recovers. t wont happen. Baek Eons voice trembled and Seol Young realized. The desperate way to hide traces of agitation beneath that face. He could even smell medicine from him. I am sorry, the promise couldnt be kept. I really am. But it wasnt that we didnte to pick you, but more like we couldnt. Bae Eon spoke silently. I was supposed toe with father but then he disappeared and we searched around a lot, found that he was copsed on the side of the road on the path to death. In the meantime, unknown enemies attacked us. After barely managing to get out, I sent Hyo Wol toe find you but you had vanished. His calm words hit Seol Young like a shock. Lie. He looked at Baeo Eon. And calmly said, He is treated in all ways but father didnt regain consciousness. And I only recently found out. That you were poisoned by some strange colorless, odorless poison. Colorless and odorless The poison is barely out. However, the person is already weak with the serious injury and he is now no different from a disabled person. Seol Youngs mind thought back. Baek San fighting against the countless enemies on the snowy field. To think such a brave man is now like It has to be a lie. My fathers continues to look for you even after losng everything. He told me numerous times to get you back. if it doesnt happen then, those words will turn into his dying wish. Each word from baek Eon seemed to carefully spoken, like a truth to the dead. Seol Young remembered meeting Baek san at the inn for the first time and travelling together. He was going insane. Wanted to shout out A lie. Has to be a lie. How did that happens, I want to see it with my own eyes and believe it. He wants to follow Baek Eon right away But There was this voice in his head which said, You are the subordinate of the lord, how can you do that? with the head of White Tiger troops, you will be taking disaster there. The clenched hand began to bleed and Seol Young said I hope he recovers. The emotionless words got repeated. Baek Eon looked at the child and let go of the hand. And left without a word. His figure vanished in the crowd and Seol Young stared nkly. Is this what it means to have heart break? Baek Eon rang came for him all through these and he couldnt go with the guy. O shouldnt have done that He suddenly thought Great rang! Great rang! He ran without hesitation pushing through the people. That moment. A ghastly feeling spread ! Seol Young was startled which brought him to senses and before he knew it, he was standing on the symbol of snake biting the tail. A trick! He quickly moved pulling out his sword sword and swung it. the aura which seemed like a curved sh was used But he couldnt avoid the many things which came for him Pat! An invisible killing Qi shed through his arm and blood gushed out with a sharp sound. Chapter 147: Ghost City (11) Chapter 147: Ghost City (11) Seol Young looked up and wrapped his left hand around his right arm. Among the crowd, a man with a skull mask stood tall. Devil Lair Lord! But then he felt something strange. A strange shape was fluttering in front of the Lord. It seemed like he was facing himself. What is that? He looked at it again, but it vanished quickly. At the same time, the Lord also vanished. Are you going to continue running like that? Seol Young hurriedly followed him, but he bumped into someoneing from the other side. It was Zaha. With Seo Geom next to him. What? Werent you with Seol Young-rang? As they stopped, all of them felt a sense of relief. I just saw the Lord! He tried to use his technique to kill me. But then he stopped, and there was this He was talking in a hurry, but the two looked at him with strange faces. Their gazes were directed at his armhis shoulder injury. Seo Geom asked, Is Seol Young-rang sharp or dull? He has to be both. Zaha replied. Seol Young covered the wound with his hand. It just brushed past. Still, shouldnt we treat it before we talk? Seeing the blood makes my own wound hurt. Wait, do you not see this? Are you going against the High Governor and the head of a troop? No. Seol Young removed his hand from his shoulder. There was a lot of blood, so he had to wipe it off and sprinkle some powder to stop the bleeding. Zaha was talking as if he wouldnt touch the wound, but seeing how Seol Young couldnt tie it with a bandage with one hand, he clicked his tongue and tied it tightly. I know you are thankful. If I hadnt fed you, you would have fainted. Ah. Yes Wasnt Zaha the one who asked them not to bring up the food topic? Yet wasnt he the one talking the most about it? Seol Young brushed that thought aside. Anyway, the Lord set up a trap for me. Seo Geom would not know, so he exined while looking there. The Lord uses the power of causality. It isnt what happens, happens. But what happened, happens. What happened, happens? For example, something like this. First, shoot an arrow into a harp box and kill someone. After that, if that person goes inside the box, they are pulled to the past and die right away. What are you talking If you dont understand it, think. He needs something to use that power. In thest case, he used the harp box. It could be a condition the same as when someone entered the harp box. Then this time? The snake pattern on the floor. Zaha said, Is that the information you found out in exchange for blood? Yesthe Lord showed me some memories of my past and pulled me to a certain ce. And that ce had the snake pattern that I stepped on, and it attacked me right away. Seol Young exined as he drew the pattern on the ground. The only difference is that maybe it isnt a ce that is as tightly shut as the harp box, so it doesnt have the binding strength. It reminded him of the first time he was captured by that guy. At that time, the demonic beings would kick him for being rude. There was probably a snake on the ground at that time, too. Unlike the harp box case, we can avoid this if we want to. So we will avoid it. Even if you get caught and dragged by your memories, you need toe back to your senses. Being caught and dragged with the memories What is he nning? Zaha and Seol Young looked around, and Seo Geom too. After the curtain went up, I came to my senses and found myself alone in the fog. But then the High Governor found me, but Seol Young-rang was nowhere to be seen. Then I heard a sound and rushed here Seol Young remembered something from what he said. Ah, Blue Rainbow vanished. And even Senior Oni. I dont know where they went. He looked around. He made a mess, but he couldnt find anything. People were just buying and selling things. Zahas eyes stopped at a certain ce. Is that it? Something was shining. It was the ring! Ah! Seol Young was so d to see it that he approached it, but then he stopped. There was a Hwarang sitting behind a shelf. And he had this training robe with gold patterns and a silver belt. It was something he was seeing for the first time, but then he noticed it Sun Moon Troops. In addition to the ring, there were several other things, such as bells and horns, on the counter. And with that, Seol Young could guess who it was. On So-rang? Seo Geom mumbled, shocked. Zaha looked at On So and slowly approached him. On So-rang, who was sitting with a puzzled face, looked at Jaha. Governor! He woke up in shock. What happened? I fell asleep while doing work. Why am I in such a ce Zaha picked up the ring without saying a thing, and On Sos appearance became bloody. It was as if he was struggling to hold on to something, and then his body vanished. May you be reborn. Despite knowing it was an illusion, Seol Young still mumbled it. After looking down at the empty chair, Zaha moved. Is that what it means to be stuck in a memory? Yes. Seol Young replied. There seems to be a lot of people from memories here. So I thought this was a Market of Memory. Or Market of Oblivion. Zaha mumbled. I had forgotten about reality for a brief moment. It was as if my body and mind had gone back to the past. Wouldnt it be easy to fall into such a thing? We need to bring each others senses back. Silence fell. In the end, this Heavenly Demon World seemed a lot more difficult than the ones before. However, they had to work. Somewhere in this ce, the Lord was hiding. In addition, they must get the bracelet that had Seol Youngs spiritual power and Blue Rainbow. And the three of them had to work together to get through that. Of course, I am fine. It has been a long time since I have been liberated from the past. Zaha said. Such a lie. Seol Young thought to himself. I have decided not to be bound by my memories. After he said that, he looked at Seo Geom, who was also a problem. Why did that guye into this ce in the first ce? Didnt he see his dead brother and chase after him? His heart was full of remorse. Zaha asked. Seo Geom-rang, are you fine? The reason I followed my brother after seeing him was to check if he was a spirit or not. You dont have to worry. Seo Geom answered. Then I trust you. Contrary to what he said, Zaha didnt seem to believe him. Lets try it. Yes. The three of them moved between the markets on either side. Where could their opponent be hiding? While walking carefully, Seo Geom pointed to the front. High Governor, it seems to have started. His gaze was fixed on a shelf. I saw it. There was something there. A top. As the merchant spun the top around, a pattern appeared on the body of the top. It had the face of a dragon with its eyes wide open. Seo Geom-rang! Seol Young touched him. At that moment, snow began to fall from the sky. When did it fall? White snow had already piled up on the branches of the trees. Then a bright light shone from a tightly closed door. A shadow of someone sitting with a crown on their head could be seen. This was the Blue Dragon Troops main hall. Two kids were on their knees in the yard. The older one looked around ten years old, and the little one was five years old. Even though they had different faces, they had simr features, so they seemed to be brothers. The brothers were on their knees. It looked like they were being punished, and even though a lot of time had passed, no words could be heard from that ce. Snow had piled up over the bodies of the siblings, making them wriggle a little. At that time, the older one tapped the snow-covered ground, and the younger one looked there. The face of their father, looking grumpy and funny, was drawn. The younger one turned his head to the side, but it could be seen that he was smiling. The older one tapped him again. The younger one put on a calm face, as if he didnt want to see it. But unlike his face, he turned and looked ahead. It was not a drawing this time. The older brother took out a top and spun it around. It had a dragon face with its eyes open. It is nothing special, but it was also amazing at the same time. The younger brother forgot his boredom as he was watching it. After a while, the lights went out, and the older one said, Lets run away. The younger brother shook his head, but the older one got up and ran away. Wait, hyung! Lets go together! Seo Geom shouted. Seol Young watched the scene. And then he came to his senses. Seo Geom-rang! You cannot go! He tried to catch him. Move! But Seo Geom pushed him with all his might, making Seol Young copse to the ground. Seo Geom-rang! Get yourself together! Zaha hit him. And he hade to his senses only then. ? He looked puzzled and realized what had happened with a pale face. I have nothing to say. Then, with a shocked expression, he looked at Seol Young and said, It wasnt on purpose. I did it without Yes Seol Young hesitated as he answered. After being here together for a while, he knew his attitude towards Seo Geom had changed a bit. However, when such emotions came out, he would be on alert. To say it confidently and then get possessed right then. Seriously Seol Young turned his head, and at that moment, he saw something. It was a well-made silk cloth. It was a cloth for children. Clouds and stars were embroidered with silver thread on a blue cloth. Why was that here? Seol Young was dazed. In the next moment, he was back in the past. The demonic beings brought in new clothes. This is the outfit Elder Chun Gwang will wear for the birthday of our Lord. It will suit you very well. Seol Young didnt answer. He didnt want to see, talk or think about anything. After parting ways with Baek Eon, he couldnt control his mind. He regretted not following him, and if Baek San was dying, he wouldnt be able to bear it. But the next moment, he saw visions of Baek Eon, Song Ok, Hyo Wol, and the White Tiger Troops coughing blood and dying. A colorless, odorless poison. Needless to say, it had to be the work of the Devil Lair Lord who hurt Baek San. What if this would bring death to the entire troop? Seol Young clenched the hem of his clothes, and the demonic beings, which he had hated from the start, now seemed more horrid to him. I need to get out. His vision went blurry. At that time, a demonic being who did errands came in, and Seol Young wiped away his tears. What is it? Another group surrendered near Mount Geumo. See if there are any useful ones. I get it. Seol Young headed to the training ground, and his subordinates got up and stood at the side. The five tomb spirits. Elder. They bowed their heads and saluted him. Since thest time, those who served the Lord were assigned to the western side, and Seol Young belonged to the eastern side. So they didnt have to meet. Even if they did meet each other by chance, they just ignored each other. After they left, Seol Young looked back. Lets go. In his words, his subordinate took the lead. Then the training ground became noisy. The number of demonic beings has increased since a year ago. Recently, due to the Hwarangs hunting them, more monsters have been entering this ce to avoid being killed by them. Seol Young didnt even want to look at them. He was just standing there nkly when he heard an angry voice. Get out of the way! Do you want to die? The voice made him turn his head. The one who had just shouted had shaggy hair and a ck face. But that voice The growl was so familiar. Seol Young was shocked. Song Ok-rang? Chapter 148: Ghost City (12) Chapter 148: Ghost City (12) It wasnt an illusion. In the past, when he met Baek-Song-Wol for the first time and guided them to the swamp, pretending to be a clumsy child, Seol Young went through a lot of things with them. At that time, he saw them wearing ck masks to imitate demonic beings. They changed their voices and made their teeth look like those of monsters. When they mixed in with them, no one could tell who they were. Song Ok-rang. It has to be him. The three Hwarangs were always together, always. Seol Young looked around, and as he thought, there were two more fake ones. It smells, so get out! Song Ok yelled. He did talk about how he followed his father, who was a merchant, and learned a lot of things, including vulgar words. That guy disapproved of Seol Young from the moment they met. And when Seol Young was scammed because he pretended to be dumb and didnt speak, he got so angry that he dragged him away, wanting to be paid back properly. What are you looking at? Maybe I should put a hole in your head to get you to your senses? Since that guy was from a rich family, he stood out awkwardly among the monsters. Still, he had this rough way of talking, and he blended in right away. Baek Eon and Hyo Wol were silent the whole time. It should rain When will it Hyo Wol rolled his eyes and continued to mumble like a madman while Baek Eon held a knife in his hand. All of the demonic beings didnt even make eye contact with the three of them, yet the awkwardness didnt vanish. Seol Young looked at them. Seeing these three here, it seemed like they werent sad. So Baek San must still be alive, and this made him relieved. How did they get here? Why did theye? Is it all because of me? At the time, the three of them looked at Seol Young. Then they made a whole scene to announce that the three of them had arrived. But you cannote here. Seol Youngs gaze turned to the door inside the training ground. If one passes through it, they would be on their way to bing evil, and humans should never go there. Get out. He warned with his lips, but the three of them didnt have any intention of doing so. Song Ok shouted, If you have something to say, say it out loud! The demonic beings who were guarding the ce frowned at this. How dare you say that here? Elder, let me educate him. Seol Young just made a gesture. Then the three of them were taken to a small corner of the training ground. asionally, there would be aggressive ones like theming here. And during those times, it wasmon to drag them aside and kill them. So this wasnt strange. As the door closed, Seol Young went toward them and said, What are you three Hwarangs doing here? Song Ok just snorted. You cheeky bastard! Being so pathetic. And making our Big Hyunge here by doing this! He reached out and pulled Seol Youngs cheeks. Just like in the swamp, the guy would never stop talking. Seol Young was moved to tears, as if he were back in the past. Let go! He shook Song Oks hand off. Baek Eon and Hyo Wol looked at him with a now he is the guy we know look. Seol Young had a stiff face. I definitely said I wouldnt be going We knew that you would say that, so I asked you. On the contrary, I would have thought it was strange if you had followed me back. Baek Eon calmly said, The entire Hwarang troops are in a rush to find you. You wouldnt have been hiding here for nothing. You must be depending on him now, so how can you get out of your own will? I knew you would say you could note. So on that day, I only approached you to follow you and the one who had bound you. Even though I dont know anything about this ce other than the fact that its called the Devil Lair Right. The Devil Lair was connected to the real world, but it was the devils world. Only those who have dipped their feet into the darkness of the world know about it, and these three came here relying on their intuition. The eyes of the three Hwarangs turned to the door that led to their, then Song Ok asked, What happens inside? To which Seol Young said, When a human enters there, they be prey. All the demonic beings will hunt the people, and even the strongest people will get killed. You? Did you see it happen? Hyo Wol asked anxiously. Uh? You didnt see it with your own eyes, right? Seol Young didnt answer and changed the subject. How is Baek San He finally mustered some courage to ask about it, and a gentle smile appeared on Baek Eons face. I told him I found you, and he improved after that. That is why we came here. Seol Young was relieved. Master is sincere in his thoughts about you. Hyo Wol said softly. If Teacher usually meets a child on the street who needs help, he will definitely help them. A couple of his close friends passed away in an ident in the past, and the child he was supposed to be teaching went missing. But he worked hard to save children and prayed that the child he missed would be treated nicely in the same way But he said that among them, there wasnt a child like you. He was thinking of making a countern so you could get away from this bond, and all we had to do wase. And that you were waiting. Baek Eon said. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Is everything alright? Since it was so quiet inside, they must have thought it was odd. Baek Eon said, If you agree toe with us, we will definitely take you to Mount Seondo. We will be waiting for you there. Find us when you make up your mind. They opened the door and left. Seol Young calmly returned to the Devil Lair, but his heart was pounding hard. Baek San, who had been poisoned, seemed to be healing. And the three of them came here to bring him back. It was like the sun shone in the darkness. -We will definitely take you to Mount Seondo. Tears welled up as he thought of it. He didnt want to stay here any longer. His heart was already on the run with the three of them. I can get away. I just need to deal with this. Seol Young looked at the bracelet on his wrist. If he took it off, the Lord couldnt track him. However, the demonic beings under him would run insane and cause more havoc. And if he chose to run away at that moment, no one could catch him. And with the thought of the three waiting for him on the other side, hope bloomed inside of him. The Lord was somewhere celebrating these days. Seol Young went to the Great Hall of the Devil Lair. It was the hall where he had been caught for the first time. At that time, he resisted and asked why he was caught, which resulted in him being kicked. Soon after, the demonic beings were stomping on his chest. -Who kicked him? The Lord screamed at them and threw the shackles off. Now that he looked at it, he only thought of keeping Seol Young tied up in here from the start. He managed to avoid it because of the mistakes of the demonic beings, but he ended up being tied up like this. But that ends now. Seol Young raised a g that was hanging on the wall and moved the bricks. All this time, he hated the thought of someone watching him, so he used to find an empty space whenever he had a chance. And then he found this. As the saying goes, It is the darkest under amp. This was the safest ce here. This ce was always empty, and no one came here. The bricks slid back, and dark space was revealed. It was a secret passageway, but it seemed to have lost its function since the ce had expanded so much. Seol Young went inside there and tried to take the bracelet off. How do I solve this? The snake-shaped bracelet was originally the Lords, but as soon as it saw Seol Young, it moved on its own. It wrapped itself around his wrist and bit its own tail. If I open its mouth, it will loosen it. Seol Young summoned his power through sorcery. There was a strong power in his thumb and index finger, and he pressed the snakes head. However, the snake didnt open its mouth. Even when he used some talismans, the snake didnt budge. Not this then. There has to be something. Seol Young thought. Since the bracelet moved by itself What is it? He took out a bamboo leaf from his pouch. With a spell ready, he wrote his name and cast a spell. When he pped his hands, a human shadow jumped up. It was another Seol Young. ! Finally, the bracelet opened. Just like how it moved on its own when it saw Seol Young, it did the same now, and it seemed to be confused about which side to go to. As I thought It was a technique made for him. Thankfully, he managed to make the fake one look real. Seol Young was proud of it and thought to himself. It was Teacher Seo who taught him this. -Wonderful! Truly wonderful! When he thought about what happened then, his heart ached. After thinking about that for a while, he came to his senses. The snake will not be fooled twice. This method can only be used once. He tried to get out, but then he heard a faint sound moving outside. Seol Young was sensitive, so he noticed it right away. The ghosts wereing. Who? And he looked through the gap in the bricks. Were they the five tomb spirits? Seol Young hid himself further in the dark until he bumped into someone. ? He looked up, shocked. He noticed there were two other people in this dark room. One had golden, glowing eyes and a sly smile. The other had a serious face and said, Now you see us. He turned to the one with the golden eyes. Shouldnt we start leaving now, High Governor? Just watch. I think this is important. No matter how smart Chun Kwang is, there is something missing here. Seol Young was shocked. You know me? Humans shouldnte here. Who are you? You dont know me? We came here together. The man called the High Governor said, and he held out something. It was a stick. He remembered seeing it before. Ah, right. When Seol Young came here, he wasnt alone. He took the confectionery stick and put it in his mouth, but the other person stopped him. Wait, do not eat it. Just hold it. Seol Young felt good at the thought of escaping from this ce. He didnt understand why they didnt let him eat it, but he held onto it. The guy with the golden eyes frowned. As if a gentle wind passed by and vanished, he smiled lightly very briefly. At that time, an adult-like figure, who was observing from the outside said, What are you doing? As if wondering, he pointed to the actions of the tomb spirits. Chapter 149: Ghost City (13) Chapter 149: Ghost City (13) The five tomb ghosts were Lady Mo, Lady To, and Teacher Seo and the kids. And the five of them put five colored gs on the floor. These gs symbolized the five elements metal, wood, water, me, andnd. The next moment, an image of a snake pattern was revealed on the floor. Ah, that Seol Young said. We were preparing for the birthday of the Lord. The tomb ghosts who died serving a high-ranking person can do such tasks splendidly, so I entrusted the task to them. And then he added, The feast is at theke inside their. There are dozens of boats there that can be used. I see. The man called Teacher Seo said. His attitude was a bit odd. Seol Young remembered what he had said earlier. But did I miss something? That you will only know when you listen to our story. He smiled. His transparent, golden eyes moved again. Listen to me. It isnt real. Its just a dream. You are watching the same thing happen over and over again. He bent down on his knees and whispered into Seol Youngs ears. Somewhere here, the Devil Lair Lord is hiding and watching you. The Lord? Seol Young also lowered his voice. But I do not see Because he is hiding very well. And he will suddenly appear. For example, when you want to rush somewhere. Rush somewhere? Right, Chun Kwang is smart, right? Thats not my real name. Yes, Seol Young. Solve this riddle now. If you will run ahead and the Lord is waiting and hiding, where would the smartest ce for him to hide be? That Seol Young said. Hide behind me. That way, I wont see him. Yes. Exactly. The High Governor nodded his head. The time wille. When you suddenly want to rush ahead, you will have to be patient. No matter how hard it is, you will have to hold yourself back. That way, we can lure the Lord. Listen to what we have told you. The other man said. That way, we can attract him. Seol Young mumbled. And after that? If it seems like the Lord came right behind your back, then look back. I mean, look back while pretending to run ahead. Then you can catch him. Do you want to catch him? Yes. Seol Young nodded. At that time, he could see sparks rising through the cracks in the bricks. The tomb ghosts were carving some spells onto the snake symbol on the floor. Since when did they be this loyal? Seol Young looked at them in shock. Then suddenly, his heart skipped a beat. In the past, even after seeing that scene, he didnt care. But now he knew what it was. The terrifying me technique was called Bury Real Fire. Among the five elements, four of them turned into mes. Therefore, pouring water on it wouldnt put it out. During the birthday event, several snake images were printed on the gs to be hoisted up on the boats. In order to show the power that the Lord had, they made a huge pattern on the ground. Through that, the Bury Real Fire spread through the hall of their. This is why the tomb ghosts asked for the boats on theke to hold the party. It was to burn down this ce. Then, did their trick seed or fail? Seol Young knew the oue. I have to tell them! It wont work! It will fail! He wanted to open the wall and run, but he stopped. Two people were in the room staring at him, and the man with a bitter expression said, You arent stupid, right? Right. This wasnt reality. What had happened in the past was just being repeated again. Seol Young lowered his hand and held back the desire to run. Good job. That is how you do it. The High Governor said. Seol Young looked at them and turned his gaze at the tomb ghosts. This is thest image of them moving normally. Keep watching it. He didnt take his eyes off the ghosts through the bricks. And after a while, they went out. Seol Young followed them and left that ce. At that time, without knowing what the tomb ghosts were plotting, he tried to meet them. He was going to ask them if they really had no intention of leaving this ce. But somehow, he didnt meet them, and he couldnt get dyed. Seol Young hid in the closet. And after making another ego of himself, he took the bracelet off. His wrist was free. It couldnt have been more free. There should be a mess outside in an hour. Still, he had enough time to get out, so he hurriedly went to the training ground where the three Hwarangs were hiding, but the door was closed. There were shouts and the sounds of weapons shing. Nothing should be happening now. The three Hwarangs were inside. Seol Young asked, What is happening inside the training ground? The Lord suddenly gave an order. For his birthday, he said he would name the training ground as the World of Patience. He ordered the monsters to fight, and he will choose the strongest one to be given a present on his birthday. What? Seol Young was shocked. Open it! But his order didnt work because he had taken the bracelet off. Now the subordinates wouldnt follow him. I said open it! Seol Young stomped his feet and looked through the gap. The three Hwarangs were fighting well, but the demonic beings werent that easy to defeat either. A huge shadow appeared between them. It was a shape made of bright red skulls. Isnt that the Red Bone Disease? The subordinates said. Why would it be in there? An outcast. It originally belonged to you, Elder, but it was abandoned. Which is why this is happening. Seol Young was dazed. This must have been the Lords trick. He must have known the Hwarangs were here. That was why he allowed Seol Young to take the bracelet off. Thud! Thud! The Red Bone Disease must have remembered the Hwarangs, so it went for them. And in the blink of an eye, its long arm extended forward, grabbing Song Ok by the hair and strangling him to death. Younger one! Hyung! Baek Eon and Hyo Wol rushed to the opponent. NO! Seol Young put the bracelet back on. He could no longer use the technique. He knew it, but he couldnt help it. Then his power to control them returned, and Seol Young said, Open it! And it was opened. He jumped right inside, but a cold voice whispered, This isnt real. You are going through the past again. It was true. He knew the Lord was hiding behind him and watching this. He was waiting for a loophole. Seol Young gritted his teeth and shouted, What are you doing? Hurry up and kill the Red Bone Disease! Yes! All his subordinates rushed at it. Even if their limbs got torn, they rushed to kill it. This gave him time to pull out the three Hwarangs. Get over here! Seol Young guided them and said, The Lord knows everything. He knows you are hiding here. Then lets go! Right now! Hyo Wol took Seol Youngs hand. The snake bracelet was there. Seol Young looked at it. The n had been messed up. Going with them was like pulling them down. It didnt take long for him to make up his mind. Seol Young put his hand inside his sleeve. He took out a ne from under his clothes. It was a jade que with his name on it that had been given to him as a baby, and there was another object hanging along with it. It was the token that Baek Eon had given him at their first meetingthe wooden que with a plum blossom. -Show them this and ask them to take you to Baek Eon of the White Tiger Troops. How many times did he think of saying that? Soel Young opened it and pulled out the wooden que to hand it back to Baek Eon. Do note back for me. He spoke in a cold tone. No matter how much I think about it, I dont want to go there. I will stay here and enjoy my life here. It was a lie. They didnt know how much he longed for it. But not now. He had to kill the Lord and clean up this ce. So he didnt want them toe. He would find them this time. You The three of them looked at him nkly. Seol Young turned his gaze away. I dont care what your thoughts about me are. As long as you are all fine. But then he suddenly felt a strange feeling. He felt a sense of dj vu, as if he had been through this situation before. -We have cut off our ties because we thought he would betray us. Saying so, Lady Mos face appeared in front of him. It was like getting hit in the head. That was a lie too. Seol Young finally realized. Sometimes, one has to give themselves up to save someone. No! He wanted to rush toward them, but Hyo Wol caught him. Wait. The faces of all three of them changed. Their gazes were in one ce. It was the jade que in Seol Youngs hand. As if he were in disbelief, Baek Eon asked, Your name is Seol Young? The moment he was about to answer. An explosion rang out from inside their. The Burial Real Fire exploded. Seol Young went pale. Why did it happen now? The time for the feast is still far. There was only one answer. The tomb ghosts were exposed. He had to leave! He felt the urge to rush there. But He felt the sanest too. All of this isnt real. It is the same thing happening again. Seol Young thought. And the Devil Lair Lord was right behind him. He could feel it. Despite the heat reaching him, the gaze was still on him. Seol Young bit his lip. I will definitely kill you! A silver aura shone from his left hand. You should go! Seol Young stepped forward. He suddenly turned his head and looked back. The Lord with a skull mask. He stood tall in front of him. The power in his left hand flew off. Then a zing silver light as thin as a sword hit the Devil Lair Lords body. Nice! You did well! The two people who helped him earlier showed up. Gold and white light spread out like a rainbow at the same time, and then two swords pierced the chest of the Devil Lair Lord. Chapter 150: Ghost City (14) Chapter 150: Ghost City (14) With a crackling sound, the Devil Lair Lords body was engulfed in light. What? Seol Young looked down at his hands, which glowed. When he got free from the memories of his childhood, his hands were back to normal. Something like lightning came out of his hand. Even if he had spiritual qi, it was so weak that he couldnt even draw a talisman. However, the moment he got angry at the Lord who tormented him, something powerful burst out. What happened? He waved his hand, but nothing woulde out now. At that time, a dark red deadly qi attacked like it was swinging a scythe, which made Seol Young dodge and look at the Devil Lair Lord. As he was being attacked by Seo Geom and Zaha, his appearance changed. The eyes behind his skull mask burned bright. The Golden Ring and the Blue Dragon, two types of spiritual power, dealt a strong blow to his body. So parts of his body looked like his skin was cracking up and something was flowing out. Demon King. It felt like he deserved that name with the bizarre way he looked. His attacks were also bizarre. Sometimes they woulde, and sometimes they would vanish. Every time that happened, dozens of dark red things would rise up and attack them. And as that was happening, the tents around the Ghost City were being shattered. Such a strange attack! Seo Geom dodged what came from behind and shouted. Is this also something from the Land of Heaven? 1 Zaha raised his energy toward his sword. Seo Geom-rang, straight ahead! The two swords crossed each other for a moment and met the attack of the Lord. It was like they were hitting steel! Sparks rose all over the ce with a crackling sound. Since Zaha and Seo Geom belonged to different troops, they just used the basic sword technique of the Hwarang troops. Still, it seemed enough. Every time the two of them hit the target and broke through the attack of the Lord, the entire presence of the Lord was surrounded by golden and white lights. Then suddenly, something like red petals poured out from the gap. Gu Poison technique! Seol Young immediately called Oni. The baby dragon did its duty by opening its mouth and sucking in the red things. But at that moment, one dark red whirlwind attacked Oni. Senior! Another sh of lightning came out of Seol Youngs hand and hit the whirlwind. Again? When he looked down in wonder, the form of the Devil Lair Lord was visible. Seol Young hurriedly retrieved Oni and drew out the soft sword to attack. At that moment, he felt something hot rush through the veins of his body. That shocked him. Spiritual qi is working? The de of the soft sword danced lightly and split the space. And after that, a silver aura rose, like the tail of a nine-tailed fox. It was fast, flexible, and stretched out to attack the opponent. At the same time, Zaha and Seo Geom were moving in to attack. Pop! Came the sound of the Lords chest being pierced, and he was being pushed back. No Seol Young swung the soft sword just once more. A silver spiritual qi rose up. Blood was dripping down his own shoulder wound, but he didnt feel any pain. After losing his spiritual power, he failed each time he used his spiritual qi, with the pain rising in his body as if his life was being pulled out. But now he could feel it from within. It was a feeling that he hadnt felt in a very long time. Seol Young shouted at the two who were fighting the opponent. My meridian seems to have been pierced! The bracelet wasnt even pierced, though Is that even possible? Seo Geom said that while stabbing the opponent. I read in a book that there are many ways to open the meridian that has been blocked by a curse. Stimte the qi and pierce through the existing block. I was told not to do it without the permission of a physician since it would end up horribly wrong Seol Young was genuinely surprised, and he looked at Zaha. Then, when you nted the enchanted spell on my hand, it was intended to produce this thing? The High Governor did that? As expected, he looks so far ahead of things! I cannot keep up with his thoughts! Seo Geoms eyes shone as he looked at Zaha. Based on Zahas character, he had this condescending look as if saying, Be thankful I am here. Although, I dont really want to be. However, when Seo Geom stepped forward and made a fuss about it, it seemed like the excitement cooled down. No. I didnt n that far. Zaha raised a spiritual qi barrier to stop the whirlwind. The standard way is to find and destroy the cursed thing. But that doesnt mean that I wanted to wait. Ive already done that part for eight years now. Still, I didnt think that your meridian would just be pierced. Then, did I do a lot better than you expected? At Seol Youngs words, Seo Geom smiled. At that time, spears came rushing in from all directions. At the same time, the image of a snake appeared on the ground. If they get hit by those, they will die. All three of them knew that, so they didnt dodge it or attack it. They just slipped out of there. Seol Young nced at the Devil Lair Lord. Its no use. No matter what you do, I understand everything. You have harassed me for too long now. Their opponent had three weapons. The first was the space called the Lair. The second was this technique, the poison, which couldnt be felt. The third was causality. Through his ability to separate cause and effect from each other, he pretended to be omnipotent Seol Young raised his left hand with a silvery spiritual qi. There is no omnipotent technique in the world. And there are weaknesses in everything. The stronger the force, the stronger the opposite reaction is They had now surrounded their opponent. Then the opponent wrote something in the air. A gust of wind hit them, with spiritual qi shining and a whirlwind. And then something formed. It was a blurry, grotesque, ghost-like form. Zaha nced at that. What is that now? I dont know. When I was hit by him earlier and injured my right arm, something like that appeared. For some reason Before Seol Young finished his answer, more things happened. The snake pattern on the floor was gone. After a moment of shock, Zaha pushed them aside. Above! It was right above! A tent fluttered above. They avoided it, like earlier, but everyone was hurt by a dagger. But that wasnt the problem. Seol Young didnt miss the chance and used his spiritual qi. A silvery light flew straight down and shone onto the new opponent, and a face was revealed. It was the one with a skull mask. That made them all shocked. Devil Lair Lord? Another one? Unlike the real one, who was desperately attacking, this was just a form in the air. Zaha asked, Why are there two of them? Seol Young-rang, do you remember anything? None. Seol Young shook his head. But it must have happened in the past. A reaction to a technique. I could have used it to kill him. But there is no way I could have done anything when I was young He thought hard while avoiding the attacks. After learning that the time inside the harp box was being distorted, it felt strange. Which part? On the day of the festival, the High Governor and Third-rang were supposed to be at the banquet. But through the Devil Lair Lords maniption, both of them, who were outside, went inside the harp box. Then the two of them, who were supposed to be at the banquet, will vanish. Its because there cannot be two identical people in the same ce. Right. We cannot look into the past anymore, but I am sure there werent any two simr-looking people in the room. But not him. Seol Young realized something. This evil snake connects two timelines. It is because the current one attracts the targets closer and kills them without much distinction, while the second one is aiming for a murder that has been nned in advance. Seol Young turned to the bottom pattern of the snake. That is why the moment I used the technique, the Devil Lair Lord turned into two. He whomits murder in front of the past time, and he who uses the technique in the present time. They finally found the secret. This is the reaction of the power of causality. Two same things cannot exist in one space. If one exists, the other has to disappear. Seol Young continued. When I was young, I would have used that to kill that guy. By granting existence to the ghostly second one, it caused the two of them to collide. How? To set up a ce for it in the world and make a ce for it to exist. Isnt that how summons work? We can use a summoning technique with spiritual power! At that moment, he realized something else. Seo Geom might have just realized it now. So he cursed Seol Young-rang and took away your spiritual power? To stop you from killing him if you realize this secret and use summoning? But their opponents n failed. Through the enchanted words that Seol Young got from Zaha, the spiritual meridian in his body was cured. So different from then. Seol Young was no longer a child. Zaha, who died at that time, was here, and Seo Geom, who was in closed-room training, was also here. Zaha shouted as he pushed forward, Then use that summoning technique quickly! Yes. Seol Young raised one hand in front, but at that moment Pat! Something shed ahead, and bright red mes rose everywhere. Burial True mes? Seol Young dodged it. The mes were eating away at everything they touched. And soon, he couldnt see anything. High Governor? Seo Geom-rang? The moment he moved to find them, something came out of the mes. The tomb ghosts. ! Seol Young was angry. Do you think I will back down if you show me this? His own spiritual power, which had spread in this space, was gathering again little by little. It created a wind and scattered the illusion. And the sparks of the mes vanished. The screams of people could be heard. [Save me!] [All because of you!] All of them were already dead. In the glowing mes, afterimages of the past were mixed. Seol Youngs face turned cold. You cannot stop me with something like this. This was a sad thing. These were things he felt pain from. And things he regretted. But he wasnt going to me himself. He was deceived, he got scared, and he even hurt others, but he lived his life to the fullest. Didnt he work hard even in the Lair? Despite not having any motivation? -It is not your fault. You didnt do anything wrong. That was what his teacher told him several times. So it was fine. But How about you on the other side? Seol Young looked at the mes. I am sure both of you are lost. He raised his hand and wrote a Wind God talisman. Strong winds pushed through the mes, creating a path. Now, it is my turn to wake you up. Seol Young stepped into the mes.
  1. TL/N: India
Chapter 151: Ghost City (15) Chapter 151: Ghost City (15) A bright red me engulfed everything. The tents copsed, and the pirs supporting the shelves were buried in mes, and Thud! Thud! They fell in session. After all, this wasnt a market. The floor rocked. The wood they stepped on was cracking, and a huge sail was engulfed in mes. Finally, this ce with the veil of a market had been removed, and its true face was revealed. It was a flower boat on ake. It was the ce where the birthday party of the Devil Lair Lord was being held. It was the ce where the most unpleasant things happened. But will that stop me? Seol Young went through the zing mes. This was the Burial True mes. Hence, putting out the me with water wouldnt work. Then he opened up a path using the power of the wind. Where is everyone? He looked around and then found someone. In front of a mast engulfed in mes, he saw Zahas back. He stared at the ce where Zaha was and walked towards him. High Governor! He called out, but he didnt get a response. It seemed that he had already sunk deep into his own memory. Seol Young raised his spiritual qi in his hand. Even at this moment, the spiritual power was still gathering there. Is it possible? He used Wind Spirit talismans, which used the power of the wind, and when he ced them in the four directionsnorth, east, south, and westthey burst out and then merged into this one huge whirlwind. The mes were pushed back by the wind and spun around, forming a barrier. This should buy him some time. Seol Young moved closer to Zaha. Get yourself together. The moment he said that, the surroundingndscape changed. Suddenly, they werent on top of a burning boat. They were now on a wooded mountain. Seol Young looked at Zaha and asked, Where is this? But there was no answer. Anyway, he kept preparing the wind talisman, and Seol Young used it through the forest in front of him. The branches and trees kept moving, revealing thendscape ahead. There was a tomb there. The tomb was surrounded by the four beasts of the Hwarang troops. Seol Young was surprised. I need to know what After all, the Lord was a vicious being. It dragged him into his most unpleasant memories. It was the moment when the God of Cataclysm was sealed inside his body. Wait! Stop! Seol Young blocked Zahas path, and he stopped. What? His golden eyes looked straight in his direction. He was locked up in a coffin for eight years, so his appearance didnt change much. But the Zaha in front of him looked a lot younger than now. He was probably even younger than Hyo Wol, but it wasnt just about the age His eyes, which dont look at the human as a human. 1 Seol Young opened his mouth at his cold gaze. You cannot go there. We need to get you out of this memory quickly. There are all sorts of bizarre demonic beings in this ce. After saying that, a blue de was aimed at Seol Young. It was Zahas sword. As it was, it made no sense. Look at this. Doesnt it seem strange? Before you died, you must have released your sword. He pointed out the contradiction, but Zaha didnt listen and pointed his sword at Seol Young, making Seol Young say, If you kill me right now, you will regret it. Everyone says the same thing. I am not everyone. I know everything. Your own grave is right in front of you. You are going to decide to deal with the God of Caclysm, even if it means risking your life right now. Zaha paused and looked straight at Seol Young. In the next moment, without any warning, his heart was almost pierced. Seol Young barely pulled out the soft sword and shed it. Shiinng! There was a weak sound, as if metallic chopsticks had been hit. The soft sword immediately wrapped around Zahas sword and flew away. This lump of iron was a childs toy to Zaha. After clearing away the annoying obstacle, he went for his heart in an instant. I almost forgot. He has this personality of killing those who will reveal his secret. Even if he was confined inside a ghost, this was his own body, so that would mean Seol Young would die if he got stabbed. Seol Young felt a chill run down his spine. He used the survival instinct inside him and the foot technique he knew. With the help of those, he barely escaped the sword. High Governor! No, are you maybe more familiar with the title of Governor? Anyway, calm down and listen. This n will fail! The God of Cataclysm will sneak out, and you will only manage to hold on to a part of his energy. After being asleep for eight years, you will meet me, and What kind of nonsense is that? The power he held was so great that Seol Youngs head, which he was aiming for, had a golden light shine on it. He managed to block the attack by picking up the soft sword. Dont you remember this soft sword? You found this yourself! Searching the corpse. No, this would all mean nothing. Lets get out here quickly, or we will burn too! Besides, Seo Geom-rang is in danger! You said, Even if the Hwarangs kill me, I will kill him. You will not lose another person to the God of Cataclysm inside you While blocking the attack, he nced at Zahas chest. The ne of the Great Mother had to be under his clothes. That should bring him to his senses. However, it must have been the God of Cataclysm that manipted the Devil Lair Lord. Behind all of this, she had to be lurking somewhere. The power of the Great Mother cannot be used here. I have to save that as a trump card. So he had to find another way. Right then, as Zaha avoided the shield created by the soft sword, his sword came from below. He tried to pierce Seol Youngs throat. At that precarious moment. Tak! The sound of something hard hitting the de echoed. ? Zaha looked at his sword, which had stopped midair. A ck and chubby baby dragon was biting the sword. It swayed while hanging on to it, then chewed on it some more. It looked like it liked the taste of the sword. Seol Young shouted, Senior! You cannot eat that sword! Senior? Zaha looked at him, puzzled. His gaze was on the ring in Seol Youngs hand. Was it a good choice that he called Oni? Finally, Zahas expression changed. Isnt that a righteous weapon containing the energy of the Sun and Moon Troops? Right. On So-rang made it, you took me to the basement inside the Hwarangs Hall and brought it out. We are fighting against the God of Cataclysm now. Zaha looked at Oni. Then, his gaze moved to the sword. Ah. He only seemed to have realized what had happened then. He immediately slipped out of the memory. I cannot believe it! I was so caught up in an instant! Zaha looked puzzled. I lived. Seol Young was shocked. In a short moment, he crossed the roads of life and death several times. The blood in his body was pulsing, and his head felt dizzy. Sorry, sorry. He smiled a little. I remember shouting Use the summon from the other side, and it seems like I was thinking about something, and it created a gap for this to happen. As an apology, should I lift the alcohol ban? Zaha mumbled softly. It wasnt because of that, but Seol Young spoke, Was it such an important thing? The forest had vanished, and they were back in the sea of fire. Moving quickly to search for Seo Geom, Zaha said, I was looking into your memories, guessing the true intentions of the Devil Lair Lord. He was quite thorough, and he knew you as if you were in the palm of his hand. But But? I dont know. Zaha shook his head. Lets look at the end of this, and I will talk to you then. Then, the boats board beneath their feet split open. Water gushed out from the cracks. Wherever the water from the cracks touched, the mes rose fiercely. Seol Young quickly used the wind to suppress it. Strange. Zaha looked around. It isnt even burned, so why did it break? As they looked around, there werent just one or two. Here and there, the bottom of the ship that connected the board was broken. Then a scream came from beyond the mes. Save me! Help me! This time, they werent from ghosts in the memory. Someone was actually screaming. The two of them hurried there. Several people had gathered on the boat. When they saw Seol Young, they were delighted. Here! They were the ones from the alcohol bar he had worked in. We came to this ce as you said, but The ship is about to break! They shouted together. Quickly, this way! Seol Young summoned a wooden item with his power and then threw arge nk as hard as he could with the wind. Then the ghosts stepped onto it. Cracks were forming on the edges, so the side they were on was fine for now. They passed the crisis once, but they didnt understand what was happening. Is it copsing on its own? Then Zaha realized something as he said that. Because it is a world that has been maintained with your spiritual power. It is only natural for it to die when you get your power back. I was thinking the same thing. He never thought the reaction would be like this. Seol Young bit his lip and looked around. Where the hell is he hiding? We need to find Seo Geom-rang as well. At that time, one of the staff members of the bar who was following them said, Are you looking for the Hwarang? I just saw him there. He was on the blue dragon ship. He pointed to the ship with a blue dragons head. Thank you. Seol Young and Zaha crossed over to the ship, and they could see Seo Geoms form through the flickering mes. He was in the same situation as Zaha had been earlier. He was standing and staring at one ce. Seo Geom-rang! Zaha called out, but he didnt get a response. What is he upied with? It must be his Hyung. We need to be ready. Seol Young approached him and patted him on the back. Seo Geom-rang! Just like before, they prepared to get inside a memory, but Ah, Seol Young-rang. Unexpectedly, he came to his senses right away. Zaha looked puzzled. What? Is Seo Geom-rangs mind stronger than mine? Ah, well Seo Geom-rang thought. Something was in front of me, but isnt the past just the past? They dont have any effect on me. Just then, the nks were cracking below their feet, and Seo Geom dodged them. But, High Governor, what is going on here? As Seol Young-rang is gradually regaining his power, this world is slowly copsing. What? Seo Geom was shocked. Then we need to hurry. Seol Young-rang. Hurry up and take this. I found your sword. Uh? Blue Rainbow? How was Seo Geom better at finding his sword? Seol Young thought so as he held out to reach it, but then, Seo Geom, who was handing it over, had aplex look on his face. ? Seol Youngs and Zahas eyes went wide. Seo Geom-rang! What is this?
  1. TL/N: It means that his eyes didnt care for the human. He looked at the human as if he were some worthless animal.
Chapter 152: Ghost City (16) Chapter 152: Ghost City (16) What Seo Geom handed to them wasnt the Blue Rainbow. ! The moment they all looked shocked, the figure of the Devil Lair Lord, which had been hiding, disappeared. The item that he gave was the golden bracelet that Soel Young had as a child. Seo Geom was shocked. It was surely Blue Rainbow! Since he had also brought him the sword before, Seol Young held out his hand without being too cautious. Then the snake tried to move quickly towards his wrist. NO! The shadow of Seo Geoms hand moved. His left hand intervened between the snake and Seol Youngs hand. The bracelet had the characteristic of being attracted to someone with a strong spiritual power and sucking their power. So the snake snapped a bite at its prey, the head of the Blue Dragon True Toops. In an instant, it wrapped itself around Seo Geoms wrist and began to suck him. Seol Young was shocked. Seo Geom-rang! Give it here! Zaha tried to remove the bracelet that was around Seo Geoms wrist, but no matter how much he tried, it was useless. You need to make a fake doll to fool it. That is the only way. Seol Young was about to take out the items he needed, but Seo Geom stopped him. Forget it. Leave it be. I lied. It is fine. Anyone can be fooled by evil things. Seol Young-rang and I also went through the same thing. Zaha said. Its not that. Seo Geom shook his head. It wouldnt have worked out. Seo Geom was someone who was always confident in everything. He was someone who boasted that he could do things that others couldnt. And such a person said the word NO? Seol Young asked, What do you mean? I cannot go anyway. I He pointed to one ce with a pale face. The ce he had been standing and looking at. Was it because, with the bracelet, Seo Geoms consciousness was being mixed into this world? Seol Young and Zaha could see it now. His brother, Seo Jun, was covered in blood and sitting alone. That was what they saw through the Memory Projection in the past. It was the moment when he died alone after killing the four Hwarangs who had been stabbed. The past is the past. It doesnt have any effect on me. It was a lie. I lied to be praised by the High Governor. In fact, I cannot even walk out of this boat. Seo Geom looked at the bracelet that was absorbing his power. The gs with a snake on them began to shine through the mes. As it received Seo Geoms spiritual power instead of Seol Youngs, the copsing world stopped. I guess this is my mission. Seo Geom nced back. The ghosts went closer to take a look. I will keep the souls safe and I need to talk with my brother over there. Seo Juns soul disappeared after finally getting rest from the world, and the Seo Jun sitting there was an illusion. It was just a thought left in Seo Geoms mind. But wanting to talk Seol Young looked at Seo Geom. He thought that he had ovee his brothers tragedy, but notpletely. Even though his family didnt care, Seo Jun was a righteous person. And yet, Seo Geom had always treated the man coldly because he wasnt the brother that he wanted. And now he couldnt even apologize for that. And deep down, that fact felt painful. Then he had to face it. A reunion to soothe the souls, and sometimes even the living needed it. Then do what you want. Because there was no other answer. He had already jumped into the memory. Seol Young raised the soft sword. Despite the old bad blood between the two of them, Seol Young wanted Seo Geom to get out. And he had to get the man out of here safely. This is the end of the Devil Lair Lord. As he swung the soft sword with all his might, the spell worked. It surrounded the sea of fire and began to rotate. Heavenly Barrier. It was a barrier that prevented the evil spirits from escaping. As soon as the barrier waspleted, it shed. There! The Devil Lair Lord was trying to escape the barrier. Seol Young drew a talisman in the air, and it hit him on the back. But the Lord whirled around. In the next moment, a number of spears came, so Seol Young had to move away from there. The spears rained directly from above. Evil snake patterns formed everywhere, and he tried to imprison Seol Young inside so he couldnt escape. It looks like this is yourst attempt! Now that he had his spiritual power back, he had nothing to fear. Seol Young summoned the Heavenly King just before the Lord was done with hisst step. A huge form appeared with peacock wings and a me crown on its head, wearing armor all over its body. Among the four Heavenly Kings, this was the Great Growth Heavenly King. Ugh! The Heavenly King let out a lions roar and swung its sword, and then the arm of the Lord that was trying to cast a spell was cut off right then. And at that moment, the form of a ghost flickered on the other side of the Lord. Seol Young threw a talisman there. Expose your true self! It was a strong order, and the letters of the talisman hit his body. Another Devil Lair Lord appeared in the air. The original Lord screamed, and that caused a shockwave between the two. It was because of thew that two simr beings couldnt exist in the same space. As a result, their presence caused conflict and they tried to kill each other. At the moment when the energies of the two collided, there was a strong vibration in the air. It was an explosion that was so powerful that nothing could be seen. In the midst of that, the figures of the two Lords couldnt be seen anymore. The gs that had been fluttering were now on the ground. They have lost their power and disappeared too. They did it. Seol Young looked at the empty space in front of him. The Lord is dead. He turned around and saw that Zaha was looking in that direction too. It seems like it. Thats what I did when I was younger. I used thew of causality, which Teacher had given me a clue about. I hid in secret and kept observing him until I could use it. Right. Zaha nodded. That is how I defeated him and got out. The story ends there. He stared into the space for a moment, and then he said, It is over, but You did well. You worked hard, he expected Zaha to say something like that. But no, instead, he said, It is strange. Uh? Come to think of it, the more they moved, the less Zaha spoke, as if he were thinking about something, so Seol Young asked, What is strange? At that time, the Lord was thorough, and he understood you so well. Dont you think that the loophole to his destruction was revealed too easily? Easily? How hard I had to work to get it Listen first. Its not that I dont trust what you went through. I was already dead at the time, so I didnt hear anything. I know nothing. So even if I had a question, I didnt say anything and watched until the end. I waited, and pretty much everything is solved except one thing. What is it? You said this at the start. Zaha looked around with sharp eyes and said, There was a reason why your teacher forbade you from using sorcery. When he heard that, it urred to him. He didnt remember that part. The Lord must have done something, and that made him feel anxious. What did I miss? I dont know, but I want to ask you something. Zaha said that while summoning spiritual power from his sword. About the chain. What is its role? Uh? You must have been chained before? So there must be a mark on your wrist. You said it with your mouth, too. The nightmare. As a child, you were tied in chains, not being able to move, surrounded by ghosts. When the heck did those chains appear on you? The first time? Seol Young looked nk. The first time I was taken to their, the demonic being threw the chains with shackles on me. But I avoided it The ce where they took you away must have been the ce called the Great Hall, right? A snake pattern was hidden under the floor. His heart sank, and at that moment, something moved through the air. It was the chains with shackles. The Devil Lair Lord threw the chains back at Seol Young, moving beyond time and space. Zaha swung his sword and shed them, which made sparks fly. But the chains didnt budge. As if it had already been decided that way, they were tightly clenched around Seol Youngs wrist. And Seol Youngs body got dragged away somewhere. It was underwater. Cold water hit his nose, and he couldnt breathe. Nono! Afraid of dying, Seol Young saw something. The five tomb ghosts. While they were preparing a banquet, demonic beings surrounded them and dragged them away. When the Lord pointed his hand, mes covered their bodies. The mes roared! The Burial True mes, which were on their bodies, spread through the entire area. And he knew everything. He showed his loopholes on purpose. Baek San told him that he used thew of causality, and the young Seol Young wanted to see through that power, so he would use a summoning technique to kill Everything was the Lords n, though. Why? But why? Seol Youngs body got dragged out of the water. Then he was dragged and tied to a wall. And the Lord was in front of him. Seol Young shouted, Just why? The body of the Lord could be seen floating in the water. He was just bones. A pile of charred bones. Inside his ribs was the snake, which was biting its tail. Endless repetition, then There was an echo that spread in all directions. Because in order for me to get out, I have to hand this over to someone. He raised his hand to take off the mask, and there was nothing under the skull mask. [I am sorry] The skull mask was pressing on Seol Youngs head. Seol Young screamed. This was a nightmare. His right arm was chained, and when he tried to break free, it only made a rattling sound. He could use the spiritual qi on his left hand, but it was impossible with the two Lords bing one. Red lights shone one after another. [You abandoned us] [Used us and threw us away] The subordinates of the Devl Lair Lord approached him. No. I need to do something There was Blue Rainbow in front of him, and there was his ring too. But no matter how much he tried, he couldnt reach them. But just a little, just a little bit more, if only he could stretch out his hand. A voice sounded in his ears as he struggled. Despair. Everyone was saying that. Until now, he had suffered so much and killed the Devil Lair Lord. Though in the end, this was the result. [Despair] Seol Youngs mind went back to his childhood. The Devil Lair Lord died, and hisir copsed. Now, only Seol Young and the demonic beings were left. [This is how it ends. In a ce where no one knows] Dozens of red eyes slowly approached him, and Seol Young closed his eyes. But then. Where! Where are you trapped? There was a distant voiceing from somewhere, which made Seol Young open his eyes. He was losing consciousness, but his mind became clear in an instant. It was definitely Baek Sans voice. Chapter 153: Ghost City (17) Chapter 153: Ghost City (17) Demonic beings attacked in the dark. One of his hands was tied to a chain on the wall. Even if he tried to avoid them, there was a limit, and he was injured in a lot of ces. But Seol Young couldnt feel any pain. It is Teacher Baek Sans voice! He just listened to the voice, which was so far away that he couldnt understand where it wasing from. And Baek San wasnt alone. Even though his eyes clearly showed that he wanted toe with us, he lied, saying he didnt want to, so I guess there is a reason why There was Baek Eons voice too. I could have never guessed that this might be the reason. Giving up on escaping to get us out safely The three of us were saved by that child. If we hadnt caught the demonic beings and cut them off, we would have never known about this! Does it even make sense, Teacher? That child is out there making the decisions alone! We must find him. Please, lets find him. We cannot let him die in a ce like that. The voices of Song Ok and Hyo Wol could also be heard. Beyond this space, the cries of demonic beings could be heard. They were evil things that could have been imitating their voices. Soon, Seol Young might hear them cursing him too. It could be their ploy to plunge him into psychological despair. But no. Seol Young knew it. After the n of the Lord failed, their was sealed. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol tried to enter after Seol Young but failed. Even so, they didnt give up and searched for other ways. Then they seeded in meeting with Baek San and came back here. They came back again! Seol Young held back his tears. Even though I said no, they came back to find me again. But then Baek Eon spoke again. It is our fault. We should have thought about why he lied to us and just dragged him out right then. But at that moment, I was distracted by the ne. He Ne? The child had this ne with him. It was a que engraved with the characters of Seol meaning snow and Young meaning spirit What? Baek San shouted. He was someone who wouldnt raise an eyebrow in the face of a hundred enemies, but now it seemed like he was greatly surprised. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol spoke. All three of us saw it. It cannot be a lie. Didnt you tell us all the time when we were young about taking a chance? The name of the missing kid of your friend who died was Seol Young. The only proof of finding the child is the que that has his name engraved on it. If we ever meet that que and a child who is an orphan, we need to bring him back. You said that so many times that it has stuck in my head. The son of your friend who passed awayit could be that child. Now that all the distractions are gone, he could be it, or he might have just picked up the que too, but isnt his age with the kid too simr? And the situation too? Baek San was silent. And then he said, It doesnt matter now. That child is already our child. Lets start by finding him. Yes! He could hear them moving quickly. Seol Young listened to them in a daze. He didnt even notice that the demonic beings wereing to attack, and he continued to listen to them. I didnt pick up this piece of jade. It was around my neck when I was a baby. Then, does that mean he was the son of Baek Sans friend? His father was friends with Baek San? His heart pounded so fast that it showed no signs of slowing down. If that is true Then he had to meet them. Puak! After avoiding the demonic being that came to attack him, the fist of the demonnded on the wall, and its sharp ws snapped. Seol Young picked it up with his left hand and attacked them back. And then he shouted, I am here! I am over here! Seol Youngs voice broke through the screams of the demonic beings, but it seemed like it didnt reach them. Song Oks voice could be heard. Wait. Is this the same ce as before? Am I the only one who thinks this? No. Baek Eon answered. This is the ce we marked with spiritual qi earlier. Father, this is strange. This is not like a defense technique but more like a ce we continue toe back to. Hyo Wol added, It seems that when we try to get out, we end uping inside. Teacher, everything is a mess in here. Baek San groaned at this. Thew of causality. Is it because that guys strange power remains intact here? Kids stay alert. You dont know where we are going and what might happen. When the Lord died, his control over this ce was gone, which made the space work in a different direction than what it was made for. It wasnt because of some evil power. It was because thew was broken. So Baek Sans disciples couldnt spot him and continued to get lost. Where are you? Yah! Chun Kwang! I am here! If you are alive, answer me! Baek Sans voice faded slowly. He came all this way to find me. Am I going to die without even meeting him? His palms were sweaty as he dodged another attack. His hands were bloody as he touched the ground. Was this his blood or theirs He couldnt even count the wounds on his body. His eyes were bing blurry. It hurts. It is tough. Every time he felt that, the skull on his head moved like it was pressing itself onto his face. It was all just more despair. Do not resist and give up. It was forcing itself like that. No. There has to be a way. Seol Young thought so, and picked up another w as he fought, and then he thought, Call. He had seen it a couple of times when he fought with the Hwarangs. When in danger, they would take out a flute and blow into it, or they would shoot something into the sky. And the other Hwarangs woulde rushing to rescue them or fight together. I can do that too. But of course, he didnt have a flute or a firework in his hand, but he had a way. -Your voice holds power. The words Teacher Seo taught him. -That is why all the ghosts from the mountaine to your voice. It is your own innate thing. He said. -A person who sings really well can even attract souls. If such a person writes poetry, he will be a poet who gets noted even in the future, and if he sings, he will be talked about all around the world And he smiled. -If you do summons, then you can summon those of the living and ghosts too. There is no need for anything else. You just have to mean it. Every single word came to his mind as if Teacher Seo were teaching him right there. Maybe he really was. The tomb ghosts vanished through the me. Still, he had a feeling that they hadnt left his side. When he closed his eyes and opened them again, there they wereall five of them. It didnt seem like they burned in mes, but their forms were more intact than before, there was a soft smile on their faces. Seol Young told them, I am sorry. I didnt know it But they shook their heads. [Do not say that. We knew it.] A cold hand touched his shoulder. [We dont have time. So go ahead and call. With your will in it] Seol Young closed his eyes. The ghosts were right. He didnt have much time. He hoped they woulde and see them again. I am here. He began to reach out. It was hurting, and things were getting hard. It was as if his consciousness was now sinking. But he still called. At some point, he even forgot to fight the demonic beings. He couldnt even hear the Hwarangs talking, either. He continued to call. I am here. He called and called, but he didnt get an answer. No matter how long he waited, they didnte. The energy gradually faded, and there came a time when all the me had destroyed almost everything. He realized that the time hade for him too. Death was close. He exhaled a cold breath and touched his forehead. .. I dont want to die. His thoughts spread faintly. I want to see you again. The string of consciousness slipped from his hand. His breathing was turning hazy, and his body began to prepare for death. Just like someone who was ready to give up his life, the lights went out one by one in his body. All the things he had done in his life shed before his eyes. At that time, something broke down with a bang. Then he heard the footsteps of people running. Here! He is here! Baek San shouted, and it was followed by several surprised shouts. You came. Seol Young was happy. But he was feeling sleepy. He wanted to sleep. He has some pulse, but it is too slow! It looks like it is going to stop soon! NO! NO! His body was trembling. Get up! Why did you fight back with a weapon like this without giving up, even when you were all tied up?! It is because you waited for us! I am sorry! I am sorry that I cursed you! Please open your eyes. I cannot let this happen! As long as you open your eyes, I will do anything for you! You cannot give up now! Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were shouting. We found him toote. Baek Sans voice came from very close. How cold it must have been for you to live near the graves without knowing your parents. How sad must it have been to depend on the ghosts and now lose them? How hard have you fought all alone since you opened your eyes to this world? I really wanted to tell you these when I saw you again. A huge, warm hand touched him. You dont have to do that now. At that moment, Seol Young felt a great sense of relief. It was one of the warmest words he had heard. Really? He opened his eyes with much difficulty. Teacher wasnt there. Not even Baek Eon, Song Ok, or Hyo Wol. And not even the ghosts were there. No warm hands. Just a sword. Someone was standing and holding it in front of him. Blue Rainbow Yes. The man who was standing there with the sword answered. Seol Young realized it then. The warmest words that remained in his memory. It wasnt his teacher who said it, but Zaha. He was standing in front of Seol Young and was looking at him. The tip of Blue Rainbows sheath touched his forehead yfully. Get up. The cold energy of death dissipated. Chapter 154: Ghost City (18) Chapter 154: Ghost City (18) This is Seol Young looked around with nk eyes. The Chamber of Horrors. It was the ce where the Devil Lair Lord grabbed him and dragged him with the chains, leaving the skull mask on him. He thought he was there. But no. It was the first ce he saw. A deep darkness was swirling around him, and it looked like it would gulp him down any second. A curse. The most powerful curse which draws life into death. No He finally found out what a dangerous situation he was in. When he was just thirteen years old, Seol Young was on the brink of death. Just now, deeply assimted into that memory, he went to the entrance of that ce again. He couldnt do anything and got dragged into this ce. At that moment, he heard the sound of the chains on his wrist. It isnt over yet. Zahas voice made him raise his head. He was standing still, holding the Blue Rainbow sword. It seemed like he was telling Seol Young to put an end to it. Yes. Right. Seol Young received the sword with his left hand. Turning it behind his head, he grabbed the sheath with his chained right hand and then pulled out the sword. And he waited for his spiritual qi to rise. Then he hit the chain, making the taut chain snap. The severed end pped his temple. But it was more refreshing than painful. With that, his bad ties with the past were gone. The deathly whirlwind that was trying to gulp down Seol Young lost its power. It whirled around like a top and then lost its power. Phew Seol Young sighed. He couldnt get up, as his entire body felt weak. As he was touching his numb right arm, he suddenly thought Wait His hand went to his waist and touched it. At that moment, his face changed. He thought he didnt have anything on him earlier, so he picked up the w and used it to fight. But in fact, there was a weapon. He mumbled, What did you do with the soft sword? At least you remember it now. Zaha said. What would you have done if I had taken it away from you? You ignore me so much. No. I really didnt remember it. My thoughts went back to when I was a child Seol Young was making an excuse. Looking back now, he could see that Zaha had been thinking a lot to himself. He never forgot about the chain marks, either. When will Seol Young be chained? He kept trying to find the answer to that. That must have been the reason he brought the soft sword. If one of his hands was tied up, a wide-ranged attack would have been better for defense. I was such an idiot. He dropped his head and looked at the ring that was lying on the floor. Senior Oni! He quickly picked it up and put it on his finger. There werent any marks on his right wrist. The influence of the Devil Lair Lord had nowpletely vanished. -I am sorry. Those were thest words that the Lord said to him. He hated that one more than all the evil things he had done to him. It was more disgusting than the demonic beings who ran amok and cursed at him. Seol Young trembled again. I managed to kill him through all this, but that was what he wanted the most I didnt know. Zaha shook his head. My guess that he wanted an heir was right, but it held a different meaning. The skull mask had an endless curse on it. He needed someone toe and take it away from him. When I was young, I didnt understand it. I couldnt even properly exin it to Teacher. So I had no other choice but to do so. Seol Young sighed. From the moment the chain marks first appeared on my wrist, and I lost my power, his n was carried out perfectly. Step by step, he was cleverly making us kill him and fall into the trap. We didnt even know that and got hit. Feeling dizzy, Seol Young fell to the ground. I swore never to fall for the same trick. Yet, to see this happen again Look, here, Seol Young-rang. As if he wanted him to be a stronger Hwarang, he waited for Seol Young to break away from the chains, but this made him frown. It is a curse that you could have never broken alone. It is a technique that maniptes the soul by suggesting something. A curse that can only be lifted by hearing something from the outside. True, but Who told you not to push yourself too hard? Anyway, you can stop since you have done enough. You didnt give up when you were attacked too. You fought until the end and fell into the state of almost losing your life. Yet, until thest moment, your will was unbroken. An unbreakable will. Right. That was what Zaha thought was important. He felt sorry for the young Seol Young when he gave in against his will, and when he found hope, he watched him smile too. But Wait. A wrinkle formed between Seol Youngs brows. It is really over, but it feels so weird. What is it, Seol Young-rang? Toe here without getting lost, to arrive on time, to wake up and repeat the same thing my Teacher said. It really is like a miracle I am d you realize it. I thought you didnt. But no matter how much Great Mother tipped me off, it would have been difficult to guess that well Its been a long time since she was hiding. She cannot just expose herself. Still, it is questionable. Unless you have the ability to see through the hearts of people What is soplicated? The reason I was able to live is because the High Governor is truly strong. It was really nice. Really? He didnt quite get it, but he wasnt going to argue. Seol Young, who had some energy now, got up. We need to find Seo Geom-rang and the ghosts too. His spiritual power has now fully returned. Perhaps it was because he had absorbed the spiritual qi. It seemed like he was stronger now. Seol Young immediately threw something in the air. A number of talismans flew out like lightning. In this twisted world, he revealed what the real space and the fake space were. I will take the lead. Seol Young went out, following the glow of the light. But then he stopped. At least, he could see how Zaha hade this far. In the dark, someone stood there, covered in blood. Seeing that figure, the ring on his finger began to tremble. It was the person who made this ring. On So-rang. Seol Young called out to him, but the man didnt answer. Then, when Zaha came out, he finally said, [Did you find it?] His torn lips moved with difficulty. Other shadows began to appear one by one. All of the Sun and Moon Hwarangs were there. Some of them were swollen as if they had drowned. Some were poisoned, and their faces were purple. Some had no limbs intact, and some were charred. But no one seemed to know that they had be that way now. [Did you find him?] [The junior?] They asked Zaha. Seol Young realized it. When he was trapped inside and called for help, it felt like the Sun and Moon Hwarangs were reaching out to him from within this ce. Whether they were memories, souls, or whatever Yes. Found it. Zaha said. But the words didnt reach them. [Did you find him?] [The junior?] They continued to ask, and the ring on Seol Youngs hand wiggled. Oni, who had been doing well for a while, probably liked the new junior. But no matter how much fun a child was having, as soon as their parents showed up, they would leave everything behind and run. At that moment, it seemed they were the only ones Oni could see. It cannot be of much use. Seol Young thought so, and he brought Oni out. The baby dragon appeared on the ground, and it crawled to where the Hwarangs were and touched them with its head. But the head of the dragon passed through them. ? Oni seemed a bit shocked. It kept chasing after the Hwarangs and bumping its head. Lets go. At Zahas words, Seol Young took Oni and looked at the Hwarangs. Thanks to their help, he was able to get safely through this. He wont be able to forget that fact. If they are like this because of the memories of their death, I will hold a ritual as soon as I leave for the Hwarang dorms with the High Governor. Seol Young bowed to them, and then he followed Zaha. Aftering out, he saw ships in front of him. Now that thest curse had been lifted, the driving force that maintained this world hadpletely disappeared. Smoke was everywhere. And in the midst of that, the ships were sinking one by one. Seo Geom-rang! The two of them shouted and looked for him. He moved between the boats and ships and tripped over a chain that held all of them together. However, even though Seol Young was half-submerged in the water, he grabbed the chain and pulled himself out without any problem. Somehow, he didnt feel scared of the water anymore. Blue Dragon ship. We need to find the Blue Dragon ship. There it is. The boat with the head of a dragon could be seen in the smoke. So they went there quickly. They saw that Seo Geom-rang had fainted and was leaning against the ship. There were numerous ques around him. It seemed that before he lost consciousness, he had sealed all the ghosts who worked in the alcohol ce. Seo Geom-rang Zaha mumbled as he lifted him up. I didnt think he wanted to be praised this much. I promise you. If we can get out of here safely, I will definitely praise you. Doesnt that mean that it would be hard for them to get out of here? Seol Young took the ques and thought to himself. Fortunately, the gateway between the human world and the ghost world was open, so he hurriedly sent a talisman ahead to remove any evil spirits that were around, and they ran away. The moment they crossed the boundary, his feelings went dark, and his head was spinning. -Whisper The voices in the market. The sweet taste of sugar and the salty smell of the sea. All of those things mixed up, and the sound lingered in his ears. It was surely like that Suddenly, the noise of the market changed to the sound of the waves. Seol Young opened his eyes. He could see the moonlit night sky. It was the sea. At some point, he was lying t on his back, facing the sky. Waves crashed under his feet. Seol Young jumped up. In a ce not too far away, Zaha was also getting up. Why is it like this every time He was about to grumble about it, but he stopped talking and looked at the sea. Seol Young looked at him as well. In the middle of the pitch-ck night sea, colorful lights shimmered. Countlessnterns and tents. Shadows were running around the stalls, and there was low music. All of them slowly faded and disappeared. It was over now. Looking at that, he suddenly thought, Seo Geom-rang! The two looked back, and a Hwarang in blue was lying face down. They rushed to him and turned him over. Seo Geom was sleeping peacefully. A faint smile lingered on his sand-covered face. He was holding something tightly in his hand, and when they opened it, it was a small top. Seol Young looked down at the top for a moment. He didnt know what Seo Geom talked about with his hyung in his memories. He would never know it, either. But It seemed that he was able to confront his feelings properly. Then it was good. Seol Young nodded and put the top back in his hand again. Chapter 155: Ghost City (19) Chapter 155: Ghost City (19) At the sailors training ground. One, two, poke! Again, one, two The three Hwarangs, who hadntpletely outgrown their youthful look, were guiding the trainees. Baek San, the head of the White Tiger Troops, took care of orphans who had no ce to go. While taking in the trainees, he taught them with all his heart, and if he found them a good house, he would send the kids for adoption. The trainees who had gathered here to train suddenly nced to one side. Here again! Baek-Song-Wol also nced to the side. A shadow of a child could be seen behind the pir. He was secretly looking their way, with just half of his face exposed. Seol Young! Hyo Wol called out, but Seol Young disappeared like the wind. It wasnt just during the training. When the trainees shared snacks andughed. When they try on the newly made clothes for the trainees. There was always a shadow watching them from behind the pir. However, if anyone found him, he would disappear like a ghost. Seol Young! Seol Young left when he was called and ran away. He had been brought back from their, but he was only able to wake up thanks to the care of the people here. As soon as he recovered, he set out to explore the ce. He was curious about what Baek Eon, Song Ok, Hyo Wol, and the trainees were doing. But it was a bit embarrassing to get too close to them. Seol Young! As soon as he heard that, he would run away. Seol Young Even saying that, he ran away. Seol Even if they just opened their mouths, he would run away. Then one day, Baek San had some work to do at home, so he went out. On that night, the door to the study room opened, and the three, Baek-Song-Wol, burst inside. After encircling Seol Young so that he wouldnt escape, they put something down. It was arge drinking jug. Baek Eon said, This is a chrysanthemum wine made from yellow ones. It is a medicinal herb that protects your insides and brightens your eyes. To celebrate our new youngest, let us share a drink. Ah, yes Seol Young epted the alcohol that the three poured out for him. However, after drinking one cup, Song Ok said, It doesnt look like he drank much. Hyung, lets pour another. Sure, Seol Young, take this. Yes. Seol Young epted it and drank again. When it came to alcohol, he started when he was just a kid. Thinking that the sacrificial wine that was offered to the graves was water, he gulped it down without examining it properly. Even after learning about alcohol, if there was no water, he would drink the alcohol right away. Among the demonic beings, there was a belief that those who were good at drinking were considered the best, so they would deliberately make him drink despite being young. But he never got drunk As he exchanged drinks with Baek Eon and Song Ok, they began to get more confused. The empty liquor jars continued to grow. One, four, five, seven Hyo Wol! Wake up! Song Ok called out to him in a low voice. He seems to be drunk! He is now sleeping! Lean on me and sleep! What? Hyo Wol, who had fallen to the ground, jumped up. And he heard the three of them talking. Are you sure he is sleeping? His eyes are open, though? They shook Seol Young and even touched his face, then theyughed until their stomachs hurt. Seol Young! You are really drunk! That was it. After that, he lost consciousness. He remembered that there was something enjoyable about it. But he couldnt remember anything else. When he opened his eyes, it was morning, and everyone was sprawled out in the room. Then Seol Young realized that he was lying on Baek Eons leg. His left arm was under Hyo Wols body, and his right hand was inside Song Oks mouth. It seems like he mistook it for a chicken leg. He had to get up His head throbbed, and at that moment. You people were here? The door burst open. A huge shadow fell into the messy room. Baek San was at a loss for words. Four disciples were sleeping, and entangled like bandits. Alcohol jars were lying and rolling around next to them Kids! Everyone jumped up in surprise at the sound. What have you been doing? To drink all the chrysanthemum wine that we were supposed to use on the Double Ninth Day! He shouted. Then Baek San brought out the disciples, who were still asleep. They were made to kneel down, fill the jugs with water, not alcohol, and drink them. Of course, Seol Young was no exception. Id rather be hit! Hit me until I pass out! Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol begged. They thought that the alcohol, which was good for the body, would be good for the young boy. So to be punished like this for something they had never received when they were kids made them feel ashamed. But apart from that It was so funny to see them all do the same thing. In addition, thinking back tost night, Baek-Song-Wol had to hold back theirughter by biting their cheeks on each side as they looked into each others eyes. Seol Young also smiled, but there was a problem. My arm hurts. The odd feeling in his arm grew, and Seol Young finally opened his eyes. He saw the familiar yellow ceiling. Sunlight was shining through the window. And his arm wasid under a pile of nkets, which made him pull it out. It must have been a dream. For a moment, he thought he was back in his childhood. He still smiled at what happened then. They wanted him to be with them, but as soon as he got better, he ran away. How stupid was he back then? Still, they would all go to him first. At that time, their teacher was like an angry tiger, but how much was he alsoughing inside? The alcohol smell of that day still felt so vivid to him. Come to think of it, isnt it over? Seol Young got up. This wasnt his ce. However, the ce was familiar, and there was a reason he was there. After the twists and turns, he escaped the Devil Lair Lord and found Se Geom too. He was so anxious that he couldnt even lift a finger now. Zaha also seemed to be the same. The two just sat there in silence. Then a merchant who went out to work early found them. The two sitting on the beach seemed familiar to him, so he went closer to them. And he was surprised. Arent you the young lords who I guidedst time? What are you doing here? And why is this young lord lying down? Are you drunk? Through him, they learned that three days had passed since they entered the Ghost City. And did they only eat one meal in three days? It was natural that their bodies wouldnt move. So they went to eat first, then sent a person to contact the Blue Dragon Hwarangs, who were training in the river close by. They had been looking for Seo Geom too, so they came running right away. When they all returned to the capital, they were all so exhausted. The only thing that came to Seol Youngs mind was Mount Seondo. I need to go there. Whether Im a white-robed Hwarang or not, I need to go there now. Baek Eon, Song Ok, Hyo Wol, and their troops must not have returned yet from their training in the mountains. Meanwhile, Yeon Hong, who had turned fifteen years old this year, took the trainees who were too young to Mount Seondo. Like an injured animal barely crawling to its home, Seol Young went there and passed out. The kids will be so surprised. When he woke up, he saw that the kids had taken off his robe and treated the wound on his right arm. Then Seol Young went out. You woke up! Then little Myung Kyung and the other ones rushed towards him. Sa-rang, no, Seol Young-rang, did you get a nice sleep? We thought you would wake upte, so we had breakfast first. We will serve it right now. Yeon Hong said confidently. Seol Young looked at them. Perhaps it was because he almost died and came back to life, but each one of them looked so new. Even when he was young, he was never good at dealing with people, but he really cared about these kids. And for some reason, that made him miss his teacher. So he said to Yeon Hong, I will go greet Teacher first. Yes. Since he copsed immediately yesterday, he wasnt able to talk to Baek San. Seol Young went to the shrine. He bowed to the shrine tablet on the altar. Thanks to your care, I came back safely this time. As he was looking at it, a thought came to mind. It was said that the three Baek-Song-Wol made a decision as they were carrying Seol Young, who had be a wreck and escaped from their. No matter who this child is, let us be his sworn brothers and support him for the rest of his life. After Seol Young regained consciousness, he told everyone the story of the tomb ghosts. And he turned out to be the child of his lost friend, so Baek San was also happy. Since his son and his two disciples epted Seol Young as their brother, his joy was even greater. Thanks to their devoted nursing and treatment, his injury healed. He only had one concern. I remember it now. Seol Young looked down at his right wrist. Despite killing the Lord at that time, blurry stains kept appearing and disappearing on the young Seol Youngs hand. The image looked like a chain. It seems that his evil powers are still there. Even though your soul is free after entering this ce, he still persists in finding you Baek San told him with a worried look. I guess I have to do something. What something? Listen. We have disposed of your things topensate for the past damage as much as possible, but the other four Hwarang troops still oppose our decision. For the reason that a child who uses sorcery cannot be epted as a Hwarang So do not use sorcery in the meantime. And the protests will be put to rest, and that guy wont be able to find you. It seems like he can find you using the sorcery that you use as clues. Saying so, Baek San covered Seol Youngs small hand. From my point of view, you need to be careful for the next ten years. It will be difficult because it is like forcibly sealing it, but you can endure it, right? Yes, Teacher. Seol Young nodded. Anything was good. If he could be together with the White Tiger Spirit Troops And so Baek San made sure to seal it. Through the spiritual meridian, he prevented Seol Young from using sorcery. He had already heard it beforehand, but it was painful to have it done. As he suffered day and night, his mind became more blurry. About the Devil Lair Lord and the reason why his teacher banned him Only vague memories remained, and he had forgotten about the details. Right. This is better. Dont even think about those things now. Baek San couldnt sleep as he sighed and nursed Seol Young, who was in pain. Actually, there is someone who can take care of the evil energy left inside of you. But all of a sudden, that person left the capitalst year and went into solitary confinement. Still, if I can find him, something can be done. After recalling that point, Seol Young realized it. Wait. He didnt know it then, but was the person that Teacher was talking about Zaha? If he was still here, he would have helped youpletely get rid of that guy. Teacher said. Unfortunately, after seven years, it actually happened. And that fact made him feel strange. Even if it doesnt look like it, doesnt everything go around in the world? With that thought, he looked at the shrine tablet of his teacher. How long was it? All of a sudden, a muffled sound came from outside. He could hear the voices of his three hyungs. They are back? Then Seol Young quickly went out. Chapter 156: Ghost City (21) Chapter 156: Ghost City (21) Based on the schedule of the White Tiger Troops, they shouldnt be back this soon, but Seol Young wasnt mistaken. Seol Young! Hyo Wolughed and shouted with the trainees present. Baek Eon and Song Ok also looked his way. They were all smiling and d that he was safe. Seol Young was speechless. Looking back at his memories of the past that he only vaguely remembered, the affection of his hyungs felt amazing. As such, after each of them fulfilled their roles and returned home safely, they got to meet each other. Baek Eon nodded as if he knew it all. Do note out. We also need to greet him. Yes. Seol Young entered the shrine again. We are home. We have returned safely after training this fall. While they all bowed, Seol Young stood at the side and watched. When they were done, he asked, Why did youe back earlier than nned? We just felt it. Baek Eon said, After leaving the capital, the three of us had the same dream each time. A dream in which there was nothing after we chased an evil being through an endless time. Song Ok and Hyo Wol spoke. Since nothing happened to the three of us, we assumed something had happened to you. We decided to end the training quickly and go to where the Ghost City was. But then, we didnt have the strange dream again. And we felt relieved, as if it had been resolved, so we came back here. And the kids were also exhausted from the tight schedule. No. I am d that Sa-rang is safe. The trainees also answered. But the look of fatigue on their bodies was clear. Baek Eon smiled. Then lets head back and rest. Yes. All the boys bowed politely and withdrew. Hyo Wol, the only one of the three, asked, How much trouble did you go through that you didnt get home and fell asleep here? I sometimes knew that you werent a normal guy, but this is beyond my imagination. Even a tiger was said to act cautiously at times, knowing there could be traps. Well, its all over now. Do you remember the Devil Lair Lord? It was the ce where I was confined before I joined. Just as the Nirvana painting and Miss Dohwa came back, so did the Lord of thatir. Seol Young told his hyungs of what happened. All this time, everything rted to that topic had been kept a secret, and Baek San had less time left than he thought. Therefore, even Baek Eon and the others didnt know much about the Lord or the demonic beings. But because Seol Young was able to look through the past from start to finish, he understood it now. Now I am telling you that the harp box case was also because of the Devil Lair Lord. The evil being that had been torturing me until now managed to reach out to my hyungs. It is always like that. Song Ok frowned. But you know its not your fault, right? Yes. Seol Young nodded. Because Teacher always said that. He was able to figure it out now. As time was running out, Teacher must have made a choice. If the bad rtionships couldnt be solved, then stepping forward would do something. They had to make sure to have a solid foundation so that they could ovee any crisis that mighte their way. Teachers arrangement also yed a bit of a role in preserving Seol Young. Seol Young looked at the tablet and said, Teacher, I have something to show you. When he took out Blue Rainbow and raised his aura, blue energy rose up. But along with that, a soft light fell like a shadow, and Seol Youngs White Tiger energy dazzled a lot more. His three hyungs were surprised at this. How did you achieve such progress in such a short period of time? It is because I epted the spiritual meridian. The Sun and Moon Troops spiritual qi. Seol Young talked about how his vein was blocked and was now open. Hyo Wol asked in surprise, The High Governor told you not to discard the energy that entered your body but to keep it instead? Yes, he told us to inherit the teachings of the past troops and further increase the fame of the White Tigers. Teacher would like that, right? Of course, the dead couldnt answer. However, it was as if they could see the face of their teacher chuckling. This is a meaningful event for the entire troop, but it is also something to think about. Baek Eon had a gentle smile. The High Governor was very close with them. After that happened, he tried to take over the troops, but at that time, he didnt have suitable juniors to continue it. But to say that you would inherit the teachings of the past troops. That means that all of your personality, qualities, and abilities have been acknowledged, and I am very happy with that. Seol Young was silent. Rather than admitting it, isnt it because I was just the only one who could use it? Who knows what secret is behind After thinking, he said, Is it too soon? Would you like to bring some chrysanthemum alcohol that has been brewed directly from our ce to the Governor? Since the High Governor has returned, maybe the Governor would feel happy. Right. The house of the High Governor must be a temple now. I will go and bring him some chrysanthemum alcohol. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol looked shocked. The youngest, who had no social skills, stepped forward and said this. They could hardly believe it. Yes, yes, I will prepare it right now. The three of them dragged Seol Young out of the shrine. Laughing and chatting happily, they headed to the liquor room, where they were punished as kids. It was fine until then. But when he arrived at Zahas house with the bottle of alcohol that he had prepared, apletely unexpected scene unfolded before him. What was this? The gate was open, and people were crowding inside. Everyone was screaming loudly. Careful! Be careful! Carts that were loaded with alcohol jars entered the gate in a row. In the middle of the carts was the g of the Golden Ring Troops. In addition, there were the Vermilion Bird Hwarangs, dressed in red, carrying huge pots of wine. Seol Young looked at this. He could see that everyone had the same thoughts, so maybe he should just head home. But then Bibi and Chunchun ran quickly to him. Seol Young-rang! They smiled at the alcohol bottle in his hand, andpared to the ones that had been brought by others, it was a cute look. Did you bring chrysanthemum alcohol? Yes. However, Im not the representative of the White Tiger Troops I know. Because you are in a white robe. Now,e on. Seol Young was caught by them and brought to the main hall. The moment they stepped inside, a certain Hwarang appeared. At the sight, he frowned since it was Seo Geom. Their eyes met. The things they had experienced together in the Ghost City passed through his mind. It is a bit pitiful when I havee to know Seo Geom-rang. At the time, he was in the middle of closed training, so I didnt know anything He thought so. Seol Young made a huge decision and straightened his frowning face. Seo Geom-rang, are you feeling okay? In his own way, he tried to talk to him. ? But why was Seo Geom staring at him with a confused face? Why is the Ghost Demon King saying that to me? It was that kind of look. Then Seol Young only found him then. Behind him, Zaha shook his head and waved his hand. When their eyes met, he shook his head and pointed at his head with his finger. It seemed to mean, Seo Geom-rang doesnt remember anything about the Ghost City. Without knowing that, he began to talk kindly, and now Seol Young looked like a strange person. Seol Youngs face went cold. I hate the Blue Dragon Troops. He left Seo Geom and strode ahead. ? Seo Geom tilted his head and looked at Seol Young. He was about to say something, but then he stopped. Is it because the chain was released? He seems to have forgotten everything. Zaha let out a sigh. I was wondering if this incident would make the two of you get along, just in case. I must have been dreaming too big. It is better this way. Seol Young responded calmly. Because there are too many people talking nonsense about Chun Kwang, and looking into other peoples memories together is not a high He said that with a lot of emotion, but a thought crossed his mind. The time when his wrist was tied and dragged by the chain of the Lord. How could Zahae to the right ce and wake him up by saying what Teacher had told him? He had been thinking about finding an answer if he had the chance. But as they talked about looking into memories together, a scene came to his mind. It was right here in this room in his house. Anyway, Seol Young-rang. You should havee sooner if you were fine. Why did youe thiste? Do you know how hard it was for me to handle all these people? You should havee to handle a couple of Hwarangs, at least. How can you be like this? Zaha quickly changed the topic to which Seol Young said coldly, Take out Great Mother. What? I know how you found out what Teacher had told me. It is because the High Governor had Great Mother. Great Mother. A light shed from the que that was around Zahas cor as if to say yes, and then it vanished. Just as I thought! Seol Young shouted. It is because of its sensitivity. The first time, you didnt even know the identity of the Lord and called him the nk demon. Right in this very room, you cast a spell on me, and we looked into my memories together. It was the memory of when I was captured. Some of the power from that time remained, like an emotion that is clinging on. When I was tied in chains and dragged away to this unknown ce, you did the same thing. With that, you looked into my memories, right? I too. I really thought that you showcased your divine powers then. This man could make a good living by cheating people. That was the look that Seol Young gave him. Yah, Seol Young-rang. His lie had been exposed, but without batting an eye, Zaha said so confidently, Fine. I guess thats it. But if you hadnt known the truth, you would have said, The High Governor is really like a God. He reached into his sleeve and pulled something out. Then with his clenched fists, he smiled and said, Guess what this is. Do you think I would be deceived again? Seol Young said, It must be sugar. No. Zaha said. This is a very important clue. What now? You could have died if you screwed it up that time. And you always spoke about information being obtained at the cost of blood. Isnt it inevitable to move big to set a big trap? It was a big gamble, too. I had to put a lot on the line. Right. So I was able to learn the truth about the Devil Lair Lord, whom you didnt know in the past. Is that all? You know that thats not really whats important. The God of Cataclysm, whose existence awakened the evil spirit and made it move. We need to get information about that. Zaha smiled. Can you figure it out now with this? And he stretched out his hand. But this. Seol Young tried to keep his face expressionless, but Zaha noticed that his eyes widened a little. Chapter 157: Ghost City (22) Chapter 157: Ghost City (22) What Zaha showed was the bracelet of the Devil Lair Lord. A snake biting its tail in its mouth. A symbol of an eternal cycle. When he saw it in the Ghost City, it was full of Yokai^n1[TL/N: Demons] qi, and it made him feel it was alive. But now it just looked like a thingmaybe even a corpse? It just looked dead to him. Seol Young looked surprised. Where is this from? Zaha replied casually. It was from Seo Geom-rang. You didnt find it, so I took care of it. Hepletely forgot about it. It was like seven years ago. The moment he found the secret of the Lord and killed him, the bracelet fell off his wrist. Rather, after that, he was chained and dragged away, and after the twists and turns, hepletely forgot about it as he came out of their. It was ridiculous to think about such a thing. This time, its not that I was distracted because of my younger self, but I would have remembered it when I visited Seo Geom-rang again! How would I forget it? Do not beat yourself up too much. That could be some sort of curse. Pleasee here and take a closer look. Admit it. The High Governor has God-like powers. the High Governor is like a God Say that again. Zaha was having a lot of fun here, but Seol Youngs face went cold. That was what he thought when he was sitting alone in his room. The next time I will meet the High Governor, I will treat him better. But when he looked at that face, that thought vanished. Perhaps it was 90% the fault of the other party. Everything Teacher said is right, but there is just one thing that is wrong. Seol Young said that in a blunt tone. Teacher was worried about the power of the Lord that hadnt left mepletely. There was just one person who could help me in that situation, but since he was in seclusion for a year, he couldnt find that person Baek San said that? That is strange. When he was alive, he just nagged me. It is true. But even my teacher got tricked. Why? The High Governor at that time would have killed me the very moment you would have seen me. Just thinking of the numerous times you tried to stab me, I still flinch at the sight of your sword Zaha suddenly went silent, as if pretending he didnt hear that. Then Seol Young quickly snatched the bracelet away. And Zaha? He looked at it, but the bracelet was gone. He protested. Seol Young-rang, why are you doing this? Why? Are you saying that you are the only one who could use that technique? You should know that if you treat the others as fools, you will be treated the same. Seol Young responded quickly and changed the topic. Anyway, doesnt this conclude it? The Lord was resurrected because someone woke him up. This bracelet is his keepsake. If I can use this, I can get a glimpse of when he got resurrected. Of course, it was the God of Cataclysm who woke him up. In other words, they could get a glimpse of the moment when he was revived. Right. Zaha didnt make any more jokes and agreed with him right away. If we do well, we can get a clue about the God of Cataclysm. Nice. Then lets do it. But Seol Young looked around since he needed a quiet ce where no one could disturb them, but the entire ce was crowded today. Where would be a good ce? He immediately remembered something. Come to think of it Seol Young lowered his gaze. There were two weapons that helped them in the Ghost City. One was the soft sword, but as soon as it returned to the human world, it turned into scraps. The other was the ringthe weapon of the Sun and Moon Troops. Seol Young looked at the ring where Senior Oni was inside and raised his head. What about the basement in the Hwarangs Hall? It is a ce where no onees. Zaha nodded. Come to think of it, it is quiet and dark there. Good. I have something to do. Seol Young got up and took the alcohol bottle. I will take this one and bring you a better one the next time. And the two left for the pce. After seeing their leaders, the ring lost its shine. However, as soon as they opened the door to the Hwarangs Hall, a light shone brightly. Seol Young silently took out the ring and put it on the dead On So-rangs desk. Zaha nced over. He didnt need to have such an ending. He seemed to be thinking that. Well, to be honest, he coveted Onis ability, and there was nothing that could be used as an excuse for using a dead mans research. But He kept thinking about how Oni followed their seniors and thumped his head while looking at them. And the look on its face, wondering why it couldnt touch them. So it was better to put it back in its rightful ce. I wille and often y with you. After Seol Young said that to Oni, he opened the bottle he had with him. Without telling anyone in particr, he looked around and said, Since the time is approaching, this junior will pour some alcohol for his seniors. Seol Young brought the ss from the pce that the Hwarangs used. Jin Hwa, Su Oh, Myo Eun, On So, Eul So, and Ho Yeon. Calling the names of the people, he ced a ss for each of them, and then he stepped back as he said, As you drink one drink at a time, this junior will y one song. On one side, the instruments used by their seniors were ced neatly. A three-string pipa, a harp, a bamboo flute, and somerge flutes that they used. Seol Young picked up one of them. Seeing the character Yeon on the pipa, he thought it was used by Senior Ho Yeon. Then ncing at Zaha, he put his hand on the string. And Zaha asked, What song will you y? Just a song. Seol Young turned and began to pull the strings. The bright and clear sound of pipa filled the ce. The song had lyrics. And they were as follows. *Dear Moon, are you moving to the West now?* *Please tell me in front of the Buddha.* *Respect the Buddha, who has a deep resolve, and put your hands together to pray.* *Please tell me there is someone who misses you* The song went as such, and it was written by a great monk during the reign of King Munmu. Seol Young saw how the seniors were in a horrible state and promised them a parting ritual. A requiem that drew in the hopes of the deceased and prayed for their rebirth. However, the Hwarangs were naturally not friendly with talismans, and they mainly performed rituals with incense. So Seol Young had to do this. He yed the same song for each of the instruments there. Maybe even Zaha knew the origins of a few of these music sheets that he was ying. But whatever this was, what he was doing now was enough. Fortunately, Zaha didnt speak much and stayed still. Eventually, it ended, and Seol Young bowed to them onest time. I will stop by often to give you drinks and maybe y some songs again too. He returned the pipa to its rightful ce and headed to the dark room next to it. But the moment he closed the door, he heard someone talking from behind. Both of them looked back. The door had cracks in it. *Whisper.* Hwarangs with silver belts were gathered and talking. Some were sitting on the desk, while others were holding books in their hands and reading them. And there was On So in the back with a brush ced near his ear. The illusion appeared and vanished for a brief instant, but they were certain of one thingeveryone seemed fine. He never once looked like that to me. Zaha mumbled, but he didnt seem to hate it. -The High Governor was very close to the Sun and Moon Troops. He remembered what Baek Eon said. Seol Young quickly erased the memories of the Hwarangs in their horrid state from his mind. At that time, he heard that the dead Hwarangs had been hit in an instant without knowing anything. It would not be like that this time. He vowed that to himself. Should we do it then? Seol Young put the bracelet down in the dark room. Then he wrote the character Permission on a talisman and handed it to Zaha. When he put it on the wooden ne, the reaction was huge. Seol Young closed his eyes and put his fingers on the bracelet. I will start it now. As spiritual power was infused into it, the surroundings changed a little. Show me the moment of death. Seol Young ordered. The next moment, they were in the Lair. It was a ce that he clearly remembered. It was the huge hall where the Lord would perform his evil deeds. Zaha asked, You killed him here? Yes. At that moment, another young Seol Young was there. His hair was neatly tied, and he had a long robe too. [Devil Lair Lord!] The young kid attacked the moment the Lord used hisw of cause and effect. There were two Lords. They collided with the intent to take down each other since only one of them could be there. And then there was a sh of light. Finally The thoughts of the Lord could be heard. But before he died, that bastard managed to perform onest spell. *ck!* Suddenly, shackles appeared and went around the wrists of the child. Then there was a loud scream. The joy and happiness the child must have felt were over. After that, the world was dark. How long was it? ck mes began to rise, and Seol Young looked at Zaha. It ising. The me got bigger and bigger. The Lord was being awakened. And they realized it. The skull mask that he handed over was still actually on the Lords head, and that was when he realized he had failed. The Lord began to move, following the ck mes, which woke him from his slumber. Then Seol Young took the lead. Follow me. The two ran ahead and went for the mes too. They saw the back of the Lord running in front. Under the hairpin that looked like a huge crown, ck hair hung like a veil. ck smoke rose from every spot where the hem of the dress would touch. The God of Cataclysm. Seol Young asked, What now? We move forward. Zaha boldly said, They moved in a path that had one or two turns, and through the mes, they could slowly see her. A face with countless talismans and her hair that flowed. Zaha lowered his voice. Can you see the face behind the talismans? This is just the consciousness of the Lord. If he saw her face, we could see it too. If he didnt see it, we cannot either. So nothing we do changes it? Yes, it is just reying the scene. Seol Young looked ahead. The figure of the God of Cactlysm was getting close. The wind shook, and there was ck smoke everywhere. The beads around her began to dance wildly, and the talismans on her face were blown upside down by the wind. What Seol Young opened both his eyes to the best of his ability and stared beyond the talismans. Something began to show. Chapter 158: Ghost City (23) Chapter 158: Ghost City (23) What is this? He was quite shocked at first. But then Seol Young noticed something. He was now looking into the deepest part of darkness. Are we looking into the eyes of the evil spirit? He heard Zahas voice. Maybe. That was the appearance of the God of Cataclysm that the Lord looked into. It could be that they met her eyes behind the talismans. Trying to watch it through the memories of others almost made him feel like he was plummeting into the deepest darkness. Just like galloping on horseback, unknown afterimages would sh by him. But this was the first time he had experienced this. Should he stop? But then he wouldnt get anything. He had struggled so much to get this bracelet into his hand. I cannot give up. Seol Young looked at the corner of his vision, and it was shining there. It was the brightness of Zahas sword. If anything, it was waiting to cover everything with light and end the Memory Projection. Someone was watching, and this could be dangerous. There was no guarantee of their sess, but they could at least try to wake up what was trying to cause havoc. Seol Young thought about it. Then can I watch a little more to know the truth? He raised his spiritual power, which he had lowered to be cautious, to the maximum. And the darkness was filled with faint afterimages. Seol Young took a quick look and said, We need to find it here. Find what? Something we can get to find out the truth. What clues have we found out about her until now? She wears the same crown as the old priestess. And that she was seen in the Old Pce before. Old Pce. There was a response to Seol Youngs voice. Through the smoke that was spreading, they saw the long corridor of the Old Pce open up. There it is. Before it disappeared, he used his spiritual power and took a closer look. He could see the back of the God of Cataclysm standing in the corridor of the Old Pce. And there were people around her. They were young men. They wore a robe, a sword, and a bird-feathered crown. That is? Zaha mumbled. All of them are Hwarangs. Then did that mean she had something to do with the Hwarangs? What is this? Seol Young narrowed his eyes and looked straight into her, but at that moment, the woman who was surrounded by the Hwarangs looked back. ck smoke came out from the center of her face and spread everywhere. Thick and powerful demonic energy spread around, and Seol Young felt like he was suffocating. Lets go! He barely said that, and Zahas sword moved. The light of the sword covered the entire ce. The Memory Projection ended, and they were able toe out fine. Seol Young got up in the dark room. He remembered what he saw. How can this be? As soon as his dizziness subsided from the Memory Projection ending, he said, We found out another thing with this, but He couldnt understand it. If she yed the role of a priestess and led the Hwarangs, then doesnt that mean she was a Governor? Did the God of Cactlysm use to be a Governor? No. Zaha was deep in thought. Until now, I thought she must have been rted to the pce or the Great Heavenly Pavilion, but it turns out that she was rted to the Hwarangs He was also genuinely shocked. Anyway, she wasnt a Governor. Absolutely not, since only men could do that task. Maybe a Wonhwa, though? Wonhwa? 1 When he heard that, a thought passed through his mind. During the time of King Jin Heung, when the Hwarangs were first created, the King selected two women to lead the Hwarangs. In other words, they were female Governors. They were called Wonhwa. At the time, the two of them were known to be at odds with each other, and in the end, the Wonhwa Jin Jung drowned Nammo in a river. After that, the Wonhwa system was abolished, and the position of Governor was handed down to the Hwarangs. There were brief resurrections, whether it was due to a revtion from heaven to the pavilion or something else. But still, it had been a long time since a woman ruled the Hwarangs. And he learned that during his trainee days. Was the God of Catclysm a Wonhwa then? Seol Young frowned. Then is she Nammo or Jun Jung? Or is she someone else? We need to find out about it. We need to get the records of any Wonhwas. Where can we get them? The ce where thest painting was left. Zaha said. From what I know, when the war was in full swing in the past, a nobledy who was amazing in martial arts led the Hwarangs for a period of time. Then? This is my first time hearing it. They dont teach you this in the Hwarangs. It was such a short period, and it didnt end well. After saying that, Zaha asked Seol Young, Have you ever heard the legend of the womans corpse that floated in the South Sea during the reign of King Mu Yeol? Yes. They say she was 73 feet tall 73 feet tall, she was ten times taller than a normal person. Seol Young did say it out loud, but then he got surprised. The giant was thest Wonhwa? To be around 73 feet tall and be able to perform outstanding martial arts Hearing that, Zahas expression changed. It isnt that. How can one be 73 feet tall? The record suggests that the dead one was that tall and skilled. Study it sometime, Seol Young. Even if I dont know it, it wouldnt stop my chances to live my life. Isnt your life in danger now, though? He was right, and Seol Young said, Then, from the educated High Governor, teach me something. About that thing. I dont know if the 73 feet tall giant was a Wonhwas corpse. Well, it might be true that during the time of King Mu Yeol, a woman of high status died, and her body floated in the South Sea. Zaha continued. The woman who led the Hwarangs when she was alive was called Jeok Ryun, and they say she left a curse behind when she died. The curse remains one of the most well-known among the troops. Along with Jeok Ryuns remains, everything she left behind has been sealed. Is that so? Seol Young was intrigued by this. Then he asked with shining eyes, Where is this troop? Of course, it cannot be our White Tiger Think. During the days of the Ghost Demon King, when you found several warriors, didnt one of them show a strange look? Ah. Seol Young recognized it right away. The Vermillion Birds. It is right. It must have been them, and we need to check it out. Zaha got up, but he forgot one thing. Ah, there is no way they will open their doors to me. Seol Young mumbled. If it were another troop, he would have burst open the door. But these ones? How would he convince them? He had never met them. If he happened to run into their leader, Hwa Un, only an angry re woulde his way. Zaha was aware of this. What about you? If you cannot negotiate well, I will drag you out of there. As the High Governor, I will stand there and mediate the dispute you two have. We need to go meet them to know. Seol Young got up. When he looked at the bracelet in his hand, the snake had turned ck. Was it because he overused his spiritual power? When he touched it, it crumbled and turned into powder. Even that fluttered into the air without leaving a trace. Seol Young cleared the air with his hand and turned around. Lets go. The two immediately left that ce and went to the Governor. As a white robe Hwarang, he had to report where he was going and for what reason. This is also needed to reveal my injustice. If we fail, I will take responsibility. I get it. Jin Rim nodded his head. In any case, this was to help the others, so he had no reason to stop Seol Young. On the contrary, he felt proud of him. Seol Young and Zaha went straight to the Namhwa Hall. It was the headquarters of the Vermillion Birds, which was located in a cozy mountain ce. In other words, it was secluded. In front of their door was a red bird with its wings outstretched, and two disciples were standing guard. They looked to see who wasing, and they were startled. High Governor! They bowed their heads, and then they looked at Seol Young with puzzled faces. What is it for Seol Young-rang to havee here? Because of their low ranks, they spoke politely, but their question was pretty straightforward. Seol Young said, Is Hwa Un-rang inside? Yes. But first, state your reason for visiting this ce. I will tell him directly. They thought for a while, but the disciples looked at Zaha, who was silent, not siding with anyone, and just watched. They were a bit shocked. If it was just the Ghost Demon King, they didnt care if he would stand there for a long time, but with the High Governor here, they couldnt let him stand outside any longer. This is They ran inside and called their leader. Hwa Un appeared right then. High Governor. He was shocked and greeted Zaha first. Seol Young had no interest in being modest with this guy, either. But when he heard that the curse of a Wonhwa was what was tormenting them, he became a bit more interested in it than in their past. So he looked at him. Hwa Un was a tall, young noble and was befitting to be the head of a troop. In Seol Youngs mind, he always held a fan in his hand and pretended to look ssy. And after fighting him as the Ghost Demon King, things became messy, but He remembered a couple of things then. When Hwa Un faced Seol Young, he couldnt help but recall the past, so his face contorted. What is Seol Young-rang doing here? Saying so, he opened his fan. It seemed like he was going to throw an assassins needle at him. There was tension in the air. While everyone looked at them, only Zaha had shining and interested eyes. Hurry up. He nced at Seol Young. After greeting him, Seol Young said, I came here to make an offer. And I refuse. I will solve the curse of the Vermillion Bird troops. ? Hwa Un was at a loss for words. The Hwarangs who were there also looked surprised at him.
  1. TL/N: Female warriors of Si time.
Chapter 159: Jeok Ryun (1) Chapter 159: Jeok Ryun (1) In the middle of two towering mountains that faced each other. A mountain with many legends and hidden valleys in every corner. A sacred mountain where the important people of Si would gather to discuss important things. There was a time when a fight broke out, and the entire Southern Mountain was in a mess. And the Vermillion Bird Troops were also pulled into this. It was the fight with the Ghost Demon King. The Ghost Demon Kings troops came to the mountain to rescue hisrades, who had been captured by the Vermillion Bird Troops. [Uhhh] A gloomy and deafening wail echoed around the dark valley. Various kinds of ghosts and demons charged ahead with spears. Do not let even one of them live! Under themand of their leader, the Vermillion Bird Troops dealt with all of them, but the moment the Ghost Demon King used his power, everything changed. The spirits of the nine heavens and the underground, wake up! It was the horrid voice of the Ghost Demon King, whose gender couldnt be identified. And then the entire mountain shook. Ahhhhh! A sharp cry echoed, and their hall shook. It seemed to be very angry. ! The Vermillion Bird Troops began to tremble. They were terrified for some reason. And the Ghost Demon King didnt miss this chance. People with uncertainty in their hearts were easy to take over. After he had turned them into that state, all of their sacred objects would be useless. It is a trap! Ack! The Vermillion Bird Troops were devastated on the mountain that they were proud of. Eventually, even Hwa Un, their leader, fell for the trap. And it was not an ordinary pit that he had fallen into. The moment he realized where he had fallen, Hwa Uns face was pale. The ck Sky Pit. It was a secret that only the demonic beings knew. Hwa Un, who was only 18 years old at that time, had a nice face, wore gold earrings, a gold bracelet, and red clothes, andmanded the troops like he was a Crown Prince. And to think he fell into a pit made by ghosts. Hwa Un hurriedly took out a piece of cloth, but his entire body was a mess, and the cloth also seemed dirty. Ack! He threw it aside. The enemys figure was blurry. A huge, masked monster that shed here and there was making fun of him. Ghost Demon King. The Ghost Demon King sat silently in the seat of the main hall in the Namhwa hall. Even though he wore a white robe with no pattern, it was still a Hwarangs outfit. And even though he didnt have a Yin-Yang que, he had a sword. He sat with his back straight, making a chill run down their spines. Who would think the two were the same people? He is the Ghost Demon King! Hwa Uns eyes were enraged. He was pouring him some alcohol, but he regretted that it wasnt poison. Seol Young ignored his gaze and calmly thanked him. Thank you. Then he turned around and looked at Zaha. High Governor, drink? Seeing him politely ask the High Governor for permission, everyone was shocked. This guy! They knew that Seol Young solved many things. Especially when it came to revealing the truth about Seo Jun-rangs death. It was because two of their Hwarangs participated in that mission. But that was it In the hearts of the Vermillion Bird Hwarangs, the memory of being humiliated by this guy was clearer. Even if Seol Young wasnt a bad person now, they still thought of him in the same manner. I have been wondering why the High Governor hasnt gotten rid of him until now. It turns out he has been acting pretty good. Everyone looked confused at Seol Young, but Seol Youngs thoughts were so different from that. He said he would release the ban on the alcohol, but he hasnt yet He was just thinking that. Isnt it extended by 50 days after drinking this alcohol? He would say that for sure. Seol Young was thinking in his head when he reached a conclusion. If he could have it confirmed in front of people, he wouldnt be able to say anythingter. So he asked, Is it really fine for me to drink? To which Zaha said, Seol Young-rang you a child? Do you need me to say everything out loud? So, can I drink it or not? Drink. Just drink. He said so, and all the Hwarangs here witnessed it all. Only then did he pour the alcohol into his mouth. The amazing smell and taste. The alcohol from the Vermillion Birds was the first drink he had in a long time, and it was what Hwa Un poured for him. Thanks to his visit here, he managed to experience something rare. It is my first time being inside. After putting down the ss, he looked around. The main hall was red and magnificent. Bird cages were hung here and there, and the sound of birds wouldnt cease. Zaha said, There is something I have been thinking about for the past eight years. After all, healthes first. Yes, right. I hope the High Governor has all the luck. Hwa Un said. They all drank and wished for good things for each other. And then silence fell. All eyes looked at Seol Young. Hwa Un got straight to the point. Seol Young-rang. Yes. We never talked, so I didnt expect you toe over here and bring up that topic suddenly. I brought you inside, but He didnt like Seol Young. I only brought you in since it wasnt appropriate to talk outside, but I didnt bring you here to break the curse. Yes. I know. Seol Young said. I heard of your bad altercations, but work is work. Zaha added with a smile. I also looked into Jeok Ryun-rang, the Wonhwa from the past. She is from Songeol, and her name wasnt always that Yes, High Governor. Hwa Un nodded. Jeok Ryun-rang was born into a noble family, but her nature was known to be cruel from the start. In order to control her temper, she was made to learn sword techniques from the Governor, and by the time she was neen, she had gained fame everywhere and was called the best sword of the kingdom. Right. It is said that each time she swung her sword, heads would fall. After just one battle, the lotus on her robe would be stained with blood, and she was called Jeok Ryun-rang. 1 Then one day, the Great Heavenly Pavilion gave a revtion. If she leads the Hwarangs and fights, the Baekjend will perish Hwa Un nced back as if he were looking at an unseen spirit and continued. They had a series of victories, but then one day, they got caught in the trap of the enemy and got captured. The nation hated her for killing their general and soldiers, so they brutally executed her and the men they caught. Right. Zaha nodded his head. Well, the revtion was true since she destroyed them all. Yes, she and the Hwarangs were a form of sacrifice. A sacrifice for victory. Hwa Un epted the words with a bitter expression. Seol Young, who had been listening, asked, Then why did she ce a curse on the Vermillion Bird Troops? Hwa Un said, She resented one person until the end. Who? The aide who helped her. It seemed that there was a disagreement between the two. In the end, she followed the words of the aide, and the troops got caught, so she believed that the aide was a spy and the trap was deliberatelyid out. So, was the aide the spy? No. Hwa Un sighed. The aide was Mok Un. He was the one who received a three-legged crow as his sign and founded the Vermillion Bird. Aha. Seol Young finally understood it. Is that why Jeok Ryun-rang has a grudge against the Vermillion Bird Troops? Yes. Hwa Un nodded. She cursed the troops until she died, and after the war, her body suddenly floated in the river. The corpse of a 73 feet tall giant. Which meant that the deceased had a high rank. Right. Hwa Un continued. People tried to recover the body, but the body wouldnt move, and the words of her curses resounded everywhere. In the end, the Vermillion Bird Troops invited 100 monks to hold a Buddhist ceremony. The body only got cremated then. The important thinges next. Zaha said. If what I know is right, then her ashes are sealed in the tower and are being guarded by troops. Wonhwas sacred objects and important records are being sealed inside the tower. I heard so. At that moment, Hwa Un noticed Seol Youngs eyes shine. Now I understand. Seol Young-rang came all the way here because he wanted that? Yes. Seol Young was honest. They are essential to clearing up the false usation of me being a fake Hwarang and bringing chaos. That is why I want to lift the curse from the troops. Is that so? Hwa Un frowned. He had a lot to say, but he chose not to. The Hwarangs of Vermillion Bird Troops who were behind him began to talk. It makes no sense. Can he even get close? Zaha looked at Seol Young. He said he could. Maybe because he drank after a long time, Seol Young suddenly sighed. So what if I cannot? Hwa Un and the Vermillion Bird troops turned to him, and he said, Everyone makes one big mistake in their lives.
  1. TL/N: Red Lotus
Chapter 160: Jeok Ryun (2) Chapter 160: Jeok Ryun (2) Seol Young was silent. Were they mistaken? Hwa Un had a twisted thought. However, he had to keep his dignity as the head of a troop until now. Could he get angry against a low-ranking Hwarang in a white robe? He tried to stop his temper from ring and forced a smile on his face. Seol Young-rang. I served you the chrysanthemum alcohol for guests whoe here, but arent you just looking down on our people too much? I am not. Seol Young responded. If that were the case, I wouldnt have been this honest about my purpose foring here. I would have deceived you by saying that I came for you or looked for other targets. And then he spoke with a serious face. Who am I? Wasnt I the person who brought the greatest humiliation to the Vermillion Bird Troops in the past? Hwa Un was suddenly confused, as if someone had pped him on the cheek. The next moment, he was furious. How dare this guy bring up the past? He tolerated it once, but not again. Recalling the shame they had to face in the past, a glow in his eyes changed to red. Unknowingly, he was trying to use his righteous weapon the fan was gone. Tak. Instead, the sound of a fan unfolded from a different direction. Hwa Un looked at it with wide eyes, as his weapon was in Zahas hands before he knew it. When their eyes met, he smiled. What are you doing? No fighting right away. Like a person who had been entrusted with something, he confidently said that. When did his fan even go there? Zaha must have stolen it when he was pouring the alcohol earlier. The man was always like that. If Hwa Un was about to fight someone, he would take away his fan first. It had been a long time since he had experienced this. It was so unique. Hwa Un made an excuse. I didnt mean to fight. Of course. I heard Seol Young-rang didnt just insult you during his days as the Ghost Demon King, but he made you lose your path too. When Zaha spoke so sneakily, Hwa Un couldnt answer. He couldnt bear to say that he was thrown into a pit that was made by demons. But Zaha turned to Seol Young. Didnt I tell you not to talk like that? You should talk properly right from the start so as not to surprise them. Yes Think back on this. Even if Seol Young-rang didnt have a bad past, if you continue to get under peoples skin, the other person would suddenly be a bad one. Hwa Un felt stung by those words. As Zaha fanned the fan a couple of times, he looked at it. You might have a lot to say, but Hwa Un-rang should do it first. Yes. Hwa Un turned away from Seol Young and opened his mouth. As you know, the one hundred prayers were held at that time, and one hundred high priests were gathered from all over the country. They said that since the tower had been sealed by their chants, Jeok Ryuns ghost could nevere out. And at the mercy of those people, if her ghost wanted to leave, then it was allowed to leave You dont seem to have had such a thought, right? Yes. Hwa Un sighed. Jeok Ryun was already so cruel and tyrannical that she was called the Mad Ghost and a Blood Ghost, even when she was alive. To live with such a person in our backyard, it cannot be anything but a concern for the head. Then he nced back. It seemed to be a habit he wasnt even aware of. If youpletely forget about it, suddenly, in one day, a deafening cry woulde from the tower. It was the sound of somethinging. The screams of enemies being ughtered on the battlefield and Jeok Ryun-rangs madughter. Those sounds would resonate so loudly, as if she is telling you not to forget her. Of course, if you sit upright and concentrate, it will disappear quickly, but Hwa Un fanned with his hand. There is nothing eternal in the world, right? What if the seals of the one hundred priests and monks get exhausted? But what if there was no way? Even with prayers? Yes. Nothing else works. Jeok Ryun-rang prevents anyone from entering that ce. If you dont touch it, it wont act up Rude moral standards. Seol Young suddenly said, and now he finally found the connection. That is what I mean. Its just that everyone overlooked it. What is the fundamental reason why Jeok Ryun-rang behaves so badly? Isnt it because she hates the Vermillion Bird Troops? Seol Young exined. I had a big fight with the Vermillion Birds in the past, and Jeok Ryun-rang must have been at the scene. At that time, my call woke her up. My cruel temper awakened her, and she responded to it. He didnt know it then. He just thought that the Vermillion Bird Troops Hwarangs were just strange in how they suddenly panicked. But now he knew the truth. They were afraid that Seol Youngs attempt would break her seal. The young Seol Young took advantage of that fact and made fun of the troops to his hearts continent. In other words, if Jeok Ryun-rang remembers that fact, then she must show a generous attitude toward me. Seol Young said as he looked around the troops. What was the cause of this situation that hadsted around 200 years? It means that conversations wont work. You, people, want her to know that her aide didnt betray her, but there is no way to do it, so I will go and do it instead. I will be a person who will resolve the misunderstanding. Silence passed. The Hwarangs of the Vermillion Birds, including Hwa Un, finally understood Seol Youngs intention. After listening to it, it seems like there is some truth to both sides. Zaha said, I heard of this in the past and tried to investigate it, but even then, everyone told me that I wouldnt be able to enter it. He looked over to Seol Young. But isnt it a good thing that the Ghost Demon King stepped in and decided to open the way? I also want to see what kind of spirit she is. The Hwarangs and Hwa Un exchanged nces with each other. Then we will follow the words of the High Governor. Hwa Un said. As you wish. Zaha responded and returned the fan to him, and Hwa Un received it lightly. He even put away the secret assassins needles he had. It meant he would no longer make a fuss. Yes. Hwa Un bowed his head to show that he understood. But it was fine to keep their eyes on Seol Young, right? Then, Seol Young-rang, follow me. Hwa Un took the lead and went out of the main hall. Seol Young and Zaha followed him. After that, the Hwarangs from the Vermillion Birds followed. None of them were sure of this, and Seol Young was aware of that. I am sure he is going to try to make it embarrassing for me. As expected, they thought of him as a pathetic being, but they didnt show it, and they silently followed. The buildings in Namhwa were splendid. The leader, Hwa Un, liked birds, so even when they went outside, the sound of birds wouldnt stop. The garden there was neither too clean nor pure like other troops. But there was this strange atmosphere. Even without the symbol of the troops, rare birds like white peacocks were roaming around. They got out of the backyard and went to a secluded mountain. Namhwa was, of course, full of spiritual qi from the Vermillion Birds. So, when they went inside, they felt this unquenchable me burning day and night. Usually, this kind of energy could be felt subtly even after leaving the scene and would slowly disappear. But now it felt different. At some point, the spiritual qi suddenly disappeared, as if the lid of arge pot had been covered. A different silence passed between them. Even if it were a person who wasnt trained here, anyone sensitive to energy would be able to feel it. The moment one would walk around without thinking too much, they would suddenly feel chills and look around. The sense of such a moment was felt by everyone. Seol Young looked around with sharp eyes as he walked. Even when the wind blew, not a single leaf would rustle, and not even a single visible insect was around. It was a ce where evil spirits lurked. I will have to throw away the idea of Jeok Ryun-rang not being an evil spirit. Seol Young thought. And Zaha asked him, There. In front of them, a rope made of twisted red thread was blocking the path. It was the rope that forbade one to move any further, on which there was a metal te with the Chinese character Ban written on it. Yes, it stops here. Hwa Un said. Under the gloomy look of the trees, the figure of the rope, with its unique energy, stood out clearly. Even though nearly two hundred years had passed, not a single thread seemed to unravel. We have never gone beyond this. The Hwarangs and Hwa Un stopped there, as did Zaha. Then open it at once. Yes. Seol Young stepped forward with everyone staring at him, and he bowed to the ground and spoke loudly to the barrier. I am your junior, Seol Young-rang. I came here to resolve the misunderstanding Jeok Ryun-rang has with Mok Yun, the aide, who created the Vermillion Birds. A loud voice filled with spiritual qi clearly filled the space. After the echoing voice disappeared, Seol Young got up. He approached it slowly and put his hand on the rope. At that moment, both of his hands turned ck. Then a thick haze rose up to his arm in an instant. Zaha said, Is it telling you to leave? Seol Young removed his hand. The Yin energy immediately disappeared and returned to its original state. Its probably because I have not been acknowledged yet. He took a step back, and he whistled this time. That night, seven years ago, it was the whistle of the Ghost Demon King that resonated around this mountain. The sound, which had been light, like a bird chirping, grew louder and louder and turned into a cry. As it rose and moved, it spread far and wide. When this whistle was blown, all the ghosts in the world would gather around it. However, there was a big evil spirit in this ce, so they didnte into contact with it. Only the whistling sound spread around the surroundings. Oh, God! All the Hwarangs couldnt stand it and eventually covered their ears. After thest lingering sound was gone, Seol Young ced his hand on the rope, and it didnt turn ck this time. Done. Seol Young strode inside. I guess I havent been forgotten. Then Zaha nced back. It seems so. Seeing that a present has been made for you. Something began to brush past him as Zahas words ended. Something huge flew from the air, and there were several ghosts whose heads were tied together. Everyone opened their mouths at what they were seeing attack Seol Young. ! Seol Young reflexively drew and threw a talisman at the ghosts. The talisman hit the mass of ghosts. sh! It shone, and then they exploded and perished immediately. ? Hwa Un and the others who were there looked surprised. Even though the light vanished, the afterimage was still in front of their eyes. They didnt know what it was. But they could somehow assess the strength of the spiritual qi. When did Seol Young-rangs spiritual power increase so much? Seol Young himself didnt feel much change. The reason why Jeok Ryun-rang let him init wasnt because he didnt think of him as an enemy rather, it was to give him special treatment Seol Young realized that he was mistaken. He wants to kill me! Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Keeeik! The heads of ghosts came at him from all sides, with their heads tied and mouths wide open. Jeok Ryun-rang has a bad taste in choosing weapons. Zaha swung his sword and created a powerful sword wind. He looked back as he shed down those who were caught. Seol Young-rang, are you sure it was just one drink? No. Then what is this? You say you want to y the role of a reaper, but you cannot even properly understand it! Unless you are drunk from one ss of alcohol No! Seol Young said, as he shed the flying heads with Blue Rainbow. Weird. How many years have I been doing this? So would I make such a mistake? I mean, I didnt feel it until now, but to change his attitude in an instant for no reason Because that guy is mad! Hwa Un quickly approached them and said that. Originally, he would have fought with a fan. It was because when he would swing his sword, he didnt want his hair or clothes to be messy. But this was a critical situation. So all the Hwarangs moved and drew their swords. Every time a red aura shed, bundles of ghost heads would fall. After all, if one gets involved with the Ghost Demon King, the oue wont be good. Then Hwa Un shouted, I was foolish. For falling for the words of the Ghost Demon King! I shouldnt have let you touch her! Dont. Seol Young didnt even budge. The main thing is to make them move back. Because the mad need to be dealt with the mad alone. Zaha looked over his sword. What mad thing will you do now? The mad one I am talking about isnt me. Seol Young said. Anyway, first we need to know where the attack ising from. The whole ce was filled with a hazy energy that wasnt fog or smoke. Where is she? Seol Young lightly tapped the floor with his sword. Immediately, the ground below shook and a ck wind rushed in. It was a headwind with the intent of pushing them back and wounding them. South wind? He figured out from which direction the wind came, but it was too strong. Seol Young freed himself by stepping onto a defense form and using footwork. But at thest moment, his foot stumbled. Heads that were tied together and appeared ck swarmed like bees and attacked him. There are too many of them! Seol Young swung his Blue Rainbow sword. Talismans rose along Blue Rainbow, forming a circle, then attacked and exploded at the heads. But a few bundles of heads broke through the gaps. Uh? At that time, Hwa Un, who was next to Seol Young, had no choice but to raise his sword and stand. Sangyang was the name of his sword, which meant arge bird. The sky rains heavily because of the Sangyang sword. As the phrase spoke about heavy rain, it meant that therge bird would dance, and when the sword dances, a flood of blood would happen everywhere. The ones who were about to attack Seol Young were cleared at once. Hwa Un-rang? Zaha looked at him with his golden eyes. I thought you hated Seol Young-rang because of what happened in the past! Yet even when Seol Young was being used of being evil, you personally came to save him! Arent you the most mature of the leaders? Seol Young nced at Hwa Un and nodded. Upon hearing that, Hwa Un felt angry. Does he think I saved him because I wanted to? He only wanted one thing, and that was for Seol Young to be humiliated. If possible, he hoped for him to fall into a dirty pit. At the time, if he stepped on Seol Youngs back, he would feel more refreshed. But why are you acting like I saved you! First of all, Hwa Un said to Zaha, It was nothing, and then he smiled. Seol Young-rang. Wouldnt it be better not to provoke it? No. We have to find the source of where the attacks areing from. Seol Young replied. However, seeing Jeok Ryun run rampant, they couldnt rush forward. Then. Eventually, they came up with a way, and Seol Young clenched his sword with one hand. It was definitely there. He reached inside his pocket and took out a small string. It was a peach tree. High Governor! He called Zaha, who was cutting down a strange head, and gave him the piece of peach tree. ? Zaha couldnt understand, but since he was busy, he continued cutting the heads, and Seol Young went behind him and struck Blue Rainbow on the ground. Thud. Waves of spiritual power spread in all directions. At that moment, the entire ce shook. Kuak! The ghost heads, which were screaming, suddenly vanished. Um? Hwa Un was surprised as he looked around. Aha, I get it. Zaha said. The reason she has so much power is because Wonhwa is a priestess. You gave her a peach tree instead of something else and took my power to shake the barrier? Seol Young just nodded. Although it consumed a lot of his spiritual power, he knew it would work. The fog was lifted, and the trees were revealed. A stone tower stood tall in the back. It was the Tower of Wonhwa that sealed Jeok Ryun-rangs soul and items. Behind them, someones shadow shimmered. Hwa Un shouted. Jeok Ryun-rang! The shadow immediately disappeared. At the same time, an evil energy poured out in all directions like ck waves. Seol Young raised his sword and said, We have to attack the tower to make sure she reveals herself. Okay. The three of them ran towards the tower. Then Hwa Un stopped. Why am I suddenly obeying him? And why is the High Governor At that time, a string of ck energy came for his chest, making him swing his sword to deflect it. Now wasnt the time to think, so he moved, and Jeok Ryun hid behind the tower while manipting this energy. It seemed so vicious. When Seol Young hit it with Blue Rainbow, it looked like it scattered, split into several more strands, and moved through the sides. But the Blue Rainbow sword managed to hit them, and they all copsed. However, the moment the wind rose as they fell and hit his cheek, he felt a throbbing sensation. If being hit by the wind from the tower was already like this, then what would happen if she was in front of them? While running, Zaha said, Do not fight it, just surround it. Yes. Seol Young and Hwa Un answered. The three surrounded the tower and began to attack. Gold, silver, blue, and red lights shone as they surrounded the tower. The range of the evil energy was starting to be limited, and the space where Jeok Ryun could hide was getting smaller. Eventually, when she could no longer hide, the shadow behind the tower vanished. Up! Hwa Un shouted. A woman stood on the tower. Even with the wind blowing, her long gray hair didnt move. And her pale face had red eye makeup on. Her clothes were pure white. There was armor on her shoulders, and the lotus engraved on her chest was stained with red blood. As she stood without shaking, she looked like a terrifying beast. The first sword of the kingdom. Zaha opened his mouth in a nonchnt tone. Was the rumor true? It isnt like everyone gave up because they were from the royal family. He took a step forward and held his sword. I wanted topete with you since the first time I heard about you. His golden aura rose from his sword. At that moment, she jumped off, and her sword attacked him right away. Her movements were so light. It was so light as if she were alive, and now that she took the form of a ghost, her body held no weight. And her sword technique seemed very flexible. In one light motion, several uneven movements were mixed. Then the silvery flowers on the trees began to shine at once. It was like she was defending herself, but through the repeated motion, they broke, and the beast within them stepped forward. It was her sword dance that could make one dizzy. Following the spot where the sword passed, a clear line was engraved onto the ground in red. Ha! With a sharp sound of shing, the swords energy exploded. In the next moment, all of the red lined parts were cut off. The trees around them fell, making the dirt rise. Seol Young was dumbfounded as he watched the scene. Of course, Zaha said that to provoke her, but it was so ridiculous that she fell for his bait. If she moves like that, then the neck of her enemy would fall at once. The legends about her didnt seem like exaggerations. Move back! Hwa Un told his Hwarangs. The way his sleeves moved to push them was like a bird using its wings to protect the young ones. Even if the High Governor is great and stronger than us, how can a small person deal with a mad Seol Young snorted at his words. Huh. What do you mean by that? Nothing. It was something he would have said if he could. You dont realize that man is also a madman! Wasnt that what he said when Zaha came out of his tomb? Even though she has an advantage over him, the High Governor will not lose. Seol Young was sure of it, and he saw the two swords collide. There was a loud metal shing sound. It was the sounding from their swords. Just like a dragon that was inside a cave and rushed outside, Zaha managed to handle every attack. His murderous intent was pulsating in his sword. It was said that when ones sword technique reached a high level, they would never forget the form it held and conquer the world, but Zaha hadnt reached that level. However, due to his extreme concentration, it felt like they were simr. Once his target had been set, no one could stop him. Even Zaha couldnt stop himself now. Wasnt this the concentration a madman would have? His murderous intent was so clear that it broke through the movements of his opponents sword. However, right before it touched her chest and engulfed her in golden mes, she twisted her body to block it. Both of the swords moved to sh again. Hwa Un was taken aback by this. Hwa Un-rang, it isnt the time for this. As if he hadnt been watching, Seol Young said coldly. Hwa Un looked at him. Then? Please stay behind. In case the headse flying again or not. Seol Young raised his spiritual qi, and Hwa Un looked a bit hesitant. Why am I back to listening to him again? With a stiff face, he asked, What else are you trying to do? They say the dead do not talk, but actually, they always have something to say. I want to know the things inside her heart. After saying so, he drew a talisman. Jeok Ryun had been a dead ghost for a long time, and the Yin qi within her must have stopped her spiritual power, but she still must have emotions inside of her. And through various experiences, he knew that talismans would help her. If he couldplete the talisman and turn it upside down, it could handle the ghost. I want to know her heart and feelings. Then Seol Young threw thepleted talisman. The moment the swords shed, the talisman containing his spiritual powernded on her forehead. And Seol Young asked, What do you want? Chapter 162 Chapter 162 It went pat on Jeok Ryuns head and a blue me rose. The evil energy dissipated and her emotion began to leak out. Anger, hatred, stubbornness and Seol Young moved forward to take a closer look, but at that moment, Jeok Ryuns sword moved in a strange line. The sharp tip of her sword wasnt pointed at Zaha but to cut Seol Young down. ? Seol Young doubted his eyes. He had seen countless ghosts since he was born but it was the first time that a ghost cut him for throwing a talisman. ! Even Zaha was shocked. Who wouldnt be shocked if the opponent he was fighting suddenly aimed their sword to someone else? Insane The killing intent in his eyes was gone, and he was no longer alert. No! High Governor! Do not get distracted! Or the three of us will die! Seol Young shouted and looked at her. With the swording for his forehead, he made eye contact The next moment, the sword was withdrawn. And it began to spin insanely around the tower. Above? Seol Young was puzzled now. When people in Si wished for something, they would go around a tower and pray. And now Jeok Ryun, who had been moving around the tower with her hair flying, vanished. [Ahhhhh!] There was a sharp scream. It was the same shout she made in the past when Seol Young fought with the Vermillion Bird troops. Seol Young was dazed. I was wrong. Zaha approached him and asked, Wrong about what? The sound in the past, when I summoned the ghosts here, I thought I woke her temper and she responded but no. Then? We will have to find that out now. Seol Young looked at the tower where she had vanished. We need to go around the tower. And the three of them went there and stood in the order of Zaha, Hwa Un, and Seol Young ording to their ranks, then they went around the tower. Hwa Un took a couple of steps and then stopped. Wait, what am I doing now? At that moment, Seol Young followed him and mmed into his back, and Zaha was behind him. Hwa Un had no choice but to move again. And how manyps did they do? The surrounding scenery, which had been repeating, turned blurry, and at some point, near the front, someones back could be seen. It was a woman with gold beads hanging over her long hair and decorated with splendid essories. Jeok Ryun-rang? Then the woman suddenly jumped off the tower and ran. At some point, the ce turned into the royal pce. And the woman stood tall. She was pretty, like a doll, but her eyes were like those of a beast. [Ack!] One of thedies-in-waiting screamed as she fell. Her shoulders were stained with blood. Everywhere the girl went, blood would drip from her sword. What is all this? Is she born with such madness that she goes insane whenever she doesnt see blood? Zaha mumbled. And the curious voice of the people could be heard. [Who would get close to you? If you dont like people a little bit, you go and wield your sword right away!] [That is not a human! That is an evil demon born with the mask of a human!] [If you cannot control that killing intent inside your heart, a great chaos will ensue the royal family.] And as a solution, she went to learn swordsmanship from the instructor who taught the crown prince. [Ha!] With a scream, her light body jumped down, and she swung her sword. She had cut down all the wooden dolls. Jeok Ryun was a genius of geniuses. As soon as she learned swordsmanship in earnest, she surpassed her instructor. [Ah!] She had also taken down the Hwarangs in apetition for martial arts. Some were bleeding from their arms as they groaned and fell. At that time, amotion broke out among the Hwarangs and the crowd split on both sides. Then someone appeared. It was a noble dressed in red with a fan in his hand. Hwa Un was startled. He fell to the ground, not caring if his clothes would be dirty or not, and bowed to the person. He is Leader Mok Yun. Mok Yun was tall and dignified. Half of his face was hidden, but what could be seen was handsome. He had sharp eyebrows, his face was pale, and his eyes were light-colored. Just looking at him showed that he had a hidden side. At that time, Jeok Ryun had a lot of internal conflicts, with her face flushed and sweat forming on her forehead. When the beads on her hair loosened and swayed, she tore them down in annoyance and shouted, [Mok Yun-rang! I want topete with you!] To which Mok Yun bowed and said, [If you can make me move from this ce, I will admit defeat.] [Okay!] A strange fight began. Mok Yun blocked Jeok Ryuns attack with his fan. Despite standing still, he seemed like a mountain, so he didnt shake at all. Jeok Ryun cried out in frustration, [Do not just defend there and attack!] [Did you forget the condition?] There was nothing else that needed to be said. She regretted epting such an odd condition to fight, and she was angry. She couldnt stand not winning, and her anger soared as she lost her reason. She would rather die than lose! With those thoughts, her anger took over, and the sword attacking Mok Yun changed its direction and stabbed him in the throat. [Ah!] Everyone screamed. At that moment, Tang! Came the sound. Jeok Ryuns sword flew away, and everyone looked at Mok Yuks hand. The fan was ruined. He moved like lightning. He had used all of his energy to make the steel des of the fan crumple and cut down the sword. But because of that, he ended up leaving his spot. [I admit defeat.] Mok Yun lowered his head, but Jeok Ryun didnt feel victorious. It was an odd feeling. [Mok Yun-rang! Lets have a face off!] Since then, Jeok Ryun has visited him and called him day and night. Eventually, they started to train together. After that, they started doing things other than training. [It seems like the Kim Group has other thoughts] Jeok Ryun would ask him for his opinions, and they also hunted together. When it was time to clean, Jeok Ryun would smile over her shoulder and say, [Be careful.] Mok Yun wrapped a bandage around her hand. And then the scene changed. It was dark. Seol Young flinched as he moved his gaze away. It was obvious what it meant to see a man and woman lying together in bed with their hair down and wearing light clothes. Hwa Uns face turned as red as his clothes. Nice scene! Zaha enjoyed it a lot. Seol Young frowned. High Governor! Arent you being too much? Why? Isnt peace and love a good thing? Instead of fighting and hating each other. Haa Seol Young didnt respond. This wasnt the right ce to discuss it, and these were scenes that Jeok Ryun was showing them. Normally, such intimate details would get overlooked, but she seemed to have a reason for showing them. Look! It matters! It was as if Jeok Ryun was shouting that. And what followed was a familiar story. If Jeok Ryun-rang takes the Hwarangs with her and fights, the Baek empire would fall! ording to the revtion, it wasnt good to use Jeok Ryun. So Mok Yun decided to assist her and followed her. Together, theymanded the army of Si. Jeok Ryun, who was riding a horse, suddenly put her hand on her stomach. A child was conceived. A smile shed across her face, which was stained with blood and dust. But then the scene changed. It was inside some deste barracks. Mok Yun was bound and dragged away. There were decapitated bodies scattered everywhere, and all of them wore the Si uniform. Afterpleting the execution, Jeok Ryun shook off her sword. Her whole body was stained with blood. [Exin!] She shouted at Mok Yun. [] But Mok Yun didnt answer. He lowered his head, not even making eye contact with Jeok Ryun. Only silence followed, and Hwa Un was shocked. Leader! Why dont you say NO! You are not a spy! He screamed, but it couldnt reach them. What is this? Seol Young frowned. Isnt it like saying he really sold out the nation? But it cannot be like that. Zaha was in doubt. At that moment, Jeok Ryuns sword pierced Mok Yuns chest. Anger, hatred, betrayal and pain All the emotions she felt came rushing in like waves. Before they knew it, they were back to reality. [Ahhhh!] A long cry resounded in the tower. After looking at the past, they finally understood the meaning. Summon Mok Yun. Seol Young said nkly. Jeok Ryun-rang had been asking for it all along. But I couldnt understand it then. Then, on that night seven years ago, she knew that I had the ability to summon ghosts, so she ordered me to. And he continued. Call Mok Yun right away. Even if you have to search all over the world to find him. If not When he talked that far, Seol Young felt something cold prickle his throat. ? Zaha and Hwa Un looked at each other, and both of them looked shocked. What is it? Instead of answering, Hwa Un hurriedly took out a small hand mirror and handed it to him. When he looked at it, there was a red line drawn around his neck. Aha Seol Young nodded. He had seen Jeok Ryuns technique, where she would drawn a red line first before cutting something off. In other words, if they couldnt bring Mok Yun here, his head would be cut off. Seol Young lowered the mirror. Well, its not like I was threatened like this just once or twice Just as he said that, heat suddenly spread through his body and his eyes turned ck. Seol Young-rang? It seemed that Zaha was saying something, but he couldnt hear him anymore. And Hwa Un was shocked. He wanted Seol Young to suffer but not like this. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 His body felt hot. Why is my body ring up like this? Long white hair fluttered in the endless darkness. Jeok Ryun was right in front of him. As the silver sword gleamed and cut through the space, red lines appeared everywhere. Everything was cut through the line. Do note. Seol Young tried to get away from her, but he couldnt. Right now, the two of them felt too connected by the red line that was drawn on Seol Youngs neck. A deafening cry rang, and the air shuddered. It felt as if his neck would be cut open at any moment. Do note! Seol Young struggled despite not being conscious, and it was then Seol Young-rang! Get yourself together! Zaha shook him awake. Now is not the time for you to sleep! Your head has fallen off! The moment he pulled the nket off, a round head tumbled from the covers. And it rolled on the ground with a thudding sound. Seol Young was shocked. Did that actually happen? My head! He screamed as he got up. The blinding sunlight hit him, and the light shone in his eyes. Did he wake up from a dream? He reached his hand out, and he could feel something round and soft. Huk! Seol Youngs heart skipped a beat. My head His blurred vision turned clearer. It was, of course, not his head, which he was scared about, thinking that it was his. And the sound of regr breathing could be heard. It was a baby dragon with small horns that was curled up and asleep. Then he could feel warm heat through his hands. It was senior Oni. Seol Young sighed. And it wasnt just Oni. Zaha was asleep in the chair across from him, with his hands on the armrest and his head tilted. Both of them were in deep sleep, so did they stay uptest night? Seol Young looked around. The red pir, the ss beads with a symbol, and the colorful furniture. Then there were the birds in the garden that could be seen through the window that was right next to the bed. This seemed to be the room on the second floor of the Hwarangs ce. Seol Young feared that his head would fall, so he didnt even move. Uh It felt like his head would split open. He could feel the burning heat from the red line that was around his neck. His body felt like it was burning up too. I will have to take a closer look There was a round mirror on the table. Seol Young stepped on the ground. At that moment, his legs trembled, and he staggered as he fell back onto the bed. Ah. The moment that happened, Seol Young grabbed his neck. Jeok Ryun drew a line on his neck. And it seemed like the slightest impact would cut it open. I need to be careful! Thud. His body copsed onto the bed, making Zaha and Oni open their eyes and look at Seol Young wriggling on the bed. Zaha asked, What are you doing? Just a bit frustrated Seol Youngid down as if nothing had happened. How long did I faint for? 2 days. Zaha answered. You fell in front of the tower and were brought here right away. He was so full of aura that he showed no signs of fatigue. But his clothes were wrinkled up, so it seemed like Zaha had been sitting in the chair for a long time. I am d you woke up. As if saying that, Oni tapped its tail. Seol Young felt happy, but it had such a long tail that it kept hitting him in the face, so he had to grab its tail. How did Senior Onie here? Hwa Un-rang sent someone to inform the Governor, so I told them to bring him here. Because this is Ghost Poison. There were cases where poison would seep into the wound that a ghost had inflicted and cause a fever, and it was called Ghost Poison. That was why Zaha brought Oni here to get rid of the poison. How did you know I had a fever As he was saying that, Zaha held out a mirror to him. When he got up and looked, he really couldnt understand. His red cheeks were all flushed, and his eyes were wet. It was a face that was suffering from a fever. What was more, there was a red sword mark on his neck. If Jeok Ryun-rang moves, my head would fall. Seol Young felt dizzy. His hands lost strength, so he dropped the mirror. We need to go back there Your fever needs to die down first. Zaha said in a stern voice, and he was right. Right. But this is not Ghost Poison. We cannot afford to do something like this now. I had been exposed to such things so many times when I was young, so I can handle poisons of any form. Then what is it? Maybe its a physical illness? Hwa Un-rang took a look at you, but no. The medical skills of the Vermillion Bird Troops were very good. And their Golden Sore Medicine was famous for being effective, so at the time of the past disaster, the Hwarangs would take it. So if such a person said it wasnt a physical illness, then it wasnt. We tried many things Zaha raised the energy in his hand. The energy of the Golden Ring Troops that he normally used, then the energy of the Sun and Moon Troops, and then the ice qi that he tightly pushed He had tried all methods. However, the heat that was tormenting Seol Young didnt respond to them. In the end, the ne of the Great Mother had to be taken out, but even that didnt help. If it is not a disease or a trick of the ghost, is it just a mental thing? Seol Youngid down on his back. We need to leave When he closed his eyes, Jeok Ryuns memories passed by. Random thoughts popped into his head. A child. In an attempt to regain consciousness, Seol Young opened his mouth. The child born from Jeok Ryun-rang and Mok Yun-rang. Maybe Hwa Un-rang No. That wouldnt have happened. Because she was killed by the army, the child didnt survive. Right. When he closed his eyes, the shape of the Wonhwa Tower came to mind. It was important to break the seal to get clues. However, appeasing her soul felt important too. Then Seol Young opened his mouth in a daze. So Mok Yun-rang Enough. Zaha jumped up. Nothing good wille out of talking in such a state. We need to get the heat off your body quickly. Right. I know. Seol Young touched his forehead. It was still burning. It is strange. Unless there is an external cause, it usually disappears when one wakes up It means that you are still unconscious. Do not worry. I will do anything to help youe to your senses. Zaha said. Then rest now. He pulled the pillow from under Seol Youngs body and ced it under his head. Then he straightened out the crumpled nket and covered him properly, and he also grabbed Senior Oni, who had crawled down, and put him next to Seol Young. Then I will go out for a while. Yes. Zaha went right outside. Why is he being this kind? Seol Young thought with a dizzy head. Zaha was very serious earlier. He didnt even pretend to be his confident self. He didnt joke, mess around, or ask if Seol Young was being careless. He was talking with a worried face. It is strange. So doubts arose. However, as soon as he thought of that, it seemed like Zaha had passed out the entire time beside him. By nature, he wasnt the kind to do that kind of stuff. It wasnt because of something else but because of the danger of losing his neck, so he watched him. I should have said something as soon as I got up. Something like, Thank you or Sorry for making you do this. But he was feeling ill and couldnt say a thing. I am shameless and dont even know how to be thankful. Seol Young scolded himself. He decided to talk properly when Zaha came back and closed his eyes. How long was it? Oni, who was lying down next to him, suddenly got up and began to tap the bed with its tail. Senior. Seol Young grabbed its tail, and Oni looked out the window. What? Is there something there? Enduring the dizziness, he barely managed to get up, and when he looked out the window, he saw Zaha walking through the garden, but there was something behind his back. What is that? Seol Young hid behind the window and observed him. He nced behind the shade of a dark tree. He looked around and looked at what he had brought. It was a wooden ball. It was just like the head of a human. ? Seol Youngs face changed. He remembered the dream he had before waking up. -Seol Young-rang! Get up! This isnt the time for you to be like this! Your head has fallen off! The thudding sound. Could it have been a precognitive dream? Was the same thing going to happen now? Come to think of it, Zahasst words before leaving the room, -Do not worry. I will do anything to get you back to your senses. Was this what he meant? Zaha quickly hid the round ball when he heard a rustling sound. For a very brief moment, the corners of his mouth curled. He was holding back a smile. Haa Seol Young was shocked. He knew about something called shock treatment. But that was all he knew. He was worried about lying down and scared that his head would fall off. As expected, if there is a chance to make fun of me, he will never let it go. Seol Young clenched the nket in his hand. He didnt feel thankful anymore. Instead, he jumped with a strength that didnt exist. -Lay down! As Oni said that, Seol Young shook his head. Lets see that. He stumbled his way into the hallway. Here in this ce, strange things were used to decorate the ce. And one of them was the perfect thing. It was a wooden doll wearing an old robe. It was the size of a person, probably for the purpose of disying the robe. Soel Young moved toward the doll with feverish hands. If I can do it just once, I might as well do it right. To make it look real, he undid the ck belt of the robe and tied it around the dolls head like hair. Good. Seol Young brought that to the bed and put a nket over his head. After a while, he could hear some footsteps. Seol Young-rang. Zaha called out. But he didnt answer. Seol Young-rang, are you sleeping? Zaha came over and pulled down the nket. At that moment, the ck hair that had been tied up on the head rolled off the nket. Ack! Someone screamed loudly from behind. Wait. This voice is? Seol Young jumped up from the other side. No? There was a familiar face behind Zaha. ! Hyo Wol, with a pale face, had copsed. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Hyo Wol! Baek Eon and Song Ok hugged Hyo Wol with pale faces. And Seol Young was frozen. Between them was the head of the doll with a ck belt around its head, rolling, and only then did the three of them learn the true identity of the head that fell from Seol Youngs bed. Look! What kind of idiot the White Tiger Troops had raised! Zaha clicked his tongue and said, I was careful in case his head would fall off and put him to bed, put his favorite senior on the bed, stayed up all night listening to all his nonsense, and even brought food to feed him and as soon as he wakes up, he does this! It was true that he and Oni stood by his side, but wasnt the rest all just lies? Moreover What was that? No. Do you not see this? Zaha put the round ball that he had brought on his chin. He grabbed the upper part and turned it, and several drawers unfolded. Then it revealed the food that he had brought from this ce. These round boxes are said to havee from the Arab nation. There are so many odd things in this ce. Seol Young was speechless. I see. He finally realized it. There was no way Zaha didnt know about the window that was next to the bed overlooking the garden. He deliberately prepared a huge bowl of soup the size of a human head. And he purposely stood in a good view. Then pretending to prepare a prank, he threw the bait. He wanted to tell his hyungs about it, but he had no proof to support his ims. At that time Umm Hyo Wol, who had lost consciousness for a moment, came back to his senses. Third-rang! Seol Young jumped off the bed and ran. Sorry! I had such a strange dream That is why I yed that crazy prank. I am really sorry. He bowed his head, and Hyo Wol stretched his hand out in silence. He thought he was saying it was fine Instead, he pulled Seol Youngs nose tightly. You brat! I ran over here feeling worried, but you are here doing this? How dare you y such an absurd prank! M-My head will fall off! I almost had my heart fall out! No, I am sure it fell down. Take a good look at the floor. My heart has to be there somewhere. Hyo Wol said before pulling his nose a couple more times. Seol Young asked Baek Eon, Anyway, can you evene here? It is fine. The Blue Dragon Troops decided to take care of the kids Seo Geom-rang? Shocking, right? We were shocked too. Baek Eon said, then he smiled and looked at Zaha. High Governor. Seol Young should be scolded for ying a prank. But if it is true that we raised Seol Young-rang as an idiot, why would Seol Young-range to help? Zaha said, Seo Geom-rangs head has been in a messtely. Uh? It was then. As if to interrupt their conversation, a howl echoed. The three Baek-Song-Wol stopped talking and looked out the window. They had heard the rumor, but it was a different thing to witness it themselves. Song Ok frowned. Is this the sound of Wonhwa Jeok Ryun-rang? Yes. It seems to be starting soon. Seol Young replied. Didnt you hear it when I was unconscious? We didnt hear it. A roaring sound came from the wind as if something had happened, and this made Seol Youngs heart pound. Lets go. Right. Watch your neck. Baek Eon looked at Zaha. High Governor, we dont have to head back right away, so allow us to help with this issue while we are here. Yes, sure. Zaha immediately epted it. It seemed to be a generous act, but for Seol Young, it was disgusting. Huh. Seol Young brought Oni, who was sleeping on the bed, into the ring. And then he walked out, looking at Zaha. He bluntly spat out, Was it fun to y a prank like that? Hyo Wol-rang almost fainted. Your Third-rang wouldnt have fainted, but I could have. Why would someone who knows everything faint? You had nned it right from the start. Seol Young looked at him coldly, and Zaha smiled. They say love and peace are good! To have fun while harassing a sick person Seol Young paused as he criticized him. Wait. Seol Young touched his forehead with his hand. At some point, his high fever vanished. He didnt feel dizzy, and his body didnt tremble. As he brought and hid the head of the doll and the appearance of Baek-Song-Wol, his fever seemed to have vanished. Are you feeling good? I told you. I will make sure to get your senses back. But What you should say isnt, but, rather, thanks. For lowering my temperature Thank you There is a saying that no matter how much one runs, they are in the palm of Buddha. In the first ce, the idea of tricking you using a dolls head was a huge n. I wondered if I should have shown up with a real head and spun it around. Then you would die. That isnt something I should have cared about. Well, it was cute. What? For the first time in a while, Seol Young felt something well up inside him. As he turned around and caught up with Zaha, who had left first, he said, There were times when I surprised you. For example, when I found that mask and showed it to That was in the past. What if I will surprise you again? In return, I will cut my hair and spin it around. One hundred days of no alcohol. At those words, Zaha paused. I will cut my hair. No. One hundred days of no alcohol. Seol Young was adamant. At that time, Hyo Wol, who went ahead, came back. They must have found it strange that these two hadnt followed them yet. What is it, High Governor? Seol Young? Then both of them answered, Nothing. Nothing. They hurriedly walked out and reached the outside barrier in the backyard. The tower stood in the sealed area. And the Hwarangs from the Vermillion Bird Troops were waiting there. In front of the tower, a tform was prepared for rites, and Mok Yuns tablet was ced in the middle. Everything had been prepared, so Seol Young could work right away. Baek Eon smiled. Hwa Un-rang is generous. It was impressive, considering how he didnt like associating with Seol Young. Haha. It was nothing. Since Jeok Ryun-rang named Seol Young-rang as the person to release her grievance, we should do what she desires. Hwa Un replied in a calm manner and looked at Seol Young through his fan. The red mark was evident on Seol Youngs neck. It was as if a ss doll had been broken and put together. He is the Ghost Demon King. To walk around as if nothing happened after. Seol Youngs throat felt like it would fall down, so Hwa Un felt so sick. He had decorated the entire ce by putting his soul into it. He didnt care about the past, when chaos ensued, but having someones head roll down here wasnt something he would like. He forced a smile on his lips and said to Seol Young, Should we begin then, Seol Young-rang? Yes. Seol Young stepped forward. It would have been better if Jeok Ryun-rang had descendants to soothe her soul. Is there a possibility that her lineage has been passed down to the troops? No. Hwa Un shook his head. When Jeok Ryun-rang died, the child in her womb didnt live. Unfortunately, it ended there. I see. That is sad. Then I guess I should do it alone. Seol Young went and stood in front of the altar. At that moment, a strand of hair stood on his back. It was as if someone caught his hair mid-air. Then a small whisper arose among the Hwarangs. Be careful. His three hyungs looked concerned. Without saying a word, Zaha touched his sword, and his face asked, Scared? As if. Then Seol Young said to the Hwarangs, Do not be afraid of ghosts because they threaten you. You need to look at them with the thought that This soul is so desperate. He drew a guardian talisman in the air and bowed to Mok Yuns tablet. Your junior, Seol Young, a Hwarang, hase to uncover the truth behind your death, Leader Mok Yun. After saying that politely, he got up and approached the tablet. First, I want to find out if you are here. Please excuse my actions. Seol Young grabbed the tablet with both hands and put it on the ground. The next moment, the tablet stood up. It meant that the soul hadnt rested. It had been two hundred years, and yet this soul was still wandering. As I thought. Seol Young stepped back. I will ask you one more time. Was Leader Mok Un really not a spy from the enemies? Seol Young-rang. Zaha called out. Would we be calling him Leader if he was involved in such a thing? I know that too, but it is a matter that is directly rted to his life. Right. Several of them said in unison. Fine. Seol Young kneeled in front of the tablet. Leader Mok Yun. He called for the soul toe, and used his spiritual power. Then a haze-like form began to move around the tablet. It began to y the role of a medium between the dead and the living. Mok Yuns soul must be wandering somewhere right now. Seol Young asked, Why are you wandering around without finding rest? No answer. Let me guess, isnt it because you died in an unjust manner at the hands of the person you loved? Doesnt that pain still bind you to this world? Silence flowed, and only Seol Youngs voice could be heard. I saw it in Jeok Ryun-rangs memories. You were stabbed to death by her sword without being given the chance to exin. There must have been a reason for it. There was still no response, but Seol Young didnt stop. It has been a long time since then, and both of you have turned into dust. What is there to be afraid of now? Speak. Seol Youngs earnest voice resounded in the silence. It was a sound that even shook the ghosts heart. ck. Eventually, the tablet moved. Everyone looked at it without blinking, and Seol Young could feel it. The soul of Jeok Ryun that was behind him was also staring at the tablet. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 The fact that the tablet responded meant that Seol Youngs voice reached him. At this time, he had to persuade the soul, so he said, I became a spy and sold my nation. Isnt that an unfair usation to be thrown on a dead man? Come out, this is your chance to clear out the misunderstandings. Then, he moved his hand in the air, which created a light. It was the light that would guide his soul to a bright path. However, it was quiet. As if the movement earlier was a lie, the tablet stayed still. Why? He couldnt understand. What feelings is he going through right now? Seol Young looked at the tablet, and a haze was rising from behind it. He could certainly tell just by looking at the soul, but There was no evil energy on the tablet. So it was unlikely that a little closer contact would do him any harm. Lets take a look at how Leader Mok Yun is feeling right now. Seol Young moved a little closer to the altar, and he cautiously reached out his hand toward the tablet. Then the emotions of the soul began to flow in slowly. Hm? Seol Young had a questioning look. What is this? As he hesitated for a moment, his hair was pulled to the back, making his head bend oddly, and this caused a panic among the Hwarangs. It is fine. Seol Young shook his hand. Jeok Ryun-rang will not kill me. What was her reason for drawing the line on my neck in the first ce? She knows very well that there is no one else but me to help her. She will not cut down herst hope with her own hands. Then why is she doing this? Song Ok asked. She is asking me to obtain the information. What Leader Mok Yuns feelings are Seol Young said, but there were some things he didnt say. Even Jeok Ryun-rang sensed Mok Yuns strange reactions. Lie, and your neck gets cut. That was what she meant. It couldnt be helped. Seol Young turned around and said, Fine. I will speak the truth. Mok Yun. Leader Mok Yun isnt unhappy at all. He has no regrets about having to die like that. At that moment, Seol Youngs hair was pulled back. A dark gust of wind arose around the tower, and it blew so hard that he couldnt even open his eyes. [Ackkkk!] A desperate cry resounded. Jeok Ryun was angry. How can that be? I hurt you so much! So how? The one and only person that you trusted and loved was the one who drove you to death! So how! How can you die in peace? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Her cries echoed everywhere. Then Seol Young said quietly, It isnt that he is at peace. In the mix of his calmness, there is some sad feeling hidden But now, none of those words could enter Jeok Ryuns ears. Why? With that scream, she snapped Seol Youngs neck to the back. Seol Young! Baek Eon shouted. Even though he couldnt see them due to the gust of wind, he could feel many people draw their swords. Back away! Do not stimte her anymore! I will die for sure then! Seol Young shouted. Jeok Ryun was an evil spirit that was now entangled with the Vermillion Bird Troops, through a curse that had been around for two hundred years. There seemed to be a lot of people who overlooked that small fact. And such evil spirits had to be sent to a ce they couldnt escape from. If one tried to destroy it forcefully, then the weakest person present would be harmed. In addition, the tower would be damaged. Why was Seol Young doing this in the first ce? Wasnt it to obtain the things that were inside the tower? I need to appease her well and make her let me go. But apart from that Seeing how things were going, it seemed like something had to be done. Jeok Ryun was unique despite being an evil spirit. Even when she was still alive, she wasnt normal. It was only when she met someone she loved that she became stable. After being betrayed, it was only natural for her to be a hundred times more insane than usual, and now she was dead. She has to be subdued. Beyond the ck wind, everyone was talking. However, Seol Young couldnt hear a single sound. Is there a better way? Seol Young thought hard. Even at that moment, his head was being pulled back more, and warm blood was flowing down his neck. I might die at this rate. If cant subdue her somehow His consciousness would fade. All of a sudden, his body felt hot, and his eyes were spinning. He was having a high fever again. At this moment. Seol Young cursed inside. Then he had a sudden thought. There has to be a reason for this. Why did it only appear now? A fever that wasnt caused by a ghost, wasnt the work of poison, and wasnt a physical disease. While thinking about what it was, a thought came to his mind. Could it be that? If not, this was baseless. It was his instinct to struggle and live. If Seol Young was right If it is some kind of mental illness. Like Gods disease. Gods disease was what shamans experienced because of their intent to receive God inside them, so they would get sick. If my strong will to survive is causing these symptoms in a situation where I am connected with Jeok Ryun-rang, who had ced a wound on my neck Then he had to ept it. The moment he thought about that, as if waiting, something happened. The boiling heat in his body vanished. He wasnt cool like what he feels normally, but he felt fine. At the same time, the wind around the tower vanished, making everyone look his way. All of them had shocked faces. It was worth seeing. And he could see it without looking. Long white hair fluttered around his shoulders, and his eyes turned red. It was because Jeok Ryuns soul entered his body. Seol Young looked around at everyone. Zaha seemed surprised at the unexpected situation. The golden aura was burning in his eyes. Finally, Seol Young managed to surprise him, and he felt a sense of victory. Now, as promised, one hundred days of no alcohol. He wanted to say that, but his lips didnt move. Seol Young was not a shaman, so this experience was the first for him. So even though he had control over Jeok Ryun in his body, he couldnt move. No alcohol Seol Young tried again, and this time, a golden light shed in front of his eyes. Suddenly, a sharp sword was aimed at his chest. Do not move. Zaha said. What was he saying? Was this the first time Seol Young tried this? Seol Young looked at him and then realized it. Ack, it looks like I have been possessed from the outside. Nonsense. He had strong spiritual power since he was born, and he had be even stronger as he epted the spiritual qi recently. He also learned various sorcery spells from the ghosts, and was confident that he wouldnt be defeated by any shaman in the kingdom. And he thinks that I gave my body to a ghost? It sounded like a hit to his pride. But the other people didnt seem to care. Especially Zaha. He seemed to be aware that Seol Young was possessed by Jeok Ryun. What about the others? Seol Young thought, and he opened his mouth. This isnt a possession He wanted to say that, but a strange voice came out of his mouth, Get out of my way! It was a harsh female voice. How dare you things dare to stand before me! Jeok Ryun shouted. Me? Seol Young was dumbfounded. Jeok Ryun was acting like she had taken over his body. This is not a possession,dy! Seol Young told her, but she didnt seem to listen. Jeok Ryun just proudly used Seol Youngs body. Didnt I tell you toe out of there? Zaha said that with a cold face. His sword was shining in gold. It was a me that could consume evil. Then Jeok Ryun nced at him through Seol Youngs eyes. A blue light shed on her hand. She had pulled out Blue Rainbow. Is that so? There was no specific expression on her face, but there was a cruel snort in her voice. The next moment, she turned the sword the other way and aimed it at Seol Youngs chest. Like this too? Light shed from Blue Rainbow. It knew what was happening inside Seol Youngs body, but it couldnt resist the hand that was wielding it. It was because the soul of its owner was present, and so was the one trying to control his body. Blue Rainbow continued to sh a light to inform the surroundings, but no one noticed. Such a big mistake you are making Zahas sword shed, and he aimed it at Seol Young. How could such a threat even work on me? It is the job of the Hwarangs to kill those who have lost their way. This is a different case. How many times have you saved the owner of this body? Wouldnt it be a waste to kill him? Since I saved him a few times, killing him is also fine. After saying that, Zaha pushed Blue Rainbow to the side and drew his sword closer. This man was a madman! No normal person would do this. Seol Young recalled the confrontation he was shown thest time. The bloody fight where he couldnt intervene. And now his body was caught up in the middle? This is bad. As soon as he thought that, the two of them began to fight. This is a mad peoples fight. There is no winner and loser, and I would be the only one who would get hurt. It was something he couldnt believe, and he wanted to tell him the truth, but his mouth wouldnt move. Then Zahas sword broke through the gap. It was all so sudden and fast that nothing could stop it. Seol Young also knew it right away because he handled the sword. If he got stabbed like this, he would be wounded. But this is a trick, right? He looked into Zahas eyes. No, this was not a trick. There was no shine in those eyes. He was looking into the eyes of a dead man. Seol Young finally realized it. Before he punishes those who have changed, he would kill Seol Young first. Right. This was how it felt to die. Seol Young thought nkly, and at that moment, Zahas sword pierced through the gap and went for his chest. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Seol Young had no doubt that he would die at that moment. It seemed as if the dazzling me from Zahas sword would wrap itself around him and bring him to eternal silence. So he closed his eyes, but then Pik! He heard something burst under his feet, and then dirt flew everywhere. At the same time, his body was bent at an impossible angle to avoid Zahas sword. Having nine lives! That was the only way to express it in words. As expected of the best sword of the nation! I can rely on her! Seol Young screamed inside. Zahas attack just now couldnt have been avoided. However, Jeok Ryun turned the impossible into the possible. She spurred, digging into the ground with a powerful force, and ducked to avoid the attack. Then another powerful energy in Seol Youngs body made it possible. It was the evil spirits energy. However For some reason, Seol Young felt that this situation wasnt so unfamiliar. Come to think of it, I guess I also managed to trap an evil spirit inside my body. Although its not that close to. This was simr to what Zaha did before his death. This means In the midst of the swordfight, Seol Young was lost in thoughts. ! Suddenly, a very important thought came to his mind. He was so engrossed in the thought that he momentarily forgot what the current situation was. Seol Young spoke to Zaha in front of him, Wait. I think I have figured out something important But his voice didnte out. Instead, the sharp de was moving in front of his eyes. Ah! Jeok Ryun ducked her head and avoided it. At that moment, Zahas hand appeared at lightning speed and grabbed her by the shoulder. I found your weakness. An unfamiliar golden light shone. They looked like the eyes of a dead man earlier. But then it went back to normal as if it had always been like that before. There was also a hint ofughter within them. You threatened to stab the body of the person you had taken over. Zaha cornered her with a sneering face. And when I was about to stab you, why bother to dig into the ground and avoid it? Whether Seol Young-rang gets stabbed by me or not, you should have left the sword to hit him, because that would have killed him. So why did you give up that chance? Jeok Ryun didnt respond and raised her sword to counterattack. As expected, you felt bad. It is a body that you obtained after 200 years, after all. As she blocked Zahas sword, he continued, I guess you dont have the ability to change into another body, then? Then, if that body gets taken down, it is obvious who will be the one that will regret it the most. Shut up! Jeok Ryun shouted like a beast and attacked Zaha back. Even I was tricked. Only then did Seol Young realize it. Zaha tried to find out Jeok Ryuns weakness with the attack earlier. And she got caught. When she was in spirit form, she tried to kill Seol Young. But when she was inside his body, her attitude changed since she wanted to keep the body as much as possible. What if he hurts my leg and I can no longer move? What if he hurts my eyes, and I can no longer see? I need to see this through. She was caught up in that thought, and that was what made her reveal her gaps. Do not think about any nonsense. Come out quickly! Zahas attacks poured in. Jeok Ryun defended his attack and managed to escape it. However, when she tried to move, she was caught again. Let go of what you stole! Zaha threw her to the ground. He pressed her down firmly with one hand to prevent her from escaping, and then pressed his sword down on her with the other. This is yourst chance. Get out of there quickly! Or you wille out in mes! Do you know what sword this is? Shut up! She struggled to move, but she couldnt. Well, why bother trying to persuade you? It isnt like you can be talked with. Zaha looked down at her as she was struggling. Sorry, Seol Young-rang. I will stab you in just one ce so it doesnt hurt. Seol Young was shocked. Was he going to go through with this? A Hwarang wasnt afraid of blood. Where would there be such a Hwarang? If needed, even after a thousand stabs, they wouldnt blink, but even if they stabbed themselves, they would have the same reaction. But this isnt what it is about! Seol Young wanted to move and say something, but nothing changed. At the time, he looked at his three hyungs. There was hope. Hyungs will know. Even when I took Sa Dahams form, they recognized me right away. He could barely look at them, but The three of them didnt stop Zaha. Rather, they just watched him. It was the first time Seol Young had seen them with such cold faces. He was puzzled for a moment, but then realized it. It wasnt Seol Young they were staring at, but the evil spirit inside him. It was natural for them not to want to take control of him. Being stabbed in one ce shouldnt hurt when theypare it to him being possessed in the long run. The High Governor will handle this fine. With that kind of face, they watched Zaha, as if they had entrusted their child to a physician. It was as if hisst hope was gone. Is this how it is going to happen? If Jeok Ryun would get engulfed in mes and driven out, everything would be in vain. Seol Young was flustered. Zaha raised his sword, and it looked like he would do it at any moment. I need to inform them somehow! At that moment, a thought shed in his mind. When he lost his spiritual power due to the curse of the Devil Lair Lord, he helped him use a way to use the spiritual qi of the Sun Moon Troops, and Zaha told him, -Do you know what this means? In this world, only the two of us can recognize this form of energy. That was it. Seol Young raised the spirit energy in both of his eyes as if he were sure that it would work. But there was one thing that was unusual. Recalling the time when Zaha engraved the spiritual energy onto his wrist, he tried to use the spiritual qi. Blink. Blink. Blink. He signaled through his eyes, and Zaha looked at him, ? He had a questionable look as if he had noticed something. Blink! Blink! Blink! Seol Young didnt miss the chance and acted desperately. I am fine! That was what he meant, and Zahas expression changed. Seol Young blinked his eyes eagerly. Please let Jeok Ryun-rang go! I can control her. He didnt know if he had conveyed the message, but at least he seemed to notice that something was strange. What? The strength holding down the shoulder was gone, and the sword that was pushing to stab him also tilted a little. And Jeok Ryun didnt miss the chance. She jumped up, pulled herself free, and ran away. High Governor! Seol Young! Baek Eon screamed in surprise. Stay still! There is something strange here. Zaha said. Jeok Ryun borrowed Seol Youngs body, and now she was running away. Her emotions were tooplicated. Anger, pain, betrayal, revenge However, all those emotions werepletely separated from Seol Youngs mind, and he finally felt that he could control her. Jeok Ryun-rang! He shouted with all his heart. What you want to know is not the truth! She stopped. At that point, he managed to make her turn her head. And there was an altar right in front of them. Look at this! Seol Young sent that thought into her soul. It was an altar that had been prepared to summon Mok Yun. It was a ce where ancestral tablets were enshrined, and incense was burned to respect the ancestors. At that altar, the truth was waiting. It was the truth that this woman had ignored for two hundred years. . Jeok Ryun stood there, looking at it. It was like someone had hit her on the head with a hammer. It cannot be She mumbled nkly. Why do they honor you by calling you Leader? You are a traitor who sold the nation Because he is not a traitor. Hwa Un said. Leader Mok Yun is not a spy. Our Vermillion Troops have been informing you of that fact each time we hold a service at the Wonhwa Tower for the past two hundred years, but Jeok Ryun-rang never listened. Lies. Jeok Ryun mumbled. Then why didnt he say anything when I questioned him? Why did he turn away as if he didnt notice me? We want to know that too. Lies! Jeok Ryun turned around. Mok Yun! Come out! The trees moved as she waved her hand, and a whirlwind blew away the bushes. If you have pride, you should appear and exin yourself! Come here! She screamed in a fit of rage and destroyed everything, but then she suddenly stopped. Only the tower stood tall in this chaos. And she looked away as if she were possessed by something, and she raised one hand. COME OUT! A strong wind blew towards the tower. At that moment, words came out of Seol Youngs mouth, Stop! It wasnt Jeok Ryuns voice, but his own. He could finally speak. I did it! Seol Young immediately sent her soul out of his body. [Ackk!] Along with those emotions, there was this vivid sense of something leaving his body. His hair, which had turned gray, was back to normal, and he couldnt see it, but his eyes too. . Everyone looked at Seol Young with surprised faces. Seol Young! Baek Eon hurriedly approached him to support him. How did all of this happen? I was not possessed. Seol Young said that. Everyone misunderstood. It wasnt a possession. I am not a fool that can be possessed by a spirit. Then? Zaha asked, Then what did you even do? I went ahead and called her. Except for threatening my life, do whatever you want to do. I think I managed to figure it out, thanks to that. Seol Young walked slowly and stood in front of the tower. Leader Mok Yun. He looked back at everyone and said, Doesnt it feel like he is trapped inside the Wonhwa Tower? Chapter 167 Chapter 167 The Wonhwa Tower was this orthodox stone tower that had a three-tier structured floor with a tower-like body and a top. As Seol Young stared at it, Hwa Un approached him, Looking at Jeok Ryun-rangs reaction, I have the same suspicion as well. But Leader Mok Yun cannot be confined there. Even the seal containing the spiritual power of a hundred priests will not have an effect on an innocent soul. And his words made sense. Mok Yuns soul wasnt bound to this tower. Then what was it? Seol Young raised his spiritual qi and put his hand on the tower. At that moment, a powerful force erupted from the tower. Puak! With a sound, Seol Young flew back andnded between the trees. And those who were around were shocked at what had just happened. Seol Young-rang Seol Young Everyone opened their mouths and began to mumble. It is fine. I am fine. Seol Young got up almost right away. I forgot that a seal shouldnt be tampered with like this. It shouldnt be done like this. I will call Jeok Ryun-rang again. Zaha asked. Again? Yes. I have control over her now. Actually, it was possible for me to control her before, too. It was just that I wasnt used to it. I am being honest. If you dont believe me, ask. Because I remember everything that happened. What everyone said to me and did. Zaha and his hyungs all went quiet. Then Seol Young looked back at the tower. Jeok Ryun-rang must have calmed down a bit now. By showing her the altar, it made her realize that leader Mok Yun was not a traitor. And now we can finally talk. Seol Young called her right away. His hair turned white, and his vision seemed like it was turning red. Mok Yun! Bring that traitor out right now! You bastards deserve to be cursed! A voice filled with anger came out. Seol Young was taken aback. Traitor? Didnt you see the altar earlier? Why are you like this despite being told the truth? End this right now! How dare you scheme with him and betray me! Both of their voices could be heard. Then the wind rose, the soil blew up, and the grasses were uprooted and blown away. Seol Youngs hand tried to move like it wanted to destroy everything. Stop! Seol Young subdued Jeok Ryun and drove her out again. A piercing cry came again. Looking at the mess, he was speechless. He had dealt with many evil spirits until now, but she was the first one that was this powerful. Seol Young was stunned. What is this? Why are you doing this? You have definitely realized the truth, so why are you acting like this His head was hurting. I need to rest. Let us take a break and think about it together. Baek Eon got close to him. Do you realize how pale your face is? I still dont understand what you are doing, but you are consuming a lot of spiritual power. The line around your neck is still the same as before. Are you really hoping to make your neck fall off? Then he looked at Hwa Un and asked, Could you get us some cold water? Hwa Un couldnt say anything. There was the High Governor here, so how could he bring just one ss of water? Therefore, he ordered the trainees to prepare tea, and to prepare one with honey for the Ghost Demon King. After sighing for a while, everyone looked at the tower. There are many strange things in this world, but the strangest thing I have seen among them is the human heart. Zaha said. Especially Jeok Ryun-rang. She is one insane ghost, isnt she? She is beyond the standards of a normal human mind. Everyone has to think like a crazy person. Seol Young said, Hmm, and frowned. I can guess one fact from this. The Vermillion Bird Troops have been telling her the truth for thest two hundred years, but she hasnt once listened to them. Well, maybe she has been listening. But she forgets about it right away, just like before. She hears it, bes surprised, and then forgets it. Hyo Wol said that and looked at everyone. What could be the reason? Because she is crazy. She wants to deny it. Hwa Un and Baek Eon spoke out their thoughts, and Song Ok added, Isnt it because it isnt important? It isnt important? Zaha asked. She held a grudge for like two hundred years because of one misunderstanding about being betrayed, and now it doesnt matter? Its just my feeling. Song Ok said. He was normally a simple-minded guy, so he would asionally get the point. But what he said could be right. Seol Young thought. A while ago, when the High Governor attacked her to find her weakness, her inner thoughts were shown. She wanted to see Leader Mok Yun, even if it meant taking over someones body. But right after being released, didnt she run away and scream that she wanted to kill him too? Yes. She surely did act like that While answering, he recalled when he first met Jeok Ryun. When he used the talisman, her evil energy dissipated, and her emotions were revealed. Anger, hate, rage, and There was something behind them. But when he went closer to take a look, Jeok Ryun cut him down to block him. After that, she only showed anger and hatred. And Seol Young told everyone about it. There are other emotions hidden beneath that anger. You need to see it. Fine. Zaha nodded. Let us call her again. Dont do anything this time and focus on her hidden emotions. After saying that to Seol Young, he looked at the White Tiger Troops. You people will suppress her. Yes. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol stood around Seol Young. Then each of them drew their swords and raised their spiritual qi. Their troops blue energy surrounded Seol Young. At the same time, they were protecting him. It was like they were prepared to strike the evil at any time. Seol Young once again summoned her, and she tried to run rampant again. I am a Wonhwa! Put your swords down! Those days ended two hundred years ago. Zaha raised his sword. Remember this? Zaha threatened her with a golden me, and Jeok Ryun red at him. Find me the traitor! Bring Mok Yun in front of me! If not, I will kill you! Right now. Anger, hatred, and revenge were swirling in her heart And Seol Young looked into the dark side of those emotions. There was another very strong emotion lurking there. I feel something. The feelings that had been hidden from Their rtionship? Hwa Un asked. Was she in love with Leader Mok Yun? No. This Seol Young recognized the identity of the emotion. It was happiness. Happiness? What happiness? At that moment. The veil that covered her heart was lifted. At an empty barracks, Mok Yun was bound. The surroundings were covered in blood. Jeok Ryun took down all the soldiers who were suspected to be spies. Appearing like a demon drenched in blood, she questioned Mok Yun, Hurry up and exin! Her voice came out of Seol Youngs mouth. Speak! Say you are not a spy! But Mok Yun couldnt even look at her. So you really betrayed me. Jeok Ryuns inner thoughts flowed through Seol Youngs mouth. I wonder if he lied even if he didnt want to. Or is he being cold? Even though we were so happy, it is all over. She looked at Mok Yun. But at that moment, his wounds that were caused by being caught came into view. He was a man who hadnt had a single part of him untouched before. Jeok Ryun felt bad enough that she wanted to heal him. The feeling was so intense that it blinded all her emotions, and at that moment, she realized, Ah, I cannot ever hate this person. It was an amazing feeling. Even the fact that she had been betrayed didnt change her thoughts. Because he was the first person to reach out to her. Even though he doesnt love me She thought back to when they first met. Recalling Mok Yuns smile over his fan, she also smiled. Puak! And her sword pierced Mok Yun in the chest. And at that moment, she felt a sense of joy. Although her heart was cold as ice, the two of them were tangled through karma Now, you can never escape from my hands. Jeok Ryuns soul felt happy. No wars, no ns, even their death was Nothing mattered. Even though I am dying like this, I will wander around the Nine Heavens and curse you forever! How could you, a noble, betray me, a Wonhwa! -Not even death can separate us now. Do not touch me! You cunning bastards, under the name of the Vermillion Bird Troops! After following the traitor, everyone will burn in hell! -All your descendants will always remember me. Call Mok Yun! He betrayed me, and I will make him pay! -Look now. Even death cannot separate us. She was smiling as she cursed. As if the two of them were walking in the capital side by side with their hearts filled with happiness, she was smiling. And at some point, she was singing. Your cor is red, and the heart is faint This song was from the Book of Poetry. The cor was blue in the original lyrics. But she changed it to red because of her situation. The tender love soon grew into a whisper and disappeared. Then Seol Young opened his eyes. Silence flowed. It wasnt that no one understood what happened. All of Jeok Ryuns feelings were conveyed through Seol Youngs mouth. And now everyone was speechless at the truth that they couldnt have imagined. Is this what crazy love is like? Hyo Wol mumbled. It seems simple, but its not simple. Zaha said, If her heart was like this, then what happened to Leader Mok Yun? Seol Young looked at the tower. Jeok Ryun was trying to find him within the tower. Unless she was trapped in He suddenly thought. Seol Young approached the tower. And it started spinning backward toward the tower on the opposite side. While everyone was looking at it with wide eyes, a figure appeared. It was a man in a red robe and fan in his hand. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 I wasnt sure about it, but for him to be actually here. It was something Seol Young only realized, but he was a bit confused. Jeok Ryun and Mok Yun were walking around the tower in opposite directions. If they were heading towards the same ce, they would have met. But this was a different thing. It was a world created by them. So the two of them didnt meet for a long time. To not find each other despite being this close Hyo Wol sighed in shock. But it is odd. Why is Leader Mok Yun like that? Unlike Jeok Ryun-rang Because he isnt an evil spirit. But it wasnt that he stayed with people so he could suck away their life, so he ended up bing weak over time. Seol Young answered. Mok Yuns spiritual body was weak since he had been walking around the tower for two hundred years. It would have been difficult to find him if Seol Young hadnt had an impulsive thought and gone in the opposite direction. It is amazing, what is left Zaha carefully looked at Mok Yuns translucent appearance, as if he would disappear at any moment. Stop for now. Yes. Seol Young approached him. Following the things he had learned from the Tomb Ghosts, he intervened in Mok Yuns world as if he himself were a ghost. Leader Mok Yun. The man looked back at the voice that came suddenly, and this startled everyone. Mok Yuns energy was so calm, just like his tablet. However, his face was so haggard that they couldnt make out his face, and they could only discern his eyes. Why? When they were still puzzled, a ck tornado rose around the tower. Where is Mok Yun? Sounds of cursing, singing, and madughter ran out. They were eating away at Mok Yuns soul. As he continued to circle the tower, the curses, and evil energy were pushing on him. Then Seol Young urgently said, Leader Mok Yun, we need to get you out of here first! But the moment he got closer, sparks burst between the two of them because of the red line around Seol Youngs neck. Because that line contained Jeok Ryuns killing intent, Mok Yun, with his weak soul, couldnt endure it. Zaha nced at Seol Young and said, I will ask you one thing, but you arent connected with Jeok Ryuns soul now, right? Yes. Right. it was interesting to be afraid to lose your head He aimed his sword at Seol Youngs neck. Zahas qi and Jeok Ryuns collided with bursting sounds, and then the red mark around Seol Youngs neck pulled out. Then, strangely, it took on the shape of a lotus in the air. Jeok Ryun finally couldnt put Seol Young down, and everyone was shocked. Baek Eon asked, How did you do that? Well. Maybe I hade to understand Jeok Ryun-rangs feelings a little bit? Zaha said while ring at the red lotus in the air. I wonder how a normal person can understand the mind of a madman I killed you because I loved you. We tied ourselves in karma so that we would not be separated forever. He could now see what she was thinking about. Seol Young asked, And what could it be? Isnt the root of madness that suddenly makes you kill people actually fear? You are afraid of someone leaving you. If I kill you, I can make sure you dont leave. At the same time, his sword pierced the center of the red lotus, creating a golden wave. [Ack!] The lotus flower shattered with a sharp scream. Jeok Ryuns powerful attack was broken. Seol Young felt relieved, as if he had been freed from shackles. Actually, this is the one I believed in. The three hyungs expressions also said, As expected and they looked at Zaha with shining eyes. Song Ok said quickly, Seol Young, try it again. Yes. Seol Young approached Mok Yuns faint soul. Leader, I want to help you. Tell us your story. Why have you been circling around this tower for two hundred years Mok Yun, who was walking, looked back. He was too weak even to get a word out. However, a haze rose around his spiritual body, as if he had the intention to show something. Seol Young sent his spiritual power into the haze, and at that moment, the ce around them changed. Countless birds were flying. [Wolves cannot be sheeps.] An old mans voice could be heard. Soon, the ce turned into a garden. And there was Mok Yun, surrounded by birds. A monk in golden robes was sitting next to him. The monk was a State Teacher, who taught the Crown Prince. And he was also the one who taught Jeok Ryun swordsmanship. [I tried my best to teach her swordsmanship, but her innate ferocity doesnt suit it. If this continues, the nation will be harmed] His voice was stern. Having a hundred high priests trained in martial arts to remove the root of the problem is the way to save the living, I think. While stroking the white peacock on hisp, Mok Yun said, [How can monks get blood on their hands? I will try it. I will try to subdue her ferocity and awaken herpassion.] The Buddhas teachings. It also included not allowing one to kill oneself. During the martial artspetition, Mok Yun opened his fan with such a thought and blocked Jeok Ryuns sword. Seol Young thought, He is a lonely person. He did everything to enlighten her. [When anger rises in your heart, take a step back.] [Take a step back?] As a result of his efforts, Jeok Ryun began to change little by little. [Today, I will use arrows without arrowheads. I cannot kill life just for fun. Isnt that right, Mok Yun-rang?] Compassion began to sprout in her deste heart. And Mok Yun was happy with the change. He would do anything to change her nature. For a cause It had been a long time since he had made a firm decision not to leave her side. And soon, the two of them had a child. The little life chained Jeok Ryuns heart to morepassion. Even a wolf can be a sheep. Mok Yun saw hope. But all of that shattered in an instant. The subordinates who always stayed with Mok Yun and had always kept close to himJeok Ryun found out that they were all spies. Actually, there was an order from the King of Si. The King had ordered Mok Yun to track down any spies. However, Jeok Ryun, who wasnt aware of that, became furious and ughtered them. She also ordered Mok Yun to be arrested, so he became angry, and she questioned him. It wasnt that Mok Yun tried to prove his innocence by taking out the secret letter from the King from his robe. But then the figure of Jeok Ryun, which was stained with blood, came into his eyes. Cant a wolf be a sheep? He asked himself. At first, he was angry, but little by little, his heart calmed down. No. A wind turned the barracks upside down, and the candles fluctuated. He suddenly felt pity as he looked at her, covered in blood and filled with confusion. She was definitely changing, but my efforts werecking. At the flickering lights, he thought. If Jeok Ryun cannot control her furiousness, she will sooner orter kill me. Maybe this is myst chance to change her nature. If she kills me and sees the letter in my arms, she will realize how she had acted and feel bad. He decided to hold out with that onest hope. He wanted to save her no matter what, and this was for herself and their soon-to-be-born child I hope it happens. To die without making excuses. Puak! Blood spurted out, and the vision was gone. Mok Yuns soul, which was too weak, watched it. That was the only way. Even though he couldnt speak due to ack of energy, his intentions came through. [She must have changed after that. Will she bepassionate and a good person? Maybe even a good King? And will my child be a great person too?] No one answered. It seems like she wasnt the only one who fell into delusion. Baek Eon mumbled. They say it is for a good cause, but that wouldnt have been all. Right, Great-rang. I can tell by looking. Without love, no one would risk their life to save someone else. Right. If there had been no love, there would have been no expectations for change either. And even as the curse was killing his soul, he wouldnt have stayed around like that for two hundred years. Song Ok and Hyo Wol also whispered. Zaha silently frowned In the end, they loved each other. It is because the method is tooplicated for normal people to understand Then his gaze turned to Mok Yuns fragile soul. Should we speak to him? It will be useless. Seol Young said. Being confined in his own world for two hundred years, even if we tell him it didnt work. He might have already realized it Mok Yuns soul trembled He was getting weaker as he used his energy to show his memories. I will end this for now. Seol Young quickly cast a reverse spell. This was the method he used when he rescued Dohwa from the dice curse. After casting it, the space in the spirit world increased. Instead of forcibly pulling out Mok Yun and shocking his body, it felt right to make the tower move out of track. Good. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol protected Mok Yuns soul. As he got off the opposite path, Jeok Ryuns voice could be heard. [Ahhh] She was repeating the same thing as she was circling around the tower. She lost her power after Zaha cut down the string, but she was still mad. She was deeply immersed in her own world, so no one could get close to her. Seol Young looked back at Mok Yun. Do you see that ahead? It is Jeok Ryun-rang. However, there was no reaction. Hyo Wol looked at the two of them with a sad face. Despite being right in front of each other, you cannot see each other. Is there any better way? A better way Zaha looked around, and so did Seol Young. And then it urred to them. Not just Seol Young. But everyone had the same thought. Hwa Un. Hwa Un lowered his fan and watched everything without saying a word. He had a nk look on his face as if he were unable to understand, but when everyone looked at him, he came to his senses. What? Instead of answering, Seol Young asked the others, Dont Leader Mok Yun and Hwa Un-rang look a bit simr? Right. I can now see that they have a lot of simrities. Being kind and loving birds Baek Eon added. Strangely alike. Without sharing blood. The Vermillion Bird Troops also joined in. And feeling a bit embarrassed, Hwa Un opened his fan. It is an honor to resemble him, and I respect him too Come over here. We dont have time. Then they pulled him closer. Hwa Un-rang, you are our only hope. Make Jeok Ryun-rang see Mok Yuns soul. How? Cant we use that bet? Seol Young said. Just like how Leader Mok Yun fought her, you will block her with your fan. Hwa Un looked at Jeok Ryun. Seeing her still mumbling with her gray hair fluttering, his face turned nk, but he came to his senses as everyone looked at him. I get it. I will try it out. As he moved to the tower, Hwa Un called out, Jeok Ryun-rang. Jeok Ryun turned her head, and she immediately pounced on him in rage. At that moment, Hwa Un moved his fan. He gracefully dodged the attack of the red lotus and dug between the gaps to block her. ? A strange emotion appeared on her face. You? It seemed as if she was asking that, and Hwa Un turned the fan at an odd angle. It seemed like he was going to hit her, but then he changed his mind and threw an assassins needle in the air. Jeok Ryun-rang, look there. The silver needle shot out like snow and pointed in one direction. Mok Yuns faint soul was standing there. Seol Young asked, Do you know who that is? Her gaze went there. At first, her eyes didnt seem to recognize who it was. But then her gaze was nailed there, and her expression slowly changed. A look of shock shed in her red eyes. Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Mok Yuns soul also felt something. The only thing that was left of his face that had withered and lost its shape over time, which was his eyes, suddenly moved. Retracing the intense gaze that was directed at him, he finally found his partner. [] Silence passed, and the two souls noticed each other for the first time in over two hundred years. But their response felt too quiet. That would have been the case normally, but right now, there was one soul that was too different from what they had imagined. Amidst the silence, Mok Yuns question came through, Why do you have gray hair? Jeok Ryuns gray hair was actually white, and it was now different from her natural white hair. In addition, Mok Yun looked shocked at her bright red eyes, which looked like they were ring with the intent to kill. Why do you look broken? Meanwhile, Jeok Ryun also fell into doubt. Right, who do you look so broken then? Since they hadnt seen each other for more than two hundred years, shouldnt they have been reincarnated and living a good life? They couldnt understand it. [Why?] Their eyes looked at each other. In the midst of that, Mok Yun suddenly came to understand the events that happened after he died. Everything was so different from what he expected. Jeok Ryun never met his presiding officer when he was alive. Because the enemy attacked them right away, she couldnt even take out the letter that was on Mok Yun and read it. The baby he hoped would have a nice life died with her. The false charge of him being a spy was soon revealed, but Jeok Ryuns soul didnt care. Unable to shake off her thoughts of obsessing over him, she was cursed in this tower for two hundred years and tied to it. So that is what happened While Mok Yuns soul was in deep thought, Jeok Ryun was also in thought. Why did he end up like this? Ever since she had stabbed him, her heart had been ted, but right now, those feelings were vanishing. The satisfaction of fully owning her loved one had vanished. It was as if someone had thrown her into a cold world. I made him like that. She realized it. Even now, she could see the darkness swirling around him. I didnt know of any other way to keep him by my side other than to curse him. And that curse was what ruined him. Of course, she thought he would have gone far, but he actually stayed by her side. It was because she received the energy of the curse right next to him. Jeok Ryun finally realized it. What I thought was love was actually destroying us. For the first time, she was able to think about it. The fear had been lurking deep in her heart about being praised as the greatest swordsman in the kingdom. -Why am I like this? She had been thinking about that all her life, unable to find the answer. She was swayed by her emotions so quickly that she hurt those around her. But it was only after she died that she realized it for the first time. Why did she do that? [Ah] A long sigh escaped from her. Her bright red eyes were now turning ck. [] The two souls looked at each other as if they were watching some horrendous painting. Maybe they could even take advantage of this moment and deal with both of them. But Seol Young stayed still. He just watched what they would do and how they would act with spiritual energy on his fingers, just in case he needed to act swiftly. Then everyone followed Seol Young and watched them. [] Jeok Ryun seemed to want to say something, but the past two hundred years had made her only curse things each time she opened her mouth. She soon forgot to say anything other than cursing, and she couldnt say anything else without taking over a persons body. She suddenly startedughing softly, and soon it turned into crying. Jeok Ryun wanted to atone for what she had done. Her hands were trembling with guilt, and she reached out to turn her body into spiritual form and disappear. At that time, Mok Yun, who had been watching her silently, suddenly stretched out his hand. Mok Yuns image flickered, and the red sleeves and the fan that blocked her sword at their first meeting were gone. All that was left was a faint, fading spiritual body. However, the weak power that came from him prevented the evil energy from reaching. Mok Yun and Jeok Ryun. The eyes of the two met again. At that moment, the two went back to a distant past. It was thest moment that they remembered. The barracks were fluttering in the wind on the battlefield. The candles were flickering and seemed to go out at any second. [.] Mok Yuns soul was too weak to speak, but everyone who saw it could realize his intentions. She also realized it. Her thoughts were wrong. Cant a wolf be a sheep? He only realized it now, two hundred years after his death. He loved her because she was a wolf. All of his and her actions were motivated by love. He wandered around the tower, not knowing why, but now he knew the reason. [Ah] His soul let out a long sigh too. Id rather just throw it all away and leave now. There has to be somece in the vastnd where we can head to. The two souls were unable to speak a word due to the excruciating time they spent here, but the sound of horses running outside could be heard softly. The world was about to copse. Their world. Seol Young made a guess in his head. It would take a little more time. At that time, Zaha gestured to the Hwarangs. They had to be careful not to upset the vague bnce here. All of them stayed still and only increased their spiritual power little by little, and they somehow calmed the unstable aura. However, the sound of enemy troops got closer to Jeok Ryun and Mok Yun. [] The two exchanged nces. What happened couldnt be changed. But In the silence, two hands full of regret slowly approached each other. If I had realized then what I knew now The hand that was stained with blood and the hand without formsthe two touched each other. We could have at least died with a smile. The moment their hands touched, an illusion unfolded before the eyes of the two souls. As if the entire world were theirs, they rode side by side on horseback. If there were an enemy, they would cut them down randomly. They were stained with blood and died together, so they had nothing to regret! The two souls burst outughing at the same time. They could finally drop everything and leave. [Lets go!] A clear voice rang out. Amidst the ttering hooves and tinkling of bells, their souls began to leave that ce. Bye. Seol Young drew a talisman in the air with his fingers. But this time, he didnt pray for them to be reborn in a good ce. Instead, he prayed this, I hope you meet again in the next life And a pair of talismans flew with the brightest shine, and the two souls vanished in them. At that moment, the ground thudded. Since the evil spirits had been suppressed and the restraint was gone, the towers seal broke open, and the stone tower began to crack. The seals of a hundred high priests lost their ce and were released. At the same time, bright red mes soared around the Wonhwa Tower. As the power of the monks left, they tried to burn down the tower to cleanse it. Just like a monk, when his body entered nirvana, everything was purified. That was a good thing Then Seol Young came to his senses. The stuff that had been sealed with Jeok Ryun-rang must be inside there! He quickly summoned a water-purifying talisman and pushed the mes down. Then he reached out through the cracks in the tower. Behind Seol Youngs face, mes spread. Seol Young! Do not worry! We can just look for it! You will catch on fire! Song Ok shouted. The spiritual power of several people rose violently from behind. But the mes were only being pushed out and not taken down. This isnt just any simple me. Where is the well here, Hwa Un-rang? Baek Eon asked, but Hwa Un didnt answer. In the midst of all this, he just stood there alone. He was looking at the tower as if he were possessed. Unexpectedly, tears welled up in his eyes at the sight of the two souls of Jeok Ryun and Mok Yun leaving and burning everything down. Everyone was shocked and pretended not to see it. However, Zaha didnt care. Hwa Un-rang? Is it okay if all the residences are burned? At those words, Hwa Un came out of his trance. The mes that were being pushed out by spiritual power would spread. Ah I will bring water! He hurriedly ran with the Hwarangs and troops. At that time, Seol Young was able to look inside the tower through the mes. Something shimmered through the mes. It was a silk cloth. It seemed like one that held books inside of it, and this caught Seol Youngs eyes. It has to be the things that are rted to the original painting. It looked like it would catch fire at any moment, so he hurriedly stretched out his hand and shouted, There is something inside! Where? Zaha entered with his Dead yer sword. Here! Just before Seol Youngs fingers touched the wrapped cloth, a spark shone from the other side of the tower. The moment the cloth was about to be engulfed in mes, a piece of stone fell with a cracking sound. It suppressed and extinguished the mes that were trying to burn down the cloth. Hmm? This feels like too much of a coincidence now. Seol Young raised spiritual energy in his eyes and looked inside the tower. Then something like a gray haze appeared. Zaha didnt miss it, either. What? Is that a ghost too? I dont know. At that moment, bright red mes rushed in, covering the tower. Seol Young had to step back. He handed the cloth that had been barely pulled out to Zaha and raised one hand. Then a strong aura came out with a ming sound. The next moment, a silver-blue dragon figure struck the tower. In front of this, the momentum of the mes weakened. In the gap, Seol Young once again put his hand into the tower. Soonter, a small, dark shadow began toe out. Zaha asked. Ghost? I was thinking so too, but no. It looks like an old lump of things. At that time, the shadow suddenly shook Seol Youngs hand and moved to the other side. I guess I need to follow it. The fire on this side was mostly being held back by Baek-Song-Wol, so Seol Young left them and moved with the ck shadow. Is it the child? Zaha followed him and asked. The body of thoughts left behind by the child of Jeok Ryun and Mok Yun-rang who died without being born. I think so too. If it were someone else, they wouldnt have been able to sneak in without her noticing. But they couldnt figure out where it was heading, so they followed it past the garden in the back and towards the inside of the Vermillion Birds residence. The moment they went behind a building, water suddenly poured from above. Seol Young couldnt evade it and was drenched in cold water. What? They looked up, and the ck shadow moved through the window. Then the shadow jumped off the building and ran away. Seol Young was shocked. Water dripped down his hair, and his clothes were soaking wet. Zaha was having fun. Hes going to be a big boy! To feed the Ghost Demon King water before even being born! No. He thought my body was caught in mes, so he used water. Seol Young insisted. But looking at the childs back, he was clearly having fun. Why? They sped up and caught up with the child. And he stretched out his hand. Stop, please! But the child vanished and then suddenly appeared right in front of him. Someone was walking from the other side toward him. .! As if they had found the ce, the child slipped into a persons body, and Seol Young looked at that person. And he was shocked. It was Hwa Un. He was dragging out water to put out the mes. Seeing that Seol Young was standing there, Hwa Un stopped for a while. What is he doing here? Looking like a drowning mouse? After looking around with that kind of gaze, he found Zaha, and his face changed. High Governor, we were a bitte in filling out the water. Ah, right He replied with a strange look on his face. And with Hwa Un between the two of them, they looked at each other. I see. Only then did they realize it. Jeok Ryun and Mok Yuns child was finally born after such a long time. Also, they found the ce they had to go to. Now, the mystery is solved. Why did Hwa Un and Mok Yun look so alike despite not having any blood rtions? Why did his eyes fill up with tears when Jeok Ryun and Mok Yun were leaving? And Why did he think about sprinkling water on Seol Young? What I got sprayed with wasnt water. Seol Young thought, recalling the past incident when Hwa Un was thrown into the dark pit. Still, he resembles his father and is so merciful! Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Hwa Un threw a gaze at Seol Young as if saying, Why are you like that? Zaha said, Seol Young-rang, as Jeok Ryun-rangs soul escaped from your body, didnt other things also happen? We will have to take you to the Hwarangs office and check. Only then did Seol Younge out of his thoughts. No. Wait one moment. Even though he just found out Hwa Uns past, he was still shocked. After throwing a gaze at Zaha, he looked at the waterwheel in his hand. With this, we can put out the fire right away. Which is why I brought it on purpose. Push fast. The three of them pulled the waterwheel and went back to the tower. The Great Bird has arrived. The Vermillion Bird Hwarangs and trainees who brought the jugs filled with water stopped moving. When the rotating wheel attached to the side of the water pump was turned, a strong stream of water burst out of it. Then Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol quickly moved to the side. The mes that they couldnt extinguish with spiritual power earlier were put out right away. Smoke began to rise. They could now see the remains of the tower and the charred stones. Lets see. Then Zaha dug the ground. The ashes that had been underneath the tower were revealed, and judging by their quantity, it seemed like they were possible remnants of things. Zaha looked at it. Is this sealed too? Seal? The seal of the Hwarangs. He brought the cloth that Seol Young found in the tower. Indeed, it was the same seal of the Hwarangs. And it was a seal with letters on it. We cannot open this without permission, so we need to take this back to the Hwarangs office. Yes. They got what they wanted anyway. They had finally gotten it, and the parts burned by the mes began to sizzle. Then Seol Young looked at his hand and suddenly remembered. Senior Oni! He had the ring all this time, but he didnt realize it, so he took it out right away. And Onis figure, with white hair and red eyes, was revealed. His heart pounded. Senior! Seol Young hurriedly tapped Oni on the back. When Jeok Ryuns soul was summoned into his body, Oni was also there. He must have changed like this because he drank Jeok Ryuns energy. Spit it out quickly! He gave it a strong pat on the back, and it drained the energy out, and then Onis form was back to normal. Everyone looked at this scene with shocked faces. Song Ok asked, What is that lump? He is a senior who is taking care of me Seol Young hesitated while answering. Seeing Oni change and seeing the faces of his three hyungs, he realized something. Are they saying that my appearance is that bad? Their youngest, who had been fine, suddenly had gray hair and red eyes and then wielded the sword in an insane manner when he was possessed. If they didnt know that it was Jeok Ryuns appearance, wouldnt it be enough for people to believe that an evil spirit awoke within him? Despite experiencing it, his Hyungs must have been surprised, considering how shocked they were when they saw Oni. He didnt expect them to be this upset, and he wasnt even possessed. So after sending Oni back, Seol Young bowed to the three of them. I just realized it now because I was too preupied with other things. I am sorry for startling you. Jeok Ryun-rang went a bit insane and was pushing things, so I tried to help her, but that happened. I tried to shout and speak, but I couldnt because she was a very strong spirit right from the start And then Zaha intervened, Seol Young-rang, you should be apologizing to me first and not the three of them. I want you to apologize to me for having to handle it. Seol Young almost raised his head. I am serious right now Enough. Enough. Baek Eonughed and said, You have nothing to apologize for. Because we werent that shocked. Right. At least we werent as shocked as we are now. I meant to say that too. All three of them said. I was nervous since Jeok Ryun-rang was powerful, but it wasnt something to be so surprised about. Because we have seen normal people turn menacing. What was so odd about it? Once youre stabbed, both you and the evil spirit will havee to your senses. Wasnt it something that could be resolved easily? It is fine. As long as you didnt turn into a Disfigured Spirit. Man, for real. From their point of view, having experienced such tragedies already, they could handle things very calmly. Seol Young felt it again. I am still a long way off. He had mixed feelings when he witnessed the Wonhwa Tower torn down. Looking back on the incident from the start, were all his thoughts wrong? The reason I let her into the barrier was to make her scar me. She threatened to cut my throat because she was afraid that I would give up on her. She killed him because she loved him. And she cursed him because she wanted to be with him forever Seol Young shook his head. Everything that had happened was against what I thought. I couldnt even correctly guess any of her intentions. Its because she is insane. All three of them said the same thing. Right, if he hadnt been able tomunicate with her, everyone would have thought of her as a crazy ghost. And if he had dealt with her alone, would he have been able to soothe her soul? Seol Young sighed. Dealing with an insane soul is difficult. Actually, she wasnt insane. Zaha said. She wasnt insane? Was he actually going to show off by saying that? Seol Young tried to counter his words, but Zaha continued. Jeok Ryun-rang was human. She didnt know her own pain, but she knew the pain of the one she loved. With that, she found her sanity. Right. Baek Eon agreed. As the High Governor said, Jeok Ryun-rang had fear in her heart. It was only at the end that she could actually look clearly at how things turned out and let go of them. It seemed like Mok Yun was determined to ept her for who she was, but Until the very end, the two of them were different. It was just like how they were in the same ce but never met. Anyway, I can understand why you said that Jeok Ryun-rang was human at the end, given that she realized something. She couldnt give up all of her humanity. At Baek Eons words, Zaha raised another question. But what about this? What if we really meet a crazy ghost who doesnt even know love? Silence passed. The only reason he was able to talk to Jeok Ryun-rang was because she was still in love. Then what if those feelings didnt exist? Everyone had solemn expressions on their faces. We came here to see Seol Young-rangs condition and to help him a little Baek Eon opened his mouth. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a good study for us. We will think about this. Thank you, High Governor. In the end, there was only one person who could subdue Jeok Ryun-rang. Thank you for freeing Seol Young from the clutches of the ghost. Hyo Wol also smiled. But there is one thing I want to know. You saved him a few times, so do you think it is fine to kill him? What kind of thinking is that? You can save someone many times, so killing them once is fine? Everyone smiled at that, but Zaha didnt. Hyo Wol-rang, why are you bringing that up now? Dont you know Seol Young-rang? Look there. He has suddenly gone silent and is beginning to plot his own revenge. No. I am Seol Young opened his mouth. I thought that the High Governor was surprisingly humane. If it were me, I would have said I would have stabbed him ten times instead of hitting him that didnt hurt. And I might even intentionally miss the spot two or three times. Seol Young smiled on the inside. In the past, no matter what he said, they would believe him right away, and it was the same about the stabbing this time. Then he remembered something as he was thinking about his revenge. So he opened his mouth and said, Well, if you have some time, I think it would be better for you to drink a lot beforehand. Why? If I surprise you, you said you wouldnt drink alcohol for one hundred days. Thanks to my hard work against Jeok Ryun-rang, I found out one thing. What? I cannot say it out loud. I think I found out why the sealing technique didnt work for the High Hovernor in the past. Could he say that out loud? Baek Eon smiled. The High Governor made a bet with Seol Young-rang? No. He is doing it on his own. Even if you say that, he is doing it to be praised. No, Baek Eon-rang. We are heading back to Mount Toham to pick up the kids now. Will the High Governore? We thought it would be fun to see the White Tiger and Blue Dragon Troops trainees train together. It would be nice, but I need to go to the Governor first. Jin Rim likes relics, right? And the Great Heavenly Pavilion must not hear about Seol Young-rang changing into a white-haired ghost and going into a rampage. Zaha took the wrapped cloth. Hwa Un-rang, the High Governor is leaving. Baek Eon looked around and called for Hwa Un. But he couldnt be found anywhere. Where is your leader? I dont know. All the trainees there looked around and shook their heads. Since Zaha was the type to go around without saying where he was going, he was already leaving. When you find Hwa Un-rang, tell him that we are sorry for turning this ce upside down. Yes. Everyone wished Zaha goodbye. Seeing that, Seol Young went to find Hwa Un because it was rare for Hwa Un, who valued morals, to be away at such a time. Where is he? He went around. He was neither in the main hall nor the study hall. Then did he go to wash his hair because it smelled like smoke? But then he found Hwa Un sitting at the pond, all alone. With the birds around him, he threw food toward them and did it again each time more birds came. Just like that To feel empty not knowing why Seol Young looked at him for a moment. At that time, Hwa Un looked back. Seeing Seol Young behind the pir, he frowned. You hadnt left yet? Seol Young came out from behind the pir. We are leaving now. Hwa Un got up, brushed his robes, and stood facing him. There were a couple of twists and turns, but we were able to solve the problem that we found too difficult, and Seol Young-rang got what he needed. In the end, it can be said that this is a good thing. Inside, he was cursing, This Ghost Demon King came and turned my ce upside down again! How could he pretend to be so elegant on the outside? If it was the past, he thought that those eyes were different. But He thought to himself, Isnt it because he resembles his mother and father equally? When an insect flew by, Hwa Un hit it with the fan in his hand and made a disgusted expression as he looked at it falling, and this made Seol Young think, When the notorious Jeok Ryun-rang was captured by the enemies, it was only natural that she didnt have a graceful death Even if it was just a child in her womb, the child must have felt all of the emotions that she had felt on the battlefield. And Hwa Un-rang was known to hate bloodshed and dirty things. Even though it wasnt that hecked strength or something, so why did he have to live so neatly? Wasnt it actually because of the bad memories engraved within his soul? As he was staring at him and thinking that, Hwa Un frowned. Seol Young-rang, why did you do that earlier? The High Governor and your hyungs arent here, so if you want to say something, say it without being too conscious. And then he opened the fan. How arrogantly would the Ghost Demon King act now? He was being defensive. . Seol Young stared at Hwa Un. The human heart is such a strange thing. The things we did at that time were something we had no choice but to do in order to survive. He thought so at first, but then he had a different thought. So he opened his mouth. Yes. I have something to say. About? In the past, when I caused amotion here. ! I am really sorry. Seol Young lowered his head. I did follow Teacher and apologize. But honestly, at that time, I did it because he asked me to, and I had no idea what wrong I had done. But I realize it now. What I did was terribly wrong. After saying that, he raised his head. Hwa Un was staring at him with a shocked face. And the fan in his hand fell. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 At the training hall of the Blue Dragon True Troops in Mount Toham. Two boys werepeting on the wooden floor that had twin dragon patterns on it. One of the boys was from the Blue Dragons, while the other was from the White Tigers. Despite being young, they were used to high-level swordsmanship. Even though Yeon Heungs swordsmanship wasnt the best, he excelled in martial arts, so he was pretty flexible, like a young tiger. Crack! The training grounds fence broke down in the fierce rain. The two swords glistened in the sunlight, dazzling their eyes. The four Baek-Song-Wol-Young, who were looking at this scene, were all nervous. It was a childrens spar that couldnt be taken lightly. Chang! Came the sound, and the two swords crossed. Both were trying to push the other away, and screams rang out. In the next moment, the two swords stopped at the opponents neck at the same time. Enough! That is the end! Seo Geom stopped them. The two boys smiled and bowed to each other as if the spar had never happened. Both of you were wonderful, but Seo Geom got into the fighting area. While reviewing the spar that happened, he informed them of the mistakes they made. It was about the basic swordsmanship of the Hwarangs, so it helped both kids. The four elders of the White Tiger Troops looked at Seo Geom. The air around him changed. Dont think that he is the same Seo Geom-rang we knew. Right. Dont you think that he has rxed as a person? At Song Ok and Hyo Wols words, Baek Eon nodded. It is still shocking that he took the initiative of proposing this joint training. Why did the High Governor say that Seo Geom-rang is fickle-minded? Actually, Seo Geom-rang is now fine because the doubts within his heart have been released. Seol Young answered. The High Governor praised him for something, but he became angry that he couldnt remember it and said something stupid. Actually, I was angry at him. Those pitiful idiots of the Blue Dragon Troops, too The three of them looked up, and Baek Eon spoke with a worried expression. Seol Young, it seems like your curses towards the Blue Dragons Troopsck soul in them these days. I am a bit worried. Didnt we all see it? That curse that he said isnt even a curse. Actually, what we saw today was more like an obsession. Perhaps you, to the Blue Dragon Troops Seol Young felt goosebumps rise. No. He cut off their words and went to Seo Geom-rang and said something that made his eyes wide. As if unable to believe what he heard, Seo Geom continued to stare back at Seol Young, who went back to his ce. Then Song Ok asked, What did you swear to him for him to react like that? I said the same thing to him that I said to Hwa Un-rang. What? You didnt curse him? Maybe the sun will really set in Hyo Wol hit Song Ok, and the three went back to watching the spar with smiles on their faces. Seol Young thought, It is fun to surprise others. That was the same for his hyungs and the trainees too. Thanks to the spar, everyone was excited. All this time, because of Seol Youngs work, they had kept a distance from the other groups, so they didnt have any spars unless there was an official event. Looking at the three hyungs, it felt like this would continue until the evening. They wanted Seol Young to be here more, but ording to the rules, he didnt have the right to stay. Also, if he would say a few words that might cross the line, the mood might turn cold Moreover, he was busy. Then, I will head to the Hwarangs Hall. I need to see if the seal has been opened. Right. Go ahead. It must be bothering you. Yes. Seol Young bowed to them and went down the mountain as he headed straight for the Moon Pce. However, the Hwarangs Hall was empty, so he ran outside only to be greeted by the wrong person. Then Seol Young went stiff. The Great Heavenly Pavilion Head was there with a ck robe and ck essories. She was walking with her officials on the other side of the hall, and their eyes met. After the incident with the harp box case, she had been quiet and never said much, but Seol Young couldnt let his guard down. She was looking at Seol Young as if she were scanning his body. And before he could even greet her, she asked him, Seol Young-rang, what did you take out of the Wonhwa Tower? Just an old item. Then why did the High Governor and the Governor bring it to the Treasury, and there was a change in the flute? The flute changed? Seol Young was surprised on the inside, but he tried to keep a poker face. You see, the flute is a divine thing, so isnt it natural for changes to asionally happen? He took off as soon as he said that and rushed for the Treasury where the flute was kept and asked the official, to which he responded, I heard that the High Governor and Governor did enter with the relic, and the smoke from the flute suddenly thickened. Is that so? The flutes ck smoke was a sign that something strange was happening. If the smoke that had been reduced for a while reacted to the relic and emitted a thick smoke, wouldnt that mean that the relic had something to do with the God of Cataclysm? It seemed like this wasnt in vain. Well, if such a thing happened in the process to find out was Seol Young thought and then turned around. I need to go there. So he went out of the Moon Pce. The couple in Zahas home picked up a chair and looked at the ground. Is it there? Its not here either. In the silence, their keen sense of hearing picked up a sound. Outside the window, far from the garden, a bell rang, Who could it be? The two opened a small window that was next to the gate. A Hwarang, dressed in a white robe, stood there with a cold face. Seol Young-rang,e in. You can juste in without ringing the bell. It is because of this. Seol Young pointed behind his back, where a cart was loaded with alcohol. And the couple were shocked. Why did you bring so many? It is the chrysanthemum alcohol that I broughtst time and took back. I said I would bring a new batch that is much better to drink. How can I just not do that after saying that to the High Governor? Despite his polite words, he was talking with a cold expression, and he thought, But there would only be just one drinking ss on the table. Even though Zaha would react negatively, he wouldnt care. If he could find out the reason why Zahas spell in the past failed to seal the evil spirit, then he could control the demonic energy much better. And could there be anything more shocking than that? Seol Young brought the cart inside. Well, we will be back. Please wait here. The couple made Seol Young sit in the study and brought him tea. Then they left right away since they had work to do. Seol Young sat down for a while, pretending to drink, and then looked around as he sneaked into the closet. Can I finally take this? When he opened the door, he saw the Tomb Ghosts sitting there together, but Seeing Seol Young, Lady Mo reached out and tried to grab him. Her eyes looked strange, as if she were desperately trying to say something. She wasnt even a soul, just a fragment of thought. And it had been a long time since she had done something with so much determination, so Seol Young asked, What is it? The two kids got up and motioned for him to follow them, so he did. They floated and reached the bedroom. The door to the room was open. The couple was lifting the furniture and examining the ground. Seol Young asked, What are you looking for? Ah, earrings. The couple responded. The other day, our master went to bed and woke up, but he didnt have his earrings. He gave up after looking for it, but we were thinking that we might find it. Earrings They were just simple essories, but they were usually like righteous weapons with spiritual power in them, so they couldnt just be thrown away. And Seol Young looked at the kids, who were looking at him in earnest. It seems like there is a reason. So he told the two of them, I will try searching for them too. Seol Young-rang too? Yes. You can go and do something else too. Seol Young sent them away and then asked the two kids, Who took it? Fast, fast. But they didnt answer and just urged him. Not here? Seol Young followed the two out of the bedroom. The hallway was dark even in the daytime. There were no lights, and only the oldnterns lit up the ce at regr intervals. A cacklingugh could be heard from somewhere behind. Is that him? The spirit of thendlord was strong, so there could be nothing else that could hide in this ce. But this ce had a naughty young goblin residing in it. And why were the Tomb Ghosts so worried? Theughter of the kids echoed around. The house was toorge, and this one goblin moved oddly. He managed to catch its movements and opened the door as he went inside. At that moment, Seol Young stood still. A Hwarang was standing in the middle of the room. His hair was red, the whites of his eyes were ck, and his pupils were red. With a face that was cracking as if it were a mask, he looked at Seol Young and smiled. He saw it for the first time, but he realized what it was right away. A Disfigured Spirit. It had to be fake, but it looked so natural, and Seol Young almost mistook it as real. A childs prank. He could understand why the Tomb Ghosts were shocked and wanted him to get rid of it. A roar ofughter erupted in the air. Seol Young reached out and grabbed the fake being. Then he snatched the earrings that were in its hand and scolded it. You cannot be walking around here looking like this! At the same time, he struck it with his spiritual power, and it turned into a broom. It wasnt even a body? He heard a roar ofughter from across the room and followed it. Since this old mansion was like a maze, he wasnt sure where he was moving to. After a good time wandering around, he finally found it. But again, it was the broom that he had taken down. Laughter rang out again. It seemed like it was ying with Seol Young. After it yed hide and seek, he finally caught it. At that time, he felt a familiar presence, and from the edge of this ce, a golden light shone. Seol Young-rang! Is there something there? Before he knew it, Zaha had returned, and despite knowing it was a fake, he didnt n on showing it to him. Lets just destroy it. Seol Youngs hands were ready, and when he was about to hit it, the young one slipped away, smiling. That was when he realized it. This wasnt its main body, but it was also the main body at the same time. Like a thin cloth hanging over his neck, it was floating around. It was the Disfigured Spirits illusion. The moment he figured that out, Seol Young-rang smiled. He was out of breath, and the door opened. Seol Young-rang And he ran into Zaha, who had pulled out his Dead yer sword. At that moment, Zaha saw it. Seol Youngs figure that was covered with the illusion. There was no way he would think of this as a goblins prank. If anyone turns into a Disfigured Spirit, I will cut them down right then. It was Zahas only mission and one that he would never hesitate to do. So this is how I die. In that fleeting second, he went stiff in fear. Did talking even matter when Zaha would cut him down right away? Because of this curse, he would die right then. And the earrings would fall from his hand after he stopped breathing. He could already see his body slumping to the floor. But It was quiet. The sword didnt even move, and its owner He just stood there, staring at Seol Young. In the dark, his golden eyes went stiff. He was frozen as if he were trapped and his face was expressionless. It was Seol Youngs first time seeing this expression on Zaha. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Why is it not cutting? Many thoughts crossed his mind, but in reality, it was just a brief moment. Still, considering the speed of Dead yer, it should have been an instant. For some reason, the sword that was supposed to cut down the spirit was stuck. The owner seemed lost. In the silence where time seemed to have stopped Theughter of a child could be suddenly heard and they came to their senses. It was as if he finally realized the darkness in front of him was an illusion. The joke has gone too far. His face was stiff. It seemed like he misunderstood it as Seol Young ying a prank. Since he was at a loss for words, Seol Young just held out the earrings. And in the dark, one of Zahas earrings glowed. His expression changed once he figured out the thief. Phew After clearing up the misunderstanding, it seemed like he was finally ready to let go of the sword, so Seol Young reached for the goblin. Even though the goblin was young, it wasnt like what it did was unintentional. It knew everything and thought that it was fun for him to die, and it almost got Seol Young killed. So bye. Seol Young destroyed it right there. The situation ended, and for some reason, he got chills once it ended. It wasnt that he wasnt afraid of death. He thought he could get revenge by bing a spirit. Death meant death. So maybe that was why his body trembled at the thought of what just happened. He looked at Zaha. Do not tremble. The misunderstanding has now been cleared. I know. Seol Youngs voice cracked. But why didnt you cut me down? Right. Zaha shrugged his shoulders. I thought you would. He was speechless. He said that he would kill anyone who would change, but when the same thing happened after Jeok Ryun-rangs soul transfer. It was possible because it wasnt a real situation. However, if it actually happened, he wouldnt go stiff. He himself seemed to have realized that now. Its because the house is so big. There is a lot of space for the dead. Seol Young spoke without much hesitation. Its because a lot of people have to live in it, but it doesnt. So others try to fill this ce, and if nothing is done Right. Zaha looked at Seol Young with a stiff face and turned around. Then Seol Young asked him again, Where are you going? I am tired. I brought drinks. Im not in the mood today. His tone was calm, but not his eyes. He had always thought he could cut down a Disfigured Spirit right away, and not being able to do it was such a shock to him. And the target which he had to kill was. Wasnt it Seol Young whom he was supposed to work with to take down the God of Cataclysm? It was more shocking. I didnt want to surprise him like this. Seol Young frowned. He said that no one knew why a persons soul became disfigured. But in the despair brought by the God of Cataclysm, he heard that it happened so frequently. Seol Young never experienced it, so he couldnt be sure of anything, but werent they dangerous? It felt like he shouldnt leave Zaha alone, but the man was already heading out. Seol Young hurriedly followed him, and said, I saw it when the confrontation with Jeok Ryun-rang began. First, you spoke insensitively, and then you spoke about taking down a Disfigured Spirit. If one saw that, they would think that you were trying to Zaha just walked away. Whether you listen or not, it is up to you. And I will just continue talking. Seol Young continued. This is why you shouldnt make other people misunderstand. You saved Third-rang and woke him up from the curse of the Devil Lair Lord. You joked around as if it were nothing even if his head would fall yet eventually you helped So it seems like you are alright. So even in the situation where the evil spirit who lost its sanity seized the chance to kill Seol Young, Seol Young could stay calm because he believed him. But didnt those beliefs push Zaha to death? He couldnt forget that. Still,pared to 8 years ago, things seem to be better. At that time, I heard that many Hwarangs died. I dont know if it is because its power has been taken away, or maybe its ns changed but for now, the evil spirit is focusing on us two alone. And touching the people around us is its way to attack us. So it isnt as messy as it was in the past, even though I hated it, thanks to the things we did. I wanted to talk about that. While dealing with Jeok Ryun-rangs spirit this time, I think I found out why the technique you used eight years ago failed. He continued to walk down the long hallway, but Zaha slowed down a little. Even if it is a failure, it is just the technique that failed. And it had dealt enough damage. Because that evil spirit hadnt been able to do anything for thest eight years. Seol Young said while walking. I can no longer see the book, which is said to hold the secret technique of the monk, but I tried to think about it in my own way. The technique seems to summon an evil spirit and then imprison it in a body by making the evil spirit possess it. After that, the soul of the caster gets offered as a sacrifice, and the evil spirit will be taken down. . But that technique was iplete. It would have worked on an ordinary goblin, but the God of Cataclysm was too strong, so it was able to break down the powerful technique. . As the technique got nullified, the casters soul didnt return. Even though you didnt wake up, you must have been fighting the evil spirit again, and thanks to that, it seems like you had caught its demonic energy before it escaped. . Because of that mysterious spirit, the corpse must havee back to life. Despite being clearly dead, you still came back to life. So arent we probably dealing with a spirit that we have never witnessed before? Well. The moonlight began to shine into the dark hallway, and the shadows of the old items in the room became visible. Honestly, neither of us knows. After dealing with the God of Cataclysm, what happened to the demonic energy inside the body? Seol Young let out his thoughts. You are moving like a living person right now, but I dont know what will happen when the source of the demonic energy vanishes. There is no way that such a thing could have been thought about. So I figured out that the solution is to learn sorcery. Finally, Zaha stopped, and he turned around with a face that said it was absurd. It seemed so absurd that he forgot he was revealing his emotions. You want me, the Hwarangs High Governor, to learn sorcery? I can see that you were listening. Seol Young responded. Honestly, arent you a little bit curious? You can find out more about the things that have been happening in the capital. For a Hwarang, you already know a lot about sorcery, and besides, seeing as you imitated something like a talisman on a paper the other day, you have talent in it. Are you being real? Yes. This isnt just about suppressing the demonic energy but using it. I have already used it a few times. Not that way. Seol Young nced at the pond outside. If you forcibly suppress flowing water, wont the pressure build up and cause the dam to burst? If you set it free, you can use the water to move a big ship. Maybe with the state of your body close to being healed, the demonic qi within your body is being suppressed too much, and you might experience strange sights and visions. Like, do you think anyone cane up with anything more than this? Since the Great Mother is helping you, it would be fine for you to use the demonic qi and control it. Which is why I am asking you to learn it. Seol Young sighed as he knew he had spoken too much Finally, I said all I knew. I was nning to tell you this and surprise you in order to get revenge for the alcohol ban you did thest time. He thought back on the words he said, and Zaha looked at him with a puzzled look. Ignoring him, Seol Young opened the door, and the couple were waiting in the study. We found the earring. He summarized it in one word, and the couple smiled. As we thought! We had such a hard time finding it. My throat is dry. We will get you something to drink. The couple left, and Seol Young sat on the chair. Zaha frowned. You can leave. I need to teach you sorcery. Stop talking nonsense and head home. I had a hard time finding it, and I dont want to walk. My throat hurts from talking too much, and I think I am getting a fever. Seol Young picked up a fan on the table and smiled bitterly. Come to think of it, Hwa Un-rang dropped his fan. To get drunk before even drinking. It is a righteous weapon, and something that a hand shouldnt lose. Really. When I apologized for what I did seven years ago, he was so surprised that he dropped his fan. What? Zaha asked with a doubtful face. Did you apologize to Hwa Un-rang first? Yes. I think it was too much to throw him into the pit. Pit? You said the troops were lost and wandering around? Ah, was that a secret? Seol Young opened the fan and stood up. Wait! Were you surprised? Twice? That is the 100-day ban. And the couple came in right then and prepared several dishes with just one ss. Seol Young wondered and asked. I was nning to give back one of the two sses. How did you know only to bring one? Uh? How did you know that the High Governor lost a bet and should not drink for another one hundred days? .? The couple seemed shocked. You made such a bet You have been fooled again. Our master gave up drinking a long time ago. Uh? After returning to the capital, he said he would stop drinking, singing, or partying to cultivate, and he refused to speak more. The couple smiled at Seol Young. Seol Young-rang must be feeling thirsty, so we prepared the alcohol first. We will get the tea soon. And they hurried out. Seol Young sat down. Like a fool. Zaha spoke. If you had thought about it, you would have realized. When I came back to the capital, I couldnt control the demonic qi. So what would have happened if I was drunk? You didnt know that, and I tried to imitate your actions and pretended to be afraid of not drinking, and you believed it? How ridiculous you were for doing all that just to win. This is why I said you were in my palm. Just give up. And then he smiled. It was the first time he smiled after seeing the vision of the Disfigured Spirit. What? Save your Third-rang, wake the curse of the Devil Lair Lord, being careful of not getting you killed, but in the end werent they all just things you did to mislead me? The fan was now in Zahas hand. And with an arrogant face, he said, How perfect can I be? To be less perfect, I dont know how to do that! Seol Young bit his lips. It was fortunate that he was expressing it shamelessly, but why was his stomach burning? This His anger was rising, so Seol Young took the bottle and gulped it down. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 The couple was surprised to see Seol Young chugging it down. Drinking alcohol from the bottle. Did you feel very thirsty? But I still think you should drink slowly, though. The woman rmended as she put down some chopsticks on the dish. It was some delicacy seasoned with seven kinds of meat and amazing spices. Sis pine nuts were famous for their savory taste, and among them, these nuts that they used were of the highest grade. It looked simple on the surface, but anyone who knew about how it was cooked could guess just how much these two people cared for their guests. But of course, Seol Young knew nothing about these nuts, and even the meat didnt seem any different to him. If not, maybe its because this ce is stuffy? The husband pushed the door of the study room aside. As he did that, two directions out of the four doors opened up. The middle of therge garden could be seen, and it felt like they were in the woods. It was autumn, so the wind was cold, and the moonlight shone on the golden roof of the house, so there was no need even to haventerns. Seol Young looked at it and then asked the couple, There must be a checkerboard in this house, right? Yes. The couple quickly moved to get it, and Zaha asked out of curiosity, Seol Young-rang, do you know how to y GO? Isnt it obvious? Seol Young said. However, as if he didnt believe him, Zaha put down his teacup and observed Seol Young. Then the couple came back, carrying the board. It was a ck and white board made of ivory and nutmeg wood checkerboard that had been made with gold borders. They gave the ck stones to Zaha and the white stones to Seol Young. Call us if you need anything. And then the couple left. Seol Young immediately picked up a handful of white stones and ced them in front of him. Now, each yer will bounce the stone ahead and knock the opponents stone off the checkerboard. Okay. Zaha watched it with a shocked face. Seol Young-rang, it isnt flicking. Im not done yet. Seol Young stood up from his seat. And then he went down the stairs of the garden and picked up two bamboo leaves. Its not us, but these bamboo leaves will move and make the stone bounce off. But it is still flicking. Of course, you might wonder how the bamboo leaves will bounce them off. But you must have seen it in the GO house. The spell to make humans out of bamboo leaves. Then Seol Young threw the bamboo leaf in front of Zaha. I have said it before. Sorcery is a form ofnguage. Just as you learn the heavenlynguage, the national one, and various othernguages tomunicate with the people of other nations, if you learn this, you canmunicate with them. Whether the other person was listening or not, he still continued to exin. This new sorcery belonged to the old ones. By using the Yin qi that exists between the heavens and thend, we can unite the spirit and make it dwell in the bamboo leaves. Because we need an arm to bounce the ball After tearing some of the edges of the leaves to make two arms, he infused his spiritual energy into them. Then the bamboo leaf jumped up. As if it were saying it hade to life, it waved its slender, cut parts. And then Seol Young said, I will use spiritual qi, but the High Governor should use demonic qi. Do it if you want to, or dont do it if you dont want to. He looked at Zaha with such an expression. Being born as a noble, he must have yed this a couple of times, but it didnt seem like he had been asked for a direct match like this. Seol Young knew how much this man hated boring things. Hmm He looked at the board where he would touch, and under his cor, the ne shone in gold. Soon after, a ck haze rose around him, and the Yin energy between heaven and thend reacted. Wait. Holding the bamboo leaf in the air, Zaha tore the leaf into two and then infused qi into the leaf. Then the leaf jumped up. As simple as it might seem, it wasnt. If one wanted to make a shapeless thing move forward, it would still move back. And if one made it move to the left, it would go to the right. Seol Young thought, To be able to do it at once. As expected, he has amazing concentration. There was not even a p or a whistle. Which made it even more terrifying. Then Meanwhile, Zaha wasnt aware of what a great thing he had just done and just simply spread out a handful of GO stones. And without a word, he moved the leaf. Then the ck stone got jerked away by it. I have to say start! As Seol Young was protesting, the ck GO stone flew into the garden. It doesnt matter since it has gone a long way. It is practice. Zaha said. And it wasnt long before the leaf moved, but it wasnt easy to control. Lets start then. For Seol Young, this was nothing. The white stone hit the stone, and in an instant, the ck stones on the other side were thrown out. .. Seeing them all being taken down, Zaha frowned. He got up and picked up all the stones that had been scattered. Again. Zaha said as he began to handle his demonic qi. The ck stones continued to get hit. However, he couldnt beat Seol Young, who was good at it. No matter how great his title was, he was new to this. Lost again. Seol Young held back augh, and calmly said, Drinking alcohol should have been the punishment, but you quit, so I will drink. The bottles of alcohol lined up, and behind them, a bamboo leaf that had now lost its strength fell. What is this? You are only doing what you are good at. I am not doing this anymore. Zaha grumbled. Stop drinking, Seol Young-rang. You need to walk on your own two feet. If you crawl or roll on the ground, new spirits will go after you.. I am not drunk. Besides, you need to move early tomorrow, and looking at you now, you seem to have forgotten I didnt. Seol Young said. Why did Ie here? Of course, I was going to tell you the story once the match was over. For example, the couple didnte until they were called, and since there was a garden here, there was no way his words would leak out. Still, he lowered his voice cautiously. I heard from an official of the Treasury. I heard when you passed by the with the relic of the Wonhwa Tower with the Governor, the smoke around the flute became thicker? The rumor has already spread? Zaha sighed. Things got a little messed up because of that flute. The full wave was a reaction to the item from the same cloth that we had taken out of the tower As I thought. The Empress Dowager noticed that, and she was the first person to see it. Why her? Because of what was written. And what was written? That was another shocking thing. He finally understood why it was a messy situation. The Empress Dowager was a Buddhist. If Buddhist scriptures from 200 years ago were found in the tower, then she would want to see them. And who would say no to her in the pce? He could understand that, but the other one? What the hell are Buddhist rting things doing in the cloth, which should have held information about the evil spirit, for the flute to even react like that? I dont know. Maybe we can see it once it is back. Before she took it, I unwrapped it and took a look at it, but there was not much content. You looked into it again? Isnt that obvious? Well, tomorrow, we need to head to her ce and retrieve the scriptures faster than anyone else. The expression on their faces was serious, and they had forgotten about the ident caused by the goblin. Still, this house needs to be cleansed. Seol Young thought so and nodded. I understand. In no time, Seol Young had sobered up, and the two of them got up. The next morning, they went out early to the residence of the Empress Dowager, as they had talked about before. But for some reason, there were people around, so Zaha grabbed a eunuch. What is happening? The Empress Dowager has been calling people since dawn. The scriptures that the High Governor offered her. They seem weird. Weird? I dont have the full details, so please head inside. The guard stepped to the side, and the two looked at each other as they moved in. It isnt normal to summon people since dawn, right? What? There was nothing special from what I saw. Zaha hurried inside, unable to understand it. As soon as they entered, they ran into Zaun-rang. I must be having a bad day to see my younger sibling right in the morning. That was what her face said, and the Heavenly Pavilion Head was also there. Wonhwa was both a Hwarang and a tower of heaven. Therefore, it can be rted to our While saying that, she looked at Zaha and Seol Young enter the room, and this made her frown. Zaha pretended not to see the two and greeted the Empress Dowager. I thought that the scriptures I had given to the Empress Dowager was fine. So what is this? I was thinking of making someone call you. The Empress Dowager told Zaha. Have a look. She picked up the papers and opened the first page and this surprised Seol Young. It wasnt because there was something in there. But there was nothing there. As you can see, these are all nk sheets. It means they werent used. However, since it was sealed in and ced in the tower, what such thing happened? Her words made Seol Young think. Didnt Zaha say that he read the first pages and thought they were normal? He turned to Zaha. Did someone change the papers? But it didnt seem like it. Zaha quickly skimmed through the papers, and something caught his eye. It was nk to the others, but it was visible to him? How can that happen? He thought to himself, but then he realized something. There is a secret behind this. And it seemed like they had to take this away from the Empress Dowager first. And it was as if Zaha was the only one who had noticed it. But if he acted directly, it wouldnt work. Try it. He nced at Seol Young, hinting it to him. So Seol Young moved to the Empress Dowager and bowed. Queen Empress. I will solve this briefly. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 The Empress Dowager looked down at Seol Young. You want to solve this? They seemed like provocative words, but they were truly more of an interest. It might be because he was the white-robed Hwarang who had taken care of Princess Ajin and had never let them down. So she said, The High Governor and Governor brought this, but wasnt it the white-robed Hwarang who stretched out his hands in front of the mes to help? Do you know a lot about this? Do you know why the Buddha had decided to send me the nk sutras through the hands of the High Governor and the Governor? As a royal, she spoke her mind thinking the Buddha sent these for her. There is something I need to point out. Seol Young said so and added. Perhaps this isnt for the Empress Dowager? No? Please let me take a look at them. We will need a brush and inkstone. I understand. She looked at herdy-in-waiting, and the woman delivered a book to Seol Young and prepared the brush and inkstone. Seol Young opened the sutra first. At that moment, a strand of silver energy moved through the floor without anyone noticing, and letters began to appear. The owner of this strange aura was Zaha. He showed Seol Young the contents that were inside. Because the qi was cast using his spiritual meridian, not everyone could see it. Then Seol Young traced the brush. Everyone looked shocked as he wrote down what was on the nk item. Isnt that a sutra to take down the karma of the dead? Seol Young nodded at the Empress Dowagers question. Yes. All of these are like that. That is why no one here could see them. .? The high priests who had built the tower thought that they had trapped Jeok Ryun-rangs soul in there forever, so the only person who can read this is Jeok Ryun-rang. In other words, the only ones who can read them are the dead, because these are for the dead. The reason they looked nk to everyone but were visible to Zaha. It was because of this. Because they were for the dead. . Everyone felt a chill run down their spines, and looking at what was written, it was clear to them now. The writing looked like it was written by an experienced old man who had written for decades and not by a young Hwarang. The people were creeped out. Besides, copying it like this is useless. As Seol Young said that, the letters he wrote vanished, and the paper turned nk. This sutra holds the intentions of someone who wishes the dead to move to heaven. Even if we borrow the eyes of a ghost and copy them, they will still turn nk. Jeok Ryun-rang has already left, and only the scriptures remained, so it would be better to follow the dead and burn these. At that moment, Zaun looked at him. Even though her body was heavy with a child, she had been summoned by the Empress Dowager since morning, and she was facing her brother, whom she didnt like. She had been watching everything with a sullen expression, and the topic of the dead seemed to have interested her. Is she thinking about her first husband? There is no better treasure than this for the dead. Zaun looked at the papers with eyes that looked daunting, but the papers were already in Zahas hands. It is not good for the living, especially for someone like the Empress Dowager, to hold something for the dead. I will head to the hermitage of my family and burn them. Yes. The Empress Dowager handed them to him, and Zaha held the papers as he beckoned for Seol Young to leave. So they greeted her goodbye right away and turned around, but then she called them again. Wait. Uh? I forgot about one important thing. I heard that when you and the Governor passed by the flute with this around, it emitted thick smoke. Why was that? I heard it only responds to supernatural cmities. . They didnt expect her to suddenly ask them that, so they went stiff because they werent able to prepare for that beforehand. At that, the Heavenly Pavilion Head, who hadnt spoken since earlier, said, It is not a wonder that the flute reacted. She nced at Seol Young and Zaha as she said, The Treasury is a ce to keep the things of heaven that have been given to the living. Just as Seol Young-rang said, it was made and given to the dead, so when it was brought near such a holy ce, the flute was warning them. Ahh. I see. The Empress Dowager nodded her head. What? Instead of catching them, did she take their side? Anyway, before the Empress Dowager would realize something was off, they quickly brought out the papers. And the Heavenly Pavilion Head came right after, and Zaha asked her, You know that Seol Young-rang deliberately touched the tower and brought this out. If you think we will hand this out to you now, then you are terribly mistaken. As I thought. She said, There was a revtion that a Hwarang was working on it. But it wasnt me who singled out Seol Young-rang as the Hwarang, though. Are you really saying that aftering here? She turned to Seol Young. Seol Young-rang did things he wouldnt have done if he were an evil spirit. If he has to clear the sutra, then I will give you the chance, so tell me in a way I can be convinced. But convincing me will be more difficult than having me as an enemy. After saying that, she turned around and walked away with her dress fluttering. Zaha mumbled in shock. Did that scary lion start to change her thoughts? As if. It wouldnt be that. Seol Young answered. This has to be a trap. Do not worry. We can start with the papers first. They went out of the residence. This nation believed in Buddhism, and these were papers that had been sealed 200 years ago, so many people would be interested in them. Everyone passing by looked like a thief to them. At that time, Zaha grabbed a Golden Ring Hwarang who was passing by and asked, What is the Governor doing? Hwan Soo fetched him earlier. I think His Highness wanted to talk to him. Then go and wait there. When the Governores back, tell him that I retrieved the papers from yesterday. Yes. The two of them parted ways and headed to the basement of the Hwarangs base. It was where the dark room where they saw the image of the God of Cataclysm thest time. They sat there and opened the papers. A book for the dead. A book the living couldnt read. I didnt know being dead would help me like this. Zaha mumbled in a tone that wasnt happy or shocked. Looking at this book makes me feel like I am being forced into working. Stop talking nonsense and read it. But did you really understand the secret to this sutra in that short time? It happens at times. Seol Young responded. When the deceased is dead, the burial items may include items that only the deceased can see. Usually, they be useless, no matter how costly they are. Because they cannot be sold. Aha, and you gained that knowledge from robbing? Zaha smiled. Robbing? It is called trading for information. Seol Young corrected him. Right. Right. You wrote two copies this time, so even if we read this, it shouldnt hurt. 1 Zaha skipped the first page. As I said yesterday, the first one is just a prayer for repose. About taking down karma. And well, the basic one. I hadnt seen As Zaha touched the paper, the letters appeared, and Seol Young read it. A secret. The high priest, who supervised the tower ceremony in the past, must have done this. There was a written sutra next, and it said to shake off the attachments to life and leave for the embrace of Buddha. And the contents ended there. But there was something more behind it, and when Zaha touched it, letters appeared. They were the records of the lives of several Wonhwas. Its 7. Lets see. The first should be with Namo and Jun Jeong. It was the first time the Hwarang troops were used, and the case where one killed the other happened. Then the two of them read it. From what they knew, both of these women had been drawn in portraits throughout history, although very briefly. But as the Heavenly Pavilion Head said, it was probably because of their high position in the Hwarangs and the Pavilion, and their ending wasnt nice. Getting involved in political fights, getting killed, getting entangled in love,mitting murder, and getting killed And their eyes stopped at one ce. The six generations Wonhwa. The part that described the strange incident about the six Wonhwa. No one knew where she came from, but she was beautiful, and many liked her. Even the Crown Prince stepped forward and made her the head of the Hwarangs. They dressed her up heavily and put a crown on her head, and they gathered to hold an ancestral ritual in the pce. On that day, the strange scent of a flower permeated the whole ce. Everyone was drinking and dancing as if they were possessed, and then suddenly, people began to get killed. Hundreds of people died, and there were also close to thirty who belonged to the royal family and officials. Then the Wonhwa went missing. So the Crown Prince, who pushed her to be the head, had to take the me. Wait. Seol Young raised his head. He felt a sense of dj vu at this part. The one with MU written. The Prince. This is There was something like that in the eight ghost stories in the Moon Pce. Zaha understood it then. The fifth story. 5. Medicine If you find a ck bag with the Chinese character MU on it, among the medicinal pouches, hang it between the licorice, and if you hear a voice from the pouch, make sure to answer as The way nts thrive. The two of them had subdued the ghost of the Prince in the story. Then that Prince was this Prince? But I felt nothing then. Seol Young looked back. At that time, the ghost of the Crown Prince was nothing more than an empty shell with an evil heart. He couldnt read anything from it. But Could it be that this was the original painting of the God of Cataclysm? Her eyes looked like she was in conflict. Wonhwa Mita. That was her name. Zaha began to organize all they had seen so far. When she appeared, strange things happened, and she was also rted to the eight ghost stories in the Old Pce, she was treated like a member of the heavenlys army and had a huge crown on her head, just like the God of She does have a lot of simrities with her. Seol Young nodded. And above all, the flute reacted to this. But there is this another thing that troubles me. And that is? Even if this wasnt the original painting, isnt it someone from a hundred years ago? But the God of Cataclysm was wearing clothes from the Tang dynasty, which was a popr trend at that time. So what is this? It looks as if the time doesnt match. Zaha was lost in thought for a while. And suddenly, he frowned. Wait, then maybe You have an idea? But I need to check it first. He jumped up. Follow me quickly. He took the lead and hurried somewhere.
  1. TL/N: In the sense that they shouldnt settle on one book.
Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Zaha climbed the stairs and headed to the back of the Hwarangs Hall. He entered one of the several annex buildings that were being managed by the Hwarang troops. Seol Young knew what he was nning on doing even though he had never gone inside. Archives? Right. While pointing to the records all over the ce, Zaha asked, Do you know what this is all about? This is a summary of the cases that the Hwarangs have resolved until now. Before going to investigate the evil spirit, Jin Rim brought out an old record of the Hwarang troops and read them to him. They said they wanted to find the records of the incidents quickly, so they were organized by their year, right? I do not remember them being this clean. It seems like Jin Rim did a lot of work. Zaha found a key in the corner. Anyway, Seol Young-rang. This archive contains more than just case-solving records. Um? Instead of answering him, Zaha unlocked the door with the key and went inside. Again, it was full of records, and they were all sorted by year. Seol Young asked, What is this again? Unsolved ones. Zaha said, A case that had to be closed because the answer couldnt be found. A case that had to be stopped because the victims vanished or the investigation had been given up. Or just a story All of those. And he began to skim through them from the recent logs and went back. And then he stopped at a certain spot. I knew it was this. Seol Young approached and looked at it. A man living in Shihui County met a woman on the street and married her. But the attitude of the woman was different from that of normal people. Terrified of that, the man joined forces with several others to kill her and they buried her in the mountains. But the woman dug herself out and rose up to kill the man and the vigers In the very next paragraph, Seol Youngs gaze stopped. The womans name was Mita. However, after that, she disappeared and couldnt be found anywhere. It was clearly written as such. It is the same with the 6th Wonhwa whom we think is the God of Cataclysm. The names also somehow ovep, but But they have one more thing inmon. A woman who suddenly appeared caused a bizarre incident and then vanished. Zaha said while finding a brush and paper to copy it. I thought the fact that the evil spirit had both signs of the present and the past might be a change in eras. And it seemed to be right. She also appeared after she was no longer a Wonhwa, too. Then, of course, it was right to look for it among the unsolved cases. If it had been resolved, she shouldnt have reappeared. Seol Young finally understood Zahas thoughts. Then maybe you can find more if we search? Maybe? And the two began to rummage through the records. And going back to the past, they brought out more things. There was a certain shopkeeper selling mirrors around Wang Gyeong. When he looked into the mirror, he saw a beautiful woman instead of his reflection, and the person said the womans name was Mita. People rushed to buy this mirror. However, all of them were found dead the next day. usations came, and the merchant suddenly disappeared before being caught. While this record remained A new maid entered the house of Lee Byul Chun, and she was very beautiful. A fierce fight broke out between the master and the servants over this maid, and dozens died that night. The maid named Mita disappeared that day. There was also a record like this, and A strange shaman appeared in the pce. This shaman held a golden stick in her hand. The golden stick was known to have the ability to revive the dead, so it was said that it was the same as the legend in the past. The people of Gun Hyun worshiped this shaman called Mita. But after she left, the people died in a horrid manner and began to go insane. That was what the records said. Over the past 100 years, there have been sightings of a strange woman named Mita haunting people. I should have known this Zaha mumbled. She appeared so many times in the past, and it even got recorded, but no one knew about it. Even we found out about it just now. Seol Young said that without taking his eyes off the records. Did she change into the God of Cataclysm by appearing and doing all these things? Maybe. The two continued to go through the records again, and from a certain point on, nothing came up about Mita. There isnt anything more. Zaha set down the bundle of old bamboo sheet holders. And he looked at thest record they had found earlier. The material looked damaged. They could make a few words out of it, though. Mita Curse Tomb Buried. It was the oldest record they found, and looking back at the contents of the page, it seemed to be rted to the time when King Jijung or King Beop Heung ruled. At that time, the six Wonhwas didnt even exist, even more, so the Hwarangs. So, rather than being unsolved, it was a mysterious face. Strangely, only this part is damaged. Do you think the evil qi had an influence? They tried to recover it, but it was impossible to bring back worn-out paper. Seol Young looked at the blurred letters. Anyway, doesnt this mean it started here? It might be that someone died at that time and continued toe back to life constantly and became a Wonhwa, and finally the Then we need to find out more about this one case. What kind of person did they kill and bury? Zaha handled the paper carefully and copied it. There arent that many clues around. But if we can dig through them, something shoulde up. Yes. Seol Youn nodded. It seems like we have finally found a clue to its real identity. It definitely changed from eight years ago, and maybe weve gotten a little ahead of ourselves But then, a sudden dizziness came over Seol Young, making his entire sight turn white, and the same thing happened to Zaha as he pressed his forehead with his hand. Again, it is cheating. This means she wont stand still. This Jeok Ryun-rang incident wasnt just a supernatural cmity caused by the God of Cataclysm, it was something that we went to first. Now, as if waiting, something strange will happen. Seol Young shook his head to clear the dizziness. We need to be alert at all times. That was what I was going to say. The two got up with the records they had copied. But The moment they opened the door and stepped outside, they had this odd feeling that couldnt be exined. What is this? It was as if they hadnt been there earlier. They just came out of a room they had gone into, and yet it felt like something had changed drastically around them. It was then. On the other side of the Hwarangs Hall, the Golden Ring Troops appeared, and they all looked at Zaha. Governor! Governor? Zaha looked at them. But Jin Rim wasnt around. The boys were there because of him. The Governor? I? You are joking around again. All the trainees smiled as if it were a daily urrence. But no one spoke. Then Zaha asked, What about Jin Rim? Uh? Did the Minister of Intelligence say he mighte here? We shall make the preparations. Then the trainees hurried outside. Jin Rim was the Minister of Intelligence now? The highest department of the ministry that dealt with foreign envoys? When did Jin Rim quit and get to such a high position? Zaha was in shock and looked at Seol Young. And he went stiff. Seol Young-rang your clothes What about them? The moment he looked down, Seol Young went stiff. His clothes werent white. They were mostly white, but he had this golden and silver pattern belt worn on top of it. It was an unfamiliar outfit. Isnt this the clothing of the Sun and Moon troops? Why do I have them on me? I want to ask you the same thing. Why are you wearing them? It was like he was possessed by something. Then the two of them walked around the building, only to stop again. The front yard was noisy. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were talking to someone, and the moment Seol Young saw the person they were talking to, he was shocked. Baek San. In the form of a general with red armor and a red cape, he wasughing while being around his son and disciples. Teacher! Oh, if it isnt the sub? Baek San pped Seol Young on the back with augh. This guy! How dare you go out of the White Tiger Troops saying you dont like it, and then call me Teacher now? Seol Young was shocked. Uh? Me? Baek Eonughed. Father, if you say such things, Seol Young might head to the corner and cry alone. He is just getting used to it. Baek Sanughed again. If you wanted toe back this fast, improve your skills quickly. Losing a bet on drinking and changing the troops! The Hwarangs will make you the first one to do it! Right, Governor? .? Zaha looked at all of them. Then, after meeting His Highness, we should listen to how our Seol Young has been doing. Come on, kids. Yes. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol followed Baek San as they winked at Seol Young and stuck their tongues out. And then they noticed someone walking across the street and stopped to greet them. The person was Zaun. The person she was with was wearing the robe of the Golden Ring troops. No? Seol Young looked at Zaha. His face was bing weird, and after everything that had been going on, this Hwarang seemed to be his dead brother-inw. The couples conversation could be heard. I really wanted to handle that work Right. Let us do what you want, wife. Zaun was so engrossed in their conversation that she didnt see Zaha or Seol Young. She was just looking at her husband the whole time and only looked back after she entered the Hwarangs Hall and vanished. How Zaha mumbled. The situation was so absurd that even his painful memories of his brother-inw seemed to have changed. Seol Young-rang, are we dreaming together? But this isnt a dream It was real. Everyone was calling Zaha the Governor and Seol Young his assistant. While they were walking as if they were possessed, it was still nice to see all of them now. Great Heavenly Pavilion Head! Seol Young and Zaha hurriedly ran. How did this happen? All the people killed by the God of Cataclysm are still alive! And with her reading the heavens, she must have something to say about this change, right? Then they stopped at the pavilion, but then Governor! Aide! What stupid trick are you trying to do by destroying the shrine? Uh? What? God of Cataclysm? If these two are put together, you two would be that! She passed by and sneered at them. When Jin Rim said he was quitting, I should have acted more to stop him! . Seol Young and Zaha were shocked as they watched her leave. That made it clear. Zaha spoke, I dont know how, but this isnt the world we used to live. It seems like a world where the God of Cataclysm didnt appear. Despite saying that, they couldnt believe it. But that was the truth. The two looked at each other, shocked. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Governor! Jin Rim called out loudly. He was wearing a wide-sleeved official robe with a red jade studded belt. He had a noble look. The envoy of the Tang family sent us several gifts, so I was nning to stop by your mansion around this evening. There is also their famous alcohol that Seol Young-rang might like, so it would be nice to drink while we talk about the old times. Jin Rim had a blunt expression, but his face was smiling. It was apletely different world from the one where he was called Governor. There was little relief in his eyes as they looked at him. They could see that Jin Rim did well in this life. There was another one who had the same eyes. Look. The Tang dynasty also sent someone for you. Messy hair. A face that was evident of a hangover but had lively eyes. Hurry up and greet your sister-inw! Another official was chasing a certain Hwarang. . The leader of the Blue Dragon True Troops, Seo Geom, fired cold eyes at his brother. He avoided the ce as if he wasnt worthy of it, but Seo Jun continued to tease his brother. I thought that both the Governor and Seo Jun-rang would enter the Ministry of Intelligence together. Seol Young thought as he was walking. The Ministry of Intelligence and Foreign Affairs. He heard that one tiger and one serpent were deployed to appease. It seemed like Jin Rim had been selected, and Seo Jun volunteered. But both of them look happy. On the other hand, around the Hwarangs Hall, young women had gathered. Senior Oni! This side! Seol Young stared at the sound of pping and calling. Senior Oni? At that moment, the head of a fierce dragon appeared beyond the young ones. Kids, be careful. Oni hasnt had breakfast yet. Behind them were a few Hwarangs from the Sun and Moon troops. Right. If all of them hadnt passed away, then Oni would have been raised well. As Seol Young and Zaha passed by, Oni sniffed them. In this world too, he would have been close with Oni one way or another. The Hwarangs also smiled and said, Governor, the Great Heavenly Pavilion Head was passed by earlier, so be careful. The Governor and the sub were the ones she was furious about, saying that you had sneaked into the shrine and taken something out of their secret library. Hahaha As if! It cannot be. The two of them entered the meeting room, and they immediately locked the door. There was a lot of energy outside. Everyone seemed to be busy exchanging their opinions. Andughter could be heard sometimes. Wouldnt this be an ideal world for Zaha, though? A world without the God of Cataclysm. Seol Young turned to him with a bitter expression And Zaha was mumbling, Sub? Aide? Does that even have a meaning? What kind of role gets called with such ackluster name? And Seol Youngs sentiments shattered right then, and his face hardened. Who is that crazy Governor? I heard that I was doing well in the White Tiger troops without trouble, but then you did something with the alcohol and took me away to this?! But you must have provoked me. Alcohol will never break me. If you defeat me, I will do whatever you tell me to do. You would have been brought here to be tormented for a long time. He wanted to deny that, but it seemed that it actually happened like that. But right now, this is what is happening, right, Aide? In any case, it seemed like he didnt want to miss the chance to bully Seol Young. Do not call me that. I am leaving right now. Seol Young responded with a cursing voice and took out his sword to see it. The Yin and Yang que was attached to the Blue Rainbow sword, which he hadnt seen for a long time. But I dont have the spiritual prison that Teacher gave me. Is sorcery not used in this world? I guess so. It has to be that. If such things were here, Baek San would have gotten rid of the spirits and the Devil Lair Lord. Aha Anyway, this world left them with the impression that the two of them had known each other since they were young. And Teacher is alive Baek San died early after trying to stop the God of Cataclysm, which led to him exhausting his energy. Then, without that, wasnt it good that he was alive here? How many times had he thought about that? However, when he met Teacher, who was alive and well, he had forgotten about all of that. He couldnt even speak properly. Seol Young lost his mind. When we were told to get out here, did it mean to go crazy here? He was startled at the sound of pping in front of him, and Zaha spoke sternly, This isnt our world. Yes. I know. Seol Young shook his head. But is this possible? It isnt a dream, nor is it like living a fantasy, so does such a world exist? Well, nothing is impossible. Doesnt Buddhism speak of it? The world isnt one. Zahas eyes looked golden as he turned to the sky from the window. There are thousands of worlds identical to the one we live in, and they are called small worlds. The middle of the heavenly world gathers thousands of small words. The thousand middle worlds are gathered in the greater heavenly world. And if we add them, there are three thousand worlds. In other words, the 1,000 gets multiplied by 1,000, and then Seol Young tried to calcte. One, ten, hundred, thousand, million, billion To what extent would it be? A hundred trillion? Zaha said, Among them, if there were worlds in which Si was created, there are those that dont have Si, and they can be said to be worlds with me as the Governor and without me too. Among those many worlds, everything else is the same, and the presence of the God of Cataclysm is what changes things. Seol Young was finally able to understand this strange world. We tried to find out her identity, and it seemed like she did this strange thing and sent us here. In this world without her, even if we tried to find her, we wouldnt get anything. But there must be some link that would allow us to intervene. Yes. Seol Young nodded. We need to figure that out so we can find a way back to the actual world. Then suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. But where did Governor Zaha and Aide Seol Young, who originally existed in this world, go to? Did they disappear? I was thinking about that too. Zaha spoke with a bit of a flustered face. Could they be out there in the other world instead of us 50,000 thoughts went through his mind. Seol Young trembled. We need to head back. Yes, right, Seol Young-rang. You have been talking about it for a while. Zaha opened the locked door again. Follow me quickly. Where? We need to check something out. What? The first record in which Mita appeared. If it is there, we should read it. It was damaged in our time, but since such a thing didnt happen here, the initial record might not have been touched, right? Ah, right. The two of them immediately moved to the archive rooms. And the moment they opened the door, the piled-up documents greeted them. In the other world, Jin Rim was handling them, but Jin Rim wasnt in the Hwarangs in this world. Zaha frowned. Why did they let him leave? Shouldnt we start by hearing that we are sorry for Jin Rim-rang? I really wish for this to end. Seol Young found the key and unlocked the side door. The situation there was the same too. All the material were just piled up on top of each other. Not this, not this. Not this either After rummaging for a while, he finally found the record of the mysterious incident before the first King. Here. Zaha quickly found and opened it. There were records, but It wasnt as they had expected. Mita Curse Tomb Buried. It had been damaged, with only a few letters left. It was the same as in the other world. Zaha frowned. To think it is damaged in the same way We were wrong. Seol Young ran his fingers through the surface of the paper that was damaged. It isnt due to the actions of the God of Cataclysm. Then who? They couldnt even guess who it was. The two looked at the other records, but they could not find any other records about Mita. The sixth Wonhwa, the one who died and came back, the mirror spirit, the maid in the house, and the golden stick shaman All of those things were absent from this world. As expected, it just ended at once in here. Zaha looked at the only surviving record. Their investigation resulted in nothing. In a world with no evil spirit like her, it was necessary for them to find more information. And they realized how difficult it was. But there must be something. Zaha was thinking. If there is a way to somehow get a clue about her in this world Seol Young shook his head. And then he thought, but will it be fine? He nced at Zaha. And Seol Young tried to push his luck, I have a method. .? Zaha raised an eyebrow. But? Why arent you speaking about it? It is unlike you. I feel like you wouldnt let me if I speak about it. Me? Zaha snorted. You are worrying about unnecessary things. I have gotten used to you and your methods, so I will not be doing such things. But just in case, please remove the things ahead. . Zaha pushed away the items on the table, and then Seol Young spoke about what he had to say. And after hearing all that, Zaha was shocked. . Silence passed. And he said, And I get called a madman, but everyone should realize it. Actually, out of the two of us, you are the really insane one. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Of course, Zaha didnt readily ept it. But it would be better for him just to get angry since treating Seol Young like a madman wasnt nice. Seol Young pouted as he said, Shouldnt you say that my idea was insane and end it there? Then? Since there is no God of Cataclysm here, I will be the one to fill its ce. If that isnt crazy, then what is? To say it is crazy like that. The conversation isnt even over yet. Didnt I tell you that you should listen to what people say until the end? Seol Young continued. Toe to a world without the God of Cataclysm. Its as if the prey that we have been chasing so hard just vanished right before us. It is too strong for a prey, remember that. But in a crisis, there is an opportunity. Even now, we need to take advantage of this. There should be one thing we shouldnt forget. Everything happens for a reason. In other words, there must be a reason why she doesnt exist here. Is that what you meant to say? We had taken a look at the records earlier, and she just appeared once and no more. Even I thought such a thing. But was the God of Cataclysm such an easy opponent? Rather than taking it down all at once, this would make more sense, Someone is strongly preventing the evil spirit from resurrecting. So you want to try it out? Right. If you use the demonic qi of the God of Cataclysm in a talisman and borrow it for a while, and if someonees to kill me or someone even reacts a bit Right when he said that React? With a mumbling sound, something rose. ? Seol Young was so shocked that he froze, and Zaha was also flustered. Someone picked up a cloth and held it up. It was a Hwarang. Myo Eun-rang. Zaha said to him. The same as ever. Sorry, Governor. I was looking for a quiet ce Mo Eun greeted Zaha with a sleepy face, and then he turned to Seol Young. Seriously, Seol Young-rang. The things you asked yesterday are done. He put his hand inside his sleeve and handed him a small bottle with a handle. Now, here is the bottle you asked for. Add the powder, pour in some water, and turn this knob around, and it will mix on its own inside. Yes. Thank you. It looks like the Governor is causing another disaster. Then do work hard, Aide. Myo Eun patted Seol Young on the back and went outside. After the door closed, Seol Young shrugged. It is strange. That person was here, but I couldnt even hear his breathing! It is because Myo Eun-rang learned a special sleeping technique. He is quite tired. I see He must have heard everything we said, right? But he doesnt know what or who the God of Cataclysm is, so he must have thought it was just an evil spirit. Zaha mumbled, This is such a peaceful world. Right. Seol Young looked down at the bottle that Myo Eun had given him. Everyone seems to just take it for granted. If it were the Sun and Moon troops, they would have caught you and tried to study you. They would never let you go. Is that all? Seol Youngs face turned cold. Listening to what Myo Eun-rang said, it seems like everyone knows that the Governor is the one bullying the aide. Then Stop imagining useless things. We should handle the bottle first. Do not lose it and give it to its original owner. Yes. Anyway, he was right, so he put the bottle inside. But how far did we talk? Seol Young was thinking once again. Anyway, I am not saying I will do it right away. If we do our research and we dont get a single clue from it, then there would be nothing else for us to know. Fine. We can talk again after doing more work. Zaha copied and wrote down the damaged records of Mita. Anyway, the one who knows best about this matter is It has to be that person. Given the circumstances, they couldnt cover things up. So the two of them headed for the shrine. The Heavenly Pavilion Head had returned, and she seemed to be praying. However, when the Governor and his aide appeared, her eyes opened. What is it? Zaha straightforwardly told her, Since we have urgent work, lets just pretend that I did something wrong and borrow some of your knowledge for now. Governor, did you eat something wrong this morning? Please, first, look at the paper that the Governor had brought. It is a record of this mysterious happening from the past, but it was so damaged that it cannot be figured out. Do you know anything about this? Seol Young said that as politely as he could. Hmm? Seeing that the attitude of the two was different from usual, she took the paper and read it. Then she smiled. What do I say now? I was wondering what the two Gods of Cataclysms were doing in the secret library of the shrine. We didnt do it. At least not here. Please dont call us the Gods of Cataclysm. Both of them said that in unison. But she didnt care, as if she wasnt willing to listen. This is just one of the many that got buried in history. I didnt know what it meant, but now I dont know if there is anything that can be done about it. In the end, you mean to say that even you dont know. You just made that simple statement so wordy. The two left that ce without getting any results. Then they went around looking for people in the pce, showing the record and asking about it, but everyone shook their heads. This is a first. Well. There are so many records like this. They asked everyone, but nothing came out. So Seol Young and Zaha went back to the archives. Making sure no one was sleeping there this time, they locked the door. I guess that is the only way. Well, I guess so. Are you saying you want to be the God of Cataclysm yourself? Right. Because I am the one who has demonic qi. He was right. It was better for Zaha to do it instead of Seol Young, who would have to borrow the power from a ghost. However, this man hated the God of Cataclysm. If he dies, he dies, but it seemed like he would whine if something would happen, so Seol Young volunteered, but now. But then you have to do what I tell you. First, put on a skirt. You know I wont wear one, knowing my personality. No. You dont have to go that far, but after all, no one has seen the true face of the God of Cataclysm. Did you just change your words because they didnt seem interesting anymore? Why would I? Seol Young turned around. Anyway, what kind of supernatural cmity should I cause? The sky outside was turning red, so they had to hurry. It would be good for us to use the ghost stories like the real God of Cataclysm. That way, it will stimte fear and be effective. Which ghost story? Zaha thought deeply. Before that, we have to set the conditions first. No life should be harmed, and no damage to any properties either. Then I guess it would just end with shocking people. We have to pick people who have nothing to lose. Right. Both Seol Young and Zaha knew a lot about ghost stories, and after narrowing down a few ghost stories, they decided on one, It was a ghost story about a terrifying killer who could be seen at the Wolha Bridge on a moonlit night in Sorabeol City. All that remained was to act it out. Lets see. Seol Young looked outside. After confirming that there were no Hwarangs outside, they left that ce. If we want to hide your identity, what do we do with your clothes first? The two of them headed straight for the Heavenly Apparel Hall, which managed the arts and crafts of the royal pce. In the other world, it was the ce where the incident with the monster mask took ce. When the two of them appeared there, the official asked, Governor, what are you both doing here? We have this urgent night out, but I couldnt prepare a suit. I need to borrow some clothes for that. Ah, yes. Without suspecting them, the guard opened the warehouse door. The two first searched for the pile of monster masks. How about this? I am not afraid to go too far. But we need to do it in moderation. After talking, they chose a monster mask with a blue face and four fangs. Then they packed two knives and one sword for the sword dance and shoved them into a bag. After that, they changed into clothes for the ritual and put on a ck robe on top of them. Thank you. Please have a safe trip. And the two of them got out of the pce and moved to the bridge. On the other side, there were several drinking houses. They looked around for their victim, and it wasnt that hard to find one. Do not run! Come here! There was a prostitute in a drinking house who was being harassed, and she couldnt even get a word out because the customer seemed to be rich. Lets take him. The two nced at each other. After hiding and waiting, they finally came out. Seol Young used an illusion spell by drawing letters in the air. Mist rose, and it turned into the back of a beautiful woman. Hm? The drunk one staggered at the sight of this. His heart was moved by the sensual movement of the womans back, and he hurried after her. Where are you going alone at night? I can give you a fine night! When he reached the middle of the bridge, her form vanished. And a strange individual appeared on the other side. It was a tall man. However, since she was wearing a hat that only nobledies used, her appearance was rather strange. ? The guy took a closer look. Beyond the fluttering clothes, he could see the face of a blue monster mask. Kuak! Shocked, he stepped back, but the strange man was still standing there, and a ck mist began to rise from his body. A fog was slowly spreading over the bridge. After that, blurry-shaped figures gathered. G-Ghost! The guys legs gave out, and he fell down. The next moment, the strange, tall being drew its sword and attacked him. Ack! The guy screamed and pushed his body b. It was only then that he remembered the ghost story about the bridge. On a moonlit day, if one walked across the bridge alone, a terrifying devil would appear on the other side. If they couldnt defeat him with a sword, they would die. Someone save me! Help me! The silver sword moved. On the side of his face, under his feet, above his head The guy felt like he was being killed hundreds of times. His pants were warming up, but the night wind cooled them down. Then, suddenly, the whistling wind disappeared. The guy barely opened his eyes. There was nothing there. The de that flew as if it were cutting him, the ck fog, and the blue-faced ghost too And then the guy hurriedly jumped up. Save me! I am being haunted! A ghost appeared! He screamed and ran away. Will this do? Zaha said as he took the mask off, and Seol Young nodded. Good job. I will do it a few more timester when things turn quiet. What are you going to do until then? There are a lot of things to do. Or go to the base and look for the next victim You are looking for an excuse to drink again. The two turned around, but then, something sharp came their way, and the wind flew. No! Their eyes met. Isnt this faster than we thought? Zahas long de shed. The flying assassins dagger fell on the ground. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Seol Young looked down at the ground. What he thought was an assassins dagger was an unexpectedly ck branch. What is this? When he hit it, it made a metallic sound. It flew with incredible speed for a tree branch. Seol Youngs eyes stared straight at the opponent in the darkness. His form was bizarre. His robe was left open to expose his chest, and his wide pants were tightly tied at his ankles. With a wooden mask on his face, it looked like he was both smiling and crying. And he had ears like a donkey. What is that? I thought someone like a Taoist would appear? When Zaha looked, the strange man on the other side seemed taller. He isnt human. Seol Young shouted at him, Let us talk. With those words, he cast a talisman for bonding. The talisman turned into a noose and hit him. The man moved immediately and dodged it. He must have thought that the suspicious people who had caused the strange happenings would run away from him. On the contrary, when the two tried to capture him, he seemed a bit flustered. He looked their way and straightened his body. Then the sound of joints crunching and snapping rang out. In the next moment, the figure of the man suddenly increased to dozens. They surrounded them in a circle on all sides, naturally shaking off the binding. Illusion? Zaha held the Dead yer sword under his clothes. Tsk. Wasnt there a Yin-Yang que on this world? Seol Young also looked at the que hanging from his sword. There was no change to it. It meant that it was neither a monster nor a ghost. As expected, some secret power guards of this world? As long as this n worked. If it uses its qi, we can find out what it is, so do something. Even so, Seol Young was already throwing talismans. The talismans flew in groups. It was stuck close to one of the figures. That is mine. Before he could finish his words, Zahas sword flew towards him. It was an ordinary sword, and the opponent wasnt human, so it shouldnt matter if it got hit. But the opponent didnt know that. Right before it hit him, his body disappeared. Wait! Seol Young hurriedly performed a spell, making several beams of light spread out on the ground, and one of them was dazzlingly shining. There! And the two followed it. An unexpected chase took ce on the street at night. There were some people passing by, but they didnt seem to see the strange man. On the other hand, they could see the two people in ritual outfits moving around. And at this bizarre sight, they were all shocked and moved far away. Let us talk! Zaha took off his mask and shouted in irritation. But the man continued to run to the west side of the pce. Then the man disappeared into a forest. Seol Young asked in shock. Isnt that the royal residence? It seems to be it. Zaha also seemed confident as he looked at the forest in front of them. The royal residence was, as the name said, the forest of the royal family. Legend has it that the son of King Jinji summoned the goblins to y there. They didnt know if it was a true legend, but goblins often appeared in the forest. Which was why it was called the Goblin Forest. It was a ce that the Hwarangs had to know about. However, there was a reason why Seol Young and Zaha were puzzled. In the forest, covered in darkness, lights like fireflies rose slowly. And a thick moss on the ground was shining purple. In addition, each old tree looked like it held a purple halo hanging down from its branches. Then the two began to whisper. Isnt this the Goblin Forest that we know? Why is it like this in this world? The Hwarangs Hall and the bridge were all simr to the other world, although there were some differences. But this forest was entirely different. The Goblin Forest in the original world was, as the name suggested, very dreamlike. It wasnt such a mysterious ce. So they stepped inside with caution. On the ground with moss was the shape of JIN. 1 The man from earlier suddenly appeared. And that wasnt all. A variety of bizarre looking people appeared one after another. In the middle of all of that, there was a man who was small but seemed to be the leader. And he had a mask on too. The mask of the leader was clear, with a crown on it. His face seemed to have something written on it, with his eyes bulging and his eyebrows raised. The leader asked, Why didnt you follow them and bring them here? To which the man they had dealt with earlier lowered his head and said, These two people tried to harm the people by pretending to be demons on the Wolha Bridge. They used this strange spell, and it seemed to be rted to dark qi. At those words, everyone in the forest was surprised. As I thought. Seol Young and Zaha exchanged nces over the veil. The demonic qi that Zaha just showed didnt create the same mess as the God of Cataclysm. But its roots were the same, and this group in the forest noticed that. They must know something about the God of Cataclysm. Seol Young kept a sharp eye on their movements and their leader shouted, If that reappears on thend, a disaster will happen! No matter what happens, we need to get rid of them! Yes! A radiance erupted from the ground beneath Seol Youngs and Zahas feet. At that moment, Zaha pressed it with his sword, and Seol Young said to them, If you dont want to see all the trees in this forest blown away, you better listen to us. It is a good thing, but you are misunderstanding something. We are really worried for you. Zaha said that. However, it looked like they only got more riled up. You people? Their group burst into anger. But Their leader had no reaction. The masked faces were fixed on Seol Young and Zaha, as if they had lost their minds. ? Seol Young and Zaha nced at each other in doubt. Why were they acting like that? Then the forest group also looked at their leader. What is it? You people A trembling voice came from behind the mask as the leader stretched out his hand and took off the mask. He shouted in disbelief. Strange people! Seol Youngs eyes widened. The person he never thought of seeing again was right in front of him. He uttered the name that had been buried in his memory, Miss Jung Myung! The two of them took their veils off. The eyes of the girl holding the mask in her hand went wide. She was Jung Myung, the shaman whom they met in the vige that had been flooded. Jung Myung had died a long time ago when her vige was flooded with water by a demon called Sabiso. When their resentment was released, everyone was released from their bondage to that ce. Then how was she able to appear in front of him now as a real person? They couldnt figure it out. Well, thanks to her, it seemed like they had found out the secret of this world. The reason why the God of Cataclysm didnt exist here. It was because this was a world where thest shaman of the Tree God existed. They finally found out the identities of these people. All of them must be those who were under themand of the Tree God. Jung Myung seemed to have taken over and begun tomand the wood spirits and protect this world. . Jung Myung looked at the both of them with shocked faces. Then she told the wood spirits, They are the people who saved me in the past. Ah, yes. The spirits released their alert forms. It seemed like they held an absolute loyalty toward Jung Myung. I will take you inside. At Jung Myungs words, the two came to their senses and returned to reality. Zaha asked her, Ah, this body belonged to Jung Myung, the shaman. It would be nice if we could continue to borrow. No. Borrow, you say? God has decided to help you two and has led you here. Besides. She pointed to her chest. It seemed that there was something on her clothes. Let us head inside. The two followed her into the forest. There was a majestic, gigantic tree in the middle. There appeared to be a purple halo of light behind the tree. There was no tree like this in the other world. Seol Young looked up at the giant tree. As I thought, the Tree God exists in this world. Yes. Jung Myung nodded. When I first came here, the trees were almost dying, but I somehow managed to save them. I am a shaman for them, after all. There were several stumps in front of the giant tree, and Jung Myung made them sit there. The name of this nation is also Si. However, here, it is moremonly referred to as the Sara nation. Other than that, most of it is simr. There are Hwarangs too Jung Myung looked at both of them. But the two worlds are so different. So how did youe here? Rather, they were curious about how she had managed toe here, but Seol Young decided to answer her first. Princess, we are actually after this powerful evil spirit called the God of Cataclysm. That was the reason we even came to your vige to begin with. To obtain the power of the old God, the one that works against it. I see. As if recalling the past, her eyes were brimming with emotions. Even after we parted ways, we continued to investigate and found out that the evil spirit had actually appeared several times for over a hundred years. Among them, we found the oldest record about the evil spirit that turned out to be damaged. When we were trying to find out more about it, we were brought here. We thought the evil spirit did this to keep us from finding out its secret. Zaha said, But seeing Miss Jung Myung like this, I think that maybe you also had a part in this happening? I really dont know. Seol Young added, The main difference between the two worlds is this. Because thest shaman of the Tree God is guarding this ce, the God of Cataclysm couldnt resurrect itself here. And he looked at her and said, The name of the evil spirit we found is Mita. It continues to appear under that name. Miss Jung Myung. Do you recognize that name? Zaha asked. She looked at both of them and slowly nodded her head.
  1. TL/N: This is a Chinese character that says Jin
Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Who is that? Who? Seol Young and zaha asked at the same time and she answered When I first came here, thre was a lot of noise around about this certain ghost harassing people and it turned out to have the name Mita. And when was this? it has been a while. Around a hundred years? The two were surprised with her calm answer Seol young asked. So you have been living here for a hundred years already? How can that be? it was just a few months back that your soul was released from the bottom of theke. I dont know either. I know nothing. well, I. Jung Myung reached for the clothes and pulled something out. I got cursed. Seol Young and Zaha were surprised once again when they looked at the item. An orb with light shining. They were able to understand it. Zaha frowned at this. his eyes shining in spiritual qi. isnt that the evil orb which the fake shaman had? The wishing jewel which distorts the truth and grants the wishes of the people. It caused the flood. Seol Young immediately remembered that. You remember. Jung myung nodded. you two killed him at the time and then relieved me of my resentment. But in reality, he left only after destroying the vige and that doesnt change the truth. She continued to look at the orb and said, I wondered what the hell happened to me for a hundred years. To sort it out one by one. when I first met the two of you, it was. A fantasy world created by the minds of the ones who died and miss Jung Myung. A world where the same day repeats again and again. Seol Young said Right, that is right. I was locked in with the vigers not knowing that we were all already dead, not knowing the same day was even repeating itself. Then, I met you and got released. Jung Myung held out her palm. Blue letters shone on the small hand. A talisman engraving In this way, I received the talisman written by Seol Young, the wish for us to be reorn. It is the world of spirits where life stays for 49 days after death. In wudang theories, it is called as mid world. Seol Young just looked at her. What will happen to the soul that he wrote to have a rebirth of? This was the first time he was hearing the answer. But, in the infinite space that transcends time and space, I found a strange orb. The other spirits didnt know what it was, but I did. The beads were talking to me. promised to making the wish of minee true And you made the wish? Rather, the or looked into the longings of my heart. What was it? you wanted to live forever? No. Jung Myung spoke in a low voice. it is that I wanted to repay the favor of the two nobles wo saved the other souls and mine. Silence fell. They felt grateful, but. Zaha said But the beads ability to grant isnt righteous one. Yes. She looked away. Zaha mumbled Things here seem to be going fine. Do not do it now. Seol Young said. Arent all demonic things like that? we used the demonic qi of the God of Cataclysm, but there nothing we dont use to do it. after all, thanks to the mis we managed to get information which we wouldnt in the world. Jung Myung smiled watching them talk. You are still the same. After so many pears passed ah, right it is hundred years only for me. Seol Young sighed. Right. we are only a few months of change, so ti is natural we didnt change. Well. is there anything you can tell us about Mita? Yes. Come this way. She gestured to the two. The ce she pointed at was therge hole in the middle of the giant tree. The inside was very huge. Lanterns lit here and there and there were also furniture made. Is this the shrine? She nodded at Zahas question. yes. When I first opened my eyes in the world and opened my eyes it was the tree I saw. As I said, there was this evil thing running around. She continued. People spoke of this Mita woman who died and became an vil spirit. Everyone kept quiet, so there wasnt much details. Mita was probably not from Si. She wasnt? yes. But the status was high. And it is said to possess the powerful power. but she died in a horrible way that is why she is said to have turned into demons and caused bad things. Jung Myung said diligently, searching memories. No matter how hard they tried they couldnt exorcise the evil spirit of Mita and so people dug her grave. The body was taken out and divided into several pieces and a new tomb was built at the boundary between this world and the next. And that is how I tried to seal Mita. Seol Young and Zaha faced each other. I think the record we were looking for is exactly what it says. it is the boundary between this world and the next. Zaha looked at her. But that didnt work? Yes. Well, Mita is a disaster walking around with darkness. What you are both saying is right. none of the methods even worked, but the tree god, which had been protecting thend since ancient times, had the power to stop it. this tree. She looked around the cave like ce. At the time, this tree was on the verge of dying, but the dark qi couldnt invade inside. I knew that and did everything I could to save the three. Thanks to that, in this ce, the life of this tree didnt get cut down. The wood spirit born from this tree travel thend and protect it. One of the wood spirits found demonic qi simr to it on the bridge Seol Young nced out. I am sorry for before. I purposely did that to find out what power was blocking the God of Cataclysm. Jung Myung looked at the two. If all this happened due to my wish. She looked down at her hands. then my mission is to inform of the important information about this evil spirit and make you go back to your original world, safely. Zaha asked There should be a way for us to head back, right? there is. Jung Myung replied. There was this strange tone in her words and when Seol Young tried to speak again. His eyes shed and then the body of Jung Myung copsed. Miss! Seol Young and Zaha got to her in surprise. A thin stream of blood was flowing down her mouth. Blood! It is alright!. She waved her hand Because a maiden gave up the secret of a heaven, I am being warned. Because I was trying to inform you, which is a taboo. I thought it would be safe in here, I guess No. She wiped her lips and lowered the voice There is a way to speak the secrets of heaven without being caught. But we need to be prepared. You should head back and rest. I wll contact you petty soon. Jung Myung spoke with firm confidence. It felt like her experience of staying here for 100 years. I understand. The two decided to follow her words. When they moved to say goodb ye, the wood spirits were gone. It was the same with the one who attacked them Only the clothes they removed were lying there. Taking it, they went out And as soon as the came out, the forest light vanished. Only the giant tree In the middle of the forest had a bright light around. If it wasnt for that, they might have thought everything was a dream. I didnt expect to meet her like this. Seol Young mumbled and Zaha asked. is she fine though? Yes. She was right about it being a warning. But we need to be careful though For now, we do what she says. Yes. They went back to the city and into the pce to collect their clothes within and it was time to go home But where is the home? Seol Young was troubled. Since you arent kicked out of White tiger and not in white robe shouldnt there be a different ce? Wait. Zaha said Coome to think of it, you are of a aide status in here. Yes. And aide is paid ve to the governor. Do not put it like that. I am just someone who receives and helps the governor and next in line to be the governor. Of course, I didnt get this because I asked. Still, the aide leaves the ce ande stay at mine, it was like when Jin Rim used to be my aide 8 years back. Zaha looked at Seol Young. be mindful now. my ce has rules. No drinking, no pipa and no GO. What is this now? there were no such rules in the original world? High governor and governor are the same to you> high governor can do anything and no one would say a thing, but the governor is a different role. Every move I do should be that of disciplined. Seol Young-rang, if you are with me, then you need to walk right. I know. The two of them walked at the streets of the capital in the moonlit roads however, there was not a single person who passed by and they were tired. Holing the sack of clothes Zaha said Seol Young-rang, it is boring to walk, so should we bet? Fine. They decided to monster hunt those hiding around. Whoever catches more wins. He who loses will carry it all. How is it? Nice. Just then, a wild cat with six tails appeared Seol Young caught it and handed the body to Zaha. He won the next bet as well, and handed over the blue rainbow sword. After winning the bet, he had to take off the robe and hand it over As they kept betting, the path came t an end. . Seol Young was lost in thought. Weird. I was winning at first though. One robe, two mittens, with long cloth, blue rainbow, other sword, his own rove and Zahas robe Sel Young was holding it all. And Zaha was walking by the side as he said. it is a pity that I dont find anymore baggage to give. Shall we continue this even after heading home? We cannot drink, y pipa or y GO, but we can bet? Nonsense. Moving around the corner, they flinched as the house came into sight. But it felt strange Lighs were bright all over. the noise could be heard from beyond the fence. It waspletely different from the original one. What is this? Zaha mumbled as if this was absurd. Why is my house like that? Looks like you have guests. Isnt it time to celebrate? The morning moon is so bright though? it is well Seol Young replied and then paused. Two people stood ahead of the gate withnterns in hand at first, they thought it was the couple. Byt NO Dressed in the former attire and people Seol Young meeting for the first time. but strangely, it looked like he was watching in from the mirror NO! Despite the darkness he was sure of it, so Seol Young mumbled parents? At that very time they turned their gaze away. The son carrying the pile of luggage and governor leisurely walking beside. And they looked face to face . Zaha was flustered. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 To think that the highest leader of the Hwarangs, the Governor left all the weight over to a young Aide and was walking around leisurely. He was using his power, and that was a scene that his parents caught. Moreover, in the original world, these were the parents who had died at a young age in an unknown ident. Even Zaha, who had no fear in the world, was shocked. This is a misunderstanding. After all, I spent more time carrying all the He began to make an excuse but Seol Youngs parents didnt care and smiled. When I think of my immature son, I cannot get myself to look at the face of the Governor, but since Master Baek San told me he was returning to the city after a long time and meeting Seol Young was possible. My husband and I also found our way here. Has the Governor been well? The clothes of their son and his higher-up were odd. In addition, the fact that they had veiled hats was even more odd. However, Seol Youngs parents pretended like they didnt see them, and they just casually looked over them. Ah. Yes. Zaha received their greetings with an awkward smile, and Seol Youngs parents looked at their son. . Seol Young stood calm, but his heart skipped a beat. The child became an orphan at the age of two and had never seen his parentsnot even a portrait. And to suddenly meet them in another world confused him. No. They are not my parents but the ones of this worlds Seol Young. He managed to calm his heart, but then he had another thought. What if they find out I am not their real son? Seol Young averted his gaze, unable to look them in the eye. I am He thought he should act naturally, but his voice cracked. I will head first. He mumbled and followed Zaha through the gate. They arent my parents. He continued to think about that and tried to control his pounding heart, but he couldnt. His parents seemed to be talking as they moved with thenterns. Bibi said, No. Still in Yunnan? My husband and I do the same. You lost your only son for over 10 years, so if hees home thiste, you are bound to worry. No. I wasnt worried since he had the Governor beside him. It is our long standing habit to go out and meet like this. He could overhear their conversation. Even when it is a celebration, they didnt went inside and only chose to bring somenterns. Seol Young stood there for a while and put the luggage down, making Zaha turn to him. What is it? Only then did hee to his senses. And Seol Young responded, I was just a bit shocked. My parents in this world are alive I heard they died of an attack from an evil spirit. What happened to that? Was it rted to the God of Cataclysm? There could be a connection, but indirectly. Zaha said. They say the world became chaotic with numerous spirits and demonic beingsing out, and the spirits that attacked my father could be one of them. Anyway, it isnt important now Seol Young turned to Zaha. Are there even times when the High Governor is shocked? Shocked? I was just a bit taken aback, thinking that your real parents would find out you are a fake. Do not lie. Well, there was no need to panic at all. Also, my theory is right. Everyone is used to this because it is normal for you to harass me. Or it could be because your parents are good people who dont care about such things. Zaha had a mischievous smile. You didnt even look and turned away. Are you even a bit curious? Why dont you go take a look while they are here? You think too much. Zaha said and walked away. Meanwhile, Seol Young was lost in his thoughts. Come to think of it, isnt there something that cannot be avoided? And I will leave soon. Even if this was a different world, he was curious what kind of people his parents were. When his teacher was alive, he heard a couple of things. Both his father and mother were from official families and had no ties to swords. Because their spiritual power was low, they couldnt even see the ghosts that others saw. It was truly odd for such a couple to have Seol Young. As soon as their son was born, they brought him to Baek San, who was ted to know the child had amazing spiritual power. They hoped he would be a Hwarang and the three of them put their heads together to name him Seol Young. Both were upright and good people. If they were alive, they would b the ones doing good for the people. Remembering the words of his teacher, Seol Young looked at his parents walking on the opposite side. His heart was beating wildly. If my parents were alive, they would have looked like that. He was told to resemble his mother, but he had the attitude of his father. And his father had a clean, schr kind of look. His calmness in being able to draw the line between what was right and wrong was firmly established. On the other hand, his mother looked like a noble from Si, and she had a face that would never show her true feelings. Even though he seemed indifferent, his eyes were shining from time to time showing he was someone who wouldnt be caught off guard Anyway, when they smiled, their faces looked warm. Seol Young, when we came to see you at thest festival, you left this in your room. I dont know what it is, but it seemed to be important. His father took a stone from his sleeve and handed it to him. It seemed that his other self in this world went to his family for the festival like the other Hwarangs. . He just stood still, epting it, and his mother said, What is this? You still didnt get kicked out, and you carried the luggage as ordered. Isnt it nice for you to be living here as well as helping the Governor? Uh? At this rate, it wouldnt just be a dream. Your teacher, and hyungs were hoping for this, but if you as a native of the White Tigers, seed the Governor position in the future, you will be able to repay the favor by glorifying the honor Lady, this is just a correction habit. This guy is not afraid of the Governor and runs wild, so he must take drastic measures. How can this child lead the other Hwarangs who are talented? I know that, but isnt a dream supposed to have freedom? Seol Youngs parentsughed and spoke. Both his parents had just one child, and the bond between the couple was deep as they also didnt have any siblings. . Seol Young, who had been listening to them talk, came to his senses. Well, they didnt notice I am a fake. They moved to the garden, which was the front yard that was noisy. The lights were lit as bright as day, and everyone was ying in the middle. Seol Young, you are here? Baek San shouted loudly. With just a couple wrinkles on his face, Seol Youngs head felt so lost looking at the appearance of the man who looked so different. He calmed himself and said, Yes, Teacher. Stand there. Let us see how hard you practiced. Seol Young, run. Song Ok and Hyo Wol spoke with exhausted expressions. I heard that the Japanese people began to run at the sound of the word Baek these days. How is he bing like this? I thought he would be tired running around the capital day and night. It looks like he can stretch his legs and only sleep if his disciples are knocked down first. If I were a hwarang, he would have done the same to me. Jin Rim intervened andughed. You should have seen it, Seol Young. Hyo Wol-rang flew all the way there and greeted the rock. Song Ok-rang was spread out on the roof likeundry, and the couple had to pick him up. Baek Eon-rang barely escaped flying, but Seol Young sat down and looked at Baek Eon, smiling. Come to think of it, this man hadnt moved until now. It looks like he will have to do cultivation to get rid of the paralysis. I am not a Hwarang, so I dont know. At Jin Rims words, Baek San burst intoughter. Didnt I tell you to hold on, though? I told you, right? And I was told I dont care for my son. You are really too much! Song Ok and Hyo Wol shouted. And even Baek Eon bit his lip as he was unable to speak. . Seol Young was shocked as he looked at them. No matter how gentle Baek Eon was, how brave Song Ok was, or how mischievous Hyo Wol was. He had never seen them smile this brightly. Will they be able to make such faces if there was no God of Cataclysm Just standing there nkly, Baek Eon looked worried. He was unable to move, so he tried hard to ask, Tired? Seol Young, who heard that, stopped thinking. No. I am fine. Where did you go today, and what did you do toe thiste? Baek San asked, looking curious. Ever since the Aide changed, the two of them are making a mess out of the kingdom each night. The monsters and ghosts must be going insane. To which Jin Rim smiled. How did they even get to know each other? Even if a knife is put to his throat, nothing would chang. Seol Young-rang, what are you doing around him? Everyone would faint if he said what he did. Just my job. Seol Young was confused. But where is. the Governor? Hyo Wol answered. He said his clothes were ufortable, so he would change them. Ah, then me too. Right, you thought well. Get out here now. At Hyo Wols words, everyone burst intoughter. Seol Young moved, leaving them behind. It felt like he would go dizzy with what he was seeing if he stayed too long. The moment he went into the main hall, he stopped. There was a towering rook that could be seen in the darkness. It was a two story pavilion. Originally, Zahas home didnt have that. There was this golden tower that had a ss roof. All the lights on it looked red and had a silver pattern. Zaha was leaning against the railing on the upper floor of this new building, and when he found Seol Young, he waved his hand. As expected, he ran away. Seol Young went up. What are you doing here? Observing. The scene of the banquet below could be seen from here and their conversations could be heard too. You came at the right time. Zaha lifted what was next to him. and it was an alcohol bottle. Seol Young was irritated. Alcohol was banned, right? Look down. I wonder if it would work if I said no to alcohol anymore. True. If you want to drink, then drink Seol Young-rang. Zaha handed him the bottle, but Seol Young didnt take it. Miss Jung Myung said she would contact us soon. I cannot drink now. Is that so? It isnt much. I will pour myself a drink then. Uh? You said you quit? What will happen if your demonic qi goes out of control? So what? It isnt even my world, so who cares what breaks? Zaha said, smiling. This man could never not say anything. Seol Young poured alcohol into the ss. Did he really want to drink? He did, and Zaha actually drank it. You gulp it straight down. My wish. Isnt it strange, though? What is? Drinking. There is no way I would have won. What do you mean? You drink to get drunk and not win. That is my usual mindset, so I can just get drunk right away. Even if I catch someone in the middle and bet, I will lose. Zaha held the empty ss out. It wouldnt be any different in this world. What happened to the bet that day? It is strange, no matter how you think about it. Seol Young poured the drink and said, What is the use of even thinking? Isnt that someone elses task? Right. Seol Young-rang is smart. I cannot believe you are already drunk. Zahaughed and emptied the ss again. Everything is someone elses task. Still, looking at things like this, it isnt so bad. Its like watching the painting someone else drew. The second drink was enough to make his vision blurry, and he didnt feel like having more. At that time, something pulled on Seol Youngs pants. Did this house raise dogs? With that thought, he looked down but it was a living wooden doll. It was the wood spirit that served the Great Mother. I heard that even a tiger wille when I call. Miss Jung Myung is calling. Seol Young pointed down, and Zaha looked at the doll. His blurry vision became clear in an instant. Good. He grumbled as he got up. Actually, I was thinking all this while. What other words wille from the mouth of hers. Well. Seol Young shook his shoulders. To say that there was a way to return to their world, Jung Myung seemed uncertain about it. And it wasnt that Seol Young was fine with it We didnt think our way out would befortable either. True, but I am telling you, prepare your mind Seol Young-rang. Thank you for the concern, but sober up from the alcohol. The doll guided them, and the two climbed over the fence and went out of the mansion without making a noise. Chapter 181: Three Thousand Worlds (5) Chapter 181: Three Thousand Worlds (5) Unlike the noisy mansion, the streets were silent, and the celebration was done so there were no more people around. The wooden spirit in the form of a wooden doll guided the way under the moonlight. Its movements were stiff, but its limbs were swift. Zaha whispered as he watched it, I think she is hiding something from us. Maybe only from us. And what could it be? I need to find out after meeting her. I will refute her words so you find out what we are missing. Keep your mind straight. Why do you keep saying that? You were the one drinking. if you are going to listen to me, just stay here. From the looks of it, I seem more vicious than a ghost in this ce. It isnt that, but the Seol Young-rang of this ce is too gentle. Because both of his parents and teacher are alive. Both of them are on my side, though, not yours. You are mistaken. They think you are educating me and are just putting up with it. How do you know? I can tell at the sight of them. The carriage ident happened, and it seemed like I had gone lost at that time and went back to the Devil Lair. So how affectionate will they be? Even at the age of 20, if I arrive homete, they still greet me withnterns in their hands. But if they find out that this is all the Governors prank, then they wont let you live in peace. Sure. Still, the one whom they trust is me, not you. Do you want to bet? I dont understand why you like to bet this much despite not being a goblin. I can do it. While talking, they moved and followed the doll. Eventually, they reached the southern side of the kingdom. The ce the doll was leading them to was the Southern Mount. It took the lead and climbed up the path it knew. Is this the destination? Seol Young looked around. This ce was where the Vermillion Bird Troops base was. Even at this time, the ce seemed to shine. They were careful, not wanting to bump into any Hwarangs who may be around. Meanwhile, the wooden doll continued to move. And at some point, it finally stopped. The four sacrednds in Si that determined important events and the Four Spiritual Lands. One of them was the Understanding Rock. It was the rock that oversaw the capital, and where the officials held meetings to decide the fate of the nation. And an octagonal table was there beyond that. Someone was there, looking down on the capital. Seeing the darkness, Seol Young felt it. To think she protected this entire world, serving thest Tree God. She is amazing. No. Jung Myung shook her head. I just did what I could do from the shadows. The people from the Hwarang troops do everything else. Even things that I couldnt do. She took off her mask and gestured for them to sit. Sit. There were wooden tablets on the table. One was for, which meant YES, and the other was against, which meant NO. Zaha turned his nk and said, I heard that officialse here and voice out their opinions. Right? Even if you leaked the secret of the heavens here, you would be able to avoid it because it would be a national affair. Is that why you called us here? Yes. Jung Myung replied. Since the two of you are officials of the nation, it can be considered a ce where you came for a shamans advice. Seol Young nodded. Good thinking. We always need to be careful. Yes. Lets get to the topic. Jung Myung lowered her voice. For the past one hundred years, I have been researching things. There is a wall of time and space between worlds, so moving between them may have seemed impossible, but there is a passage connecting the two. Well, maybe thats how we were able toe here. She whispered. The oldest case in history was Heo Hwang Ok, the Queen of King Sura of Gaya. Empress Heo was said to havee from this distant kingdom called Ayuta, but ording to the schrs at that time, such a kingdom didnt even exist. That is why it was said that she hade from an unknown world. What? Is that one of the three thousand worlds? Right. I think she came here identally through the passage of the other world to this world. For example, like a ghost bridge. Are you talking about the legend? Seol Young asked, The bridge between this world and the world of the ghosts? Yes. That is the one. Of course, I know that if it were opened, it wouldnt be something that could have been handled. All the evil spirits wille over and make thisnd a world of the dead. Jung Myung further lowered her voice, But there are safer ways, like little doors that can be secretly opened and closed with my eyes. Her eyes shone. I will open one for you two. And you can sneak out. Aha. Seol Young and Zaha exchanged nces at that. They never thought that they would find such afortable way out. But would this work? Not even a three-year-old would be fooled. Our shaman is doing such boring tricks. Zaha stretched out his hands and turned the nks over. Seol Young did the same. Two AGAINST appeared, and Jung Myungs eyes widened. Are you saying you will not go out of the door I will open? Yes. Zaha spoke, looking at Seol Young. Look here. Didnt I say she would be fooling us? Fool? Jung Myung was shocked. No! I did not lie to you! Who said you lied? Leaving out what you have to say is also fooling. Zaha spoke in a cold manner. Everyone keeps forgetting things, but I was a priest too. How much insight do you have into such things? Where the hell is a door that a shaman can open at her will? Jung Myung looked embarrassed. The answer there is in your own story. I heard that when you first came to this world, the dying tree was in front of you, right? That must be the door. The door that you passed through. Zaha continued. Why was the door there? You can understand it just by thinking a little. Seol Young-rang, what is the root of the Tree God? A singr thing. What is a singr thing now? A very long time ago, even before people lived, there was one giant tree that protected thend. And? And to the ce where Emperor Sans son descended from heaven and established his capital. Seol Young stopped as he thought. I see. His eyes widened in shock. I should have thought about it a bit sooner His parents, Teacher, and Hyungs were distracting him so much that he didnt notice it. Zaha said, ording to the legend, the ce where the son came down is under this one tree. In this way, the divine tree has yed the role of a door connecting one world to another since ancient times. At the same time, it serves as a gatekeeper. It kept people from crossing the two worlds. Jung Myungs face turned pale. Even if you were thest shaman of the world to hear the voice of the tree, the Divine Tree will not open the path and vite its duties. The tree will be punished for it. Then how did the shamane here? Simple. At that time, the tree lost its followers and was dying, so even if it tried to stop it, it was powerless. . But not now. Thanks to your efforts, the tree has life and is strong, so we cannot just go when we want to. If we go out, we have to do one of the two. Either kill the tree or push it to death. That was the problem. This world only had one tree left, and it was the only path from this world to the other. And it was also the source of power that could suppress the God of Cataclysm. What if such a tree was killed? The answer was obvious. To get us out, the God of Cataclysm will have to be brought here. Seol Young looked at her. Is this right? She couldnt deny it. Was this your n? In exchange for letting us go, you were going to make it descend here? Wait. It wasnt something that I said without thinking. Jung Myung spoke with a pale face. There is a way. Even if it seems like I cant, I can defeat it. Zaha asked, Is there a way to defeat it? Yes. Jung Myung was eager. I waste because I was looking for it. There is just one way to kill it without the power of the Tree God. And what is that? She shook her head. I cannot talk about it. But it is a sure way to help. Zaha looked at her. Shall I guess? I cannot answer. One life for another. Jung Myung was shocked. H-How did People always thought such things. Seol Youngs face stiffened. It doesnt work. It is fine. Never mind. I am a cursed body. I dont know what I am, but I am not a living person, so. It isnt that. Zaha cut off her words. It is true that I dont intend to let you do the same, but the method itself is wrong. Why? Because I had tried and failed. What? Jung Myung was shocked. Suddenly, it felt like she was hit with something. She stared intently at him and finally saw it. No She was too dumbfounded to even speak. Attack the tree, open the door, and let us out. Then, when it appears, know it and do the spell. That seems like your best n. Zaha picked up another wooden que and turned it over. I am against it. Me too. Seol Young also did the same. Jung Myung didnt know what to do. She looked at the sky, then at the ground, and then at both of them. Then what now? What else? We will live here. Zaha said. Seol Young has parents and a teacher, and I can live as the Governor with an Aide in a world where nothing happens. How nice is this? After all, there was nothing this mans mouth couldnt say. Seol Young looked at Zaha with frowning eyes. The High Governor can live here. I am leaving. Jung Myung asked. How? As expected, there was an answer in the shamans words. Seol Young said, Isnt there a gate that isnt being guarded but a passage connecting the two worlds? Ghost Gate? It would be bad if it were opened. There should be another ce. The boundary between the other world and this. I heard people did something there. Only then did it strike Jung Myungs mind, as she said, The tomb of the God of Cataclysm. Chapter 182: Three Thousand Worlds (6) Chapter 182: Three Thousand Worlds (6) Silence passed. Jung Myung licked her lips several times as she couldnt believe what was said. Mitas grave. The boundary between this world and the next world. Through it, you can return to your original world She mumbled softly. I have been here for three hundred years but never thought about it. Of course. Zaha had a bit of an embarrassed face. I cannot either, and that is normal. Because I dont usually think of opening up a tomb and entering it. Except for those who usually visit other peoples graves as if they were their own. But my words are correct. Seol Young responded. Think about it once. We must havee into this world through some door. So where is this door? First of all, it wasnt the tree in the Goblin Forest because the tree is doing a good job with a keeper. And it wasnt like we got onto a boat and crossed a border ofnd. Isnt the only possibility the tomb of Mita? But that Zaha frowned as if he were lost in thought. Didnt the world change the moment we left the archives? So does it mean that Mitas tomb is there? Isnt that strange? Jong Myung looked up. She was about to say something, but she stayed silent. Maybe Seol Young thought. Couldnt the record we found in there be the key? This is the first record of Mitas name appearing. As you know, names are known to have powers. The stronger the target, the more powerful it is. Then we have to go to Mitas grave. Zaha said. If my guess is right, we can find the door to the original world in there somewhere. Also, graves can tell us a lot about the dead. We can also find out about Mita. What kind of person was she, how did she die, and why does she keep on reviving? There is nothing more to wait for. Zaha turned the que in front of him and changed it to the word ept. I know that the shaman did it with the thought of us in her mind, but even if this is not our world, we arent going to risk it. There is no way wed make the choice of letting the God of Cataclysme to this ce just for us to get out of here. Seol Young also added to Zahas words and then turned over his que. Yes. Jung Myung lowered her head. Sure. Since you know my n, there is no way you will agree. Besides, the circle has been supposedly tried and failed. She fiddled with her own wooden que and then looked up. But you should realize this. Opening and entering Mitas tomb might be a bit simr after all. I am not saying theres nothing good that cane from it. First of all, it will not be easy to open that tomb. Jung Myung looked in the direction of the Goblin Forest in the distance. Even if it isnt something that breaks the order of the universe, like going back and forth between the three thousand worlds at will touching a sealed tomb is taboo. You will have to pay the price for touching her tomb. But we cannot be stuck in here like this. Seol Young shrugged. Anyway, Miss. It isnt about finding the tomb, but didnt you start by saying that it is difficult to open it? Are you saying that finding it wouldnt be that tough, then? A while ago, when we searched the archives and talked about it, your expression, Miss, was strange. Zaha said that. Do you know where her grave is? You have been protecting this ce for hundreds of years, and you might have found its location. . Jung Myung hesitated for a moment before answering. Yes, I know. Mitas tomb had been kept a secret for a long time, butter on, as a result of an incident, I somehow came to know of its location. And what is that incident? Jung Myung answered Seol Youngs question. It was an incident about a monk called Seon Yul, who was chanting Buddhist scriptures at the Mangdok Temple, went to the afterlife and came back alive. Did something like that happen in the other world? Ah, that? Of course, there was. Both Zaha and Seol Young nodded. Shall wepare to see if they are the same? Monk Seon Yul tried to make 600 copies of the Perfection of Wisdom but died beforepleting it. However, when the monk was in the underworld, he was sent back to this one, saying he had to finish them. When he opened his eyes, he was in the grave again. The monk was locked in the tomb and cried out for three days, and luckily, a shepherd who was passing by heard him and saved him. Jung Myungs eyes lit up after hearing that. Right. It is the same. Then is that the boundary between this world and the other world? The tomb where the monk was in? Zaha asked. Yes. Hearing the rumors, I ran over there to confirm them. And deep in the ground, there was this other tomb. Jung Myung answered, The wood spirits uncovered the history of the tomb. It was a tomb where ancient people had cut up Mitas body and buried it. It seems that in the old days, it was well-known that it was the ce where the border between this world and the other was. Then let us head there. Seol Young stood up right away. It is fine. ording to the story passed down, it was at the eastern foot of the Southern Mountains where the monk was buried. Wait. Jong Myung stopped Seol Young from going down the mountain at the moment. Not there. It isnt in the Southern Mountains? Yes. The record isnt true. I know the truth because I actually saw and heard the incident at the time. Jung Myung spoke carefully. When it became known that the ce where the monk was buried was somewhere between this world and the other world, there was a mess. Some went to visit their dead family members. Some brought dead bodies on carts to bring them back to life. Even shamans who wanted to receive some form of energy flocked towards it. Right. When they heard that, it all made sense. Jung Myung continued, So the nation issued this harsh order. Never reveal the fact about Monk Seon Yul returning to life after death. Also, the rumors about the location of the tomb that had been spread were false. There werent that many ghosts in the Southern Mountains. Then where is the location? You two know it well. There is one mountain with an exceptionallyrge number of ghosts and monsters because the boundary between this world and the other is hidden beneath it. That is why it was also connected to strange ces like the Devil Lair The two were shocked at the shamans words. Is it Mount Toham? Jung Myung nodded at Zahas question. Yes. The ce where the monk died and returned isnt in the Southern Mountains but on Mount Toham. After Mita was buried in the past, false tombs were made to keep people away. Over the years, several people built real tombs there. In the empty tombs, ghosts would appear. Wait. Then Seol Young stopped her since something felt strange. Isnt that location halfway up the mountain? Near the Right. If you go up the secluded mountain from the well where the legend is spoken about, you will find this graveyard. How did you know it? Was that part also the same? Seol Young seemed to have been hit hard in the head. . Speechless, he just stood there. Jung Myung felt that something was odd and asked. What is it? But Zaha was the one who answered. Well, it seems to be the grave where Seol Young-rang grew up when he was young What? Jung Myung jumped up in shock. How can that be? I need to check it out right away to see if that is true or not. Unable to hide her worried expression, she stretched out her hands to the ground. A dark purple aura rose from her hand. It was a shamans energy that she had worked to perform for one hundred years on thisnd. Thud. There was this deep echo in the ground. The God of Land had responded to her request. There was rumbling under their feet, and the scenery around them changed. With the power of a shaman, a powerful technique unfolded in an instant. The ce I was talking about is here. Is this really where Seol Young-rang grew up? Jung Myung asked. There was this half-copsed tomb in front of them. The white moonlight shone on the chambers. It was such a familiarnd. This is it. Instead of Seol Young, Zaha answered. When Seol Young-rang lost his memory, I came here. He said he grew up here. A cold silence fell between the three. The tomb where the ghosts had lived together for ten years. The ce Seol Young thought was his home. Beneath it, deep on the ground, was the tomb where the body of the God of Cataclysm was. They werent sure how to ept this. I grew up on her grave? To think he was connected to her in such a way? It was as if a gruesome and terrible snake had entangled his whole body, as if there was no escape. No. Seol Young tried to shake off the terrible feeling he was experiencing. And said to Zaha, Lets open it. Right now? We dont have time, right? After saying that, he looked around the grave where he once grew up. I never thought it would be here. Anyway, none of that matters. We finally found the source of the evil spirit. And he turned to Zaha. So we need to open it quickly. What is there to hesitate now? Hesitate? I was just thinking about where to break it. Zaha shrugged once and looked back at Jung Myung. If the Miss isnt used to noise, you should stay away. No. Now that this has happened, I am also one of you. Where would I even go now? She let out a small sigh and summoned the wood spirits. Fine, then. Zaha took the lead. The three went inside the copsed tomb. Arriving in the middle of the tomb, Zaha drew out the Dead yer sword. In the ck Tortoise Divine Troops, this is how they break the graves. It is all about finding the weakest spot. With those words, he raised his sword high and shed it down with all his might. With a roar, the floor of the chamber split open. The walls around it also copsed. And then we do this. Jung Myung pped her hands and called the wood spirits. Various kinds of spirits rushed in and removed the stone fragments. Then they began digging up the exposed ground. Seol Young sat on the copsed stone wall and watched the scene. The mound of dirt was piling up. In contrast to that, the hole in the ground began to get bigger. And at some point, the wood spirit mumbled. There is something! As the dirt cleared up, a round stone b was revealed. It was a sealing stone with the Chinese character Ban engraved onto it. And beyond this was the passage that led into the tomb. . Seol Young and Zaha looked at the sealing stone without even speaking. It was as if they finally managed to face their long-awaited opponent with their eyes. Jung Myung asked again, Is this fine? If you destroy this, then there is no turning back. The two of them looked at each other. As she said, they had to choose the price they had to pay. Would the world pay the price? Or would they pay for it? There was only one difference. And in response to that question, both of them made the same choice every time so far. Doing it? Zaha asked with his eyes. and Seol Young nodded. The next moment. Two energies rose from the Dead yer sword. Then the sword with a golden and ck aura was thrust straight into the middle of the stone b. Bang! The sealing stone was shattered. Chapter 183: Three Thousand Worlds (7) Chapter 183: Three Thousand Worlds (7) The b shattered, and the seal around Mitas tomb broke down. It was as if a ss shattered in front of their eyes, and something appeared between the pile of dirt. A part of the structure that had been hidden in the ground was clearly revealed now. The outside of the stone wall was visible, and white pieces of wood were attached to a golden rope that was woven together. Seol Young looked at Jung Myung. Miss, please. Yes. Jung Myung ordered the wood spirits to dig around the stone wall. A portion of the tombs ceiling was exposed beneath their feet, and Zaha looked at it without saying a single word. The one who caused all sorts of disasters and pain to people, yet despite trying to catch it, it was something that just couldnt be caught, and eventually made theme together His opponent for eight years of bad luck. The tomb where the body of the woman named Mita was believed to be the origin of the God of Cataclysm. Even though it was a different world, the tomb would finally reveal the truth. It was a feeling that couldnt be put into words. Then the expression on Zahas face vanished for a second, and the brilliant golden light in his eyes also vanished as if he had been frozen in ice for a long time. And he looked down with cold eyes as he said, It is strange. That was the first expression that he spat out towards the long resentment he had for her. Zaha asked while rubbing his sword. Why did they have to stick these pieces of wood together? Seol Young replied, It is a wooden que. Are there any white wooden ques? There probably werent any. They must have dyed it in color for some reason and used a spell, but everything was erased to white. In addition, what is inside is so powerful. Man,e to think of it, Seol Young-rang was an expert in grave robbery, right? The expression changed on Zahas face. Tell me everything you know. Id like to hear some opinions from the expert. This is not robbery, and it is being done with permission. Seol Young replied coldly and stepped ahead. However, I will tell you in detail in case the High Governor decides to make a living as a grave robber in the future. When you see a tomb, first make a rough estimate of whether it is a grave that can be robbed or not. Normally, if one sees a golden rope and a wooden tablet that looks like this, one should run away without looking back. It means that anyone who touches this tomb will be cursed. Cursed? Are you referring to the cursed records that mentioned Mita, the curse, cut to pieces and buried? Maybe, anyway. Seol Young bent down and put his hand on his neck. His fingers throbbed. What I said was the general case. We really need this tomb, so we should go in without asking for permission or arguing about it. After saying that, he raised Blue Rainbow and mmed it down to the ground. The tombs ceiling split open like a spiders web. You will have to enter there. Remember, if there is a sealing stone, that is usually the entrance. Lets see. Zaha applied force to the cracked part that Seol Young made and shed it down several times. The stone wall was broken, and a hole had been drilled. Inside, a space that had been sealed for a hundred years was revealed. Jung Myung was watching all of this silently from behind, then she mumbled, We need to put up adder, at least. Seol Young looked at her. Fine. And I have another request. While we go into the tomb and examine it, if another grave robber or passerby enters this ce or maybe even steps inside, it would be a huge problem. Can the shaman stay here and guard this ce? I understand. Please leave it to me. Then Jung Myung disappeared with the wood spirits. Then, shall we start digging in earnest? Zaha jumped down the hole first, and Seol Young did the same. It was horribly ck inside. Each of them raised an aura on their swords and halted. A pitch-ck haze was visible amidst the golden and blue light. Something was reacting in Zahas body. Seol Young said, It seems that the demonic qi inside your body is reacting to this ce. To the ashes, or maybe the things here. As expected. Zaha took out the Great Mothers ne, which was hidden under his clothes. The demonic qi rose in an instant and then vanished. The ashes must be enshrined in the deepest ce. Seol Young looked into the darkness far away. A long passage was revealed through the red and white light. The end was a forked road, I think there are several stone chambers. It is the size of a royal tomb. Seol Young took the lead and walked down the aisle. They said it was still dark under themp. Wouldnt the location of this tomb be the same on the other side of the world? How did I not know that there was such a huge tomb in the ce I have lived for ten years? . Zaha nced at him. His eyes, which were looking through the darkness, seemed like they were looking at something strange. Why? What? Rather, he questioned him and raised his sword. Wasnt he looking at it too oddly? Just when Seol Young was about to pry more, a ttering sound came from the other side. Numerous shadows appeared above the light reflected on the wall. A bird? As soon as Zahas words came, rogue birds appeared. Their upper bodies were those of humans, and their lower bodies were those of birds. They were half-human and half-birds. Kuaak! They rushed in, filling the ce. Calm down and look. Zahas Dead yer sword had this golden halo around it. It was the symbol of the Sun and Moon Troops. But the monsters attacked without any hesitation, and a single hit from their steel ws could tear down their muscles and beak bones. It cannot speak. Seol Youngs Blue Rainbow sword cut the monsters down left and right. And his spirit-repelling talismans moved into their wounds. Kuaaak! Then the bodies of the monsters exploded. As they tangled up and fell down, Kuak! A sound rang. It was the sound of something being shattered and broken. This sound? A question crossed their faces. But there was no time to further think about it. The demonic beings were attacking them even at that moment. Attacks from sharp beaks and ws poured in all directions. We need to break them all. Zaha swiftly swung his sword then a spiritual qi rose like wild mes as it cut down the monsters. The birds that were flying in from the other side were caught in the circle of talismans that Seol Young hid in the air. Kuaak! Shouts and screams echoed everywhere. After a long fight, they were finally able to defeat all the monsters. They were so strong that their arms were numb. Zaha swung his sword and brushed it off. Is grave robbery normally like this? Of course not. Then it would have been abandoned a long time ago. Seol Young said that as he raised the aura on his Blue Rainbow sword. After the fight, they finally arrived inside the stone chamber. A silvery blue glow shone around them. Several jars of grain were ced there. It was full of coins and various jewels. It was a burial item that had been prepared so that the dead could live in the grave forever. Its scale was very grand. It was the first time Seol Young had seen anything like this. From the words of the shaman, she said this was of a high-ranking person, right? And it wasnt a person of Shinra, but. Zaha stretched out his hands on the ground and picked up something. It was a sculpture of a birds head. The one that just attacked us? It looks like it. Seol Young also picked up a couple of items on the ground. There was a body and a base, too. When they put them together, they formed a shape. It was a bird-shaped earthen statue. It wasnt an unfamiliar sight. Then both of them said at the same time, A figurative earthenware? Those that were made in the shape of a person, animal, or living thing were called that. It was popr in Si, but this was more borate and bizarre too. Then When Seol Young opened his mouth, a tter echoed from beyond the stone wall. In the next moment, other shadows appeared in the passage. They were soldiers with ck armor. Arent those the iron troops? Zahas eyes looked shocked. It seems like it has something to do with Gaya. ^n1[TL/N: Confederacy] Lets try talking to them first. Seol Young sent his spiritual qi to them. But none of them responded. Zaha gave out a golden halo, but it also had the same result. .! The iron troops attacked without a word with their sharp spears, and Seol Young quickly raised his sword to block them. And the moment their weapons shed, he felt it, Strong! They werent just ordinary soldiers. It was like they were elite soldiers who had been trained to kill. Their spears flew in from all directions, aiming for their vital points. Seol Young flung himself to the side and thrust his sword at the helmet of one of the soldiers. But that soldier didnt fall right away. After a couple more stabs, he finally managed to knock him down. These people are strong! Zahas Dead yer sword pierced through one of the men and pushed them into the wall. He only stopped fighting after being crushed. There is no way this will end. Let us gather and just blow them all down together. Nice. Seol Young raised his spiritual qi to the maximum and drew a huge demigod in the air. However, as he was about to do that, he couldnt move, as if his hands had be stiff. It is strange. Before he could end it, his entire body turned numb in an instant. All of his spiritual qi suddenly disappeared, and all his talismans disappeared right then. At that moment, the iron troops stabbed their spears at Seol Young at the same time. Seol Young-rang! What are you doing?! Zaha drew out his sword and cut them down. What is it? My body isnt moving. Seol Young could barely utter that. Strange! Those iron troops must be having some secret thing going on! What did you do? Zaha frowned and swung his sword at the troops. But before he could cut down thest one, his arms suddenly stopped. .? Right at that moment, the iron soldiers spear grazed straight through Zahas arm. His cloth was torn, and blood sshed everywhere. At the same time, the sharp blue tip of the spear moved toward him. What? Despite all of that, Zaha still couldnt use his arm, and blood continued to drip down his sleeve. Seol Youngs mind went out. Wait! Even when he shouted, the other person couldnt hear him. And just before the spear pierced him again, this time, suddenly Whoosh! A long de flew through the wind. It rotated once in the air and shed the neck of the iron soldier with tremendous force. ? Seol Young looked at the de with shocked eyes. A thick demonic qi was around the body of the sword. Then, as if the effect had run out, it fell to the ground. Aha. It was then that he found out what had happened. In a moment of desperation, Zaha manipted one of the buried weapons with his demonic qi, just like when he controlled the army of bamboo in the past. My skill in catching is quite helpful. Zaha said. Despite his calm face, drops of blood continued to drip from the wound. When all the iron troops died, the odd paralysis and numbing that they had cast also disappeared. First, we need to treat the wound. Seol Young hurriedly searched through his body. Just then, another nking sound came from beyond the stone wall. Lets move for now. Zaha said. If we fight those men, the same situation will continue to happen. First, we have to find a way to deal with the odd numbness. If not. We will die like dogs. Seol Young epted that fact. So the two of them hurriedly went out of the stone chamber, got out of the long passage, and went up to the ground. Finally! Jung Myung, who had been hiding in the bushes, came out. Did you find anything? As she asked that, her eyes widened when she saw them covered in blood. What happened? Jung Myung and the wood spirits ran up to them in surprise. Chapter 184: Three Thousand Worlds (8) Chapter 184: Three Thousand Worlds (8) While exiting the passage of the tomb, Seol Young roughly took care of the wound. But the spears cut looked deep. Even if a powder mix of lime and herbs were sprinkled on it, it would soon turn wet again, and the fabric had to be changed several times. With all of that blood, it seemed like both of them were injured at first nce. However, after knowing that only Zaha was injured, the wooden spirits and Jung Myung rushed to him. High Governor Hwarang! Zaha raised his hand and stopped them. Since the treatment is done, it is much better for us to think about that thing instead. Ah, yes The goblins of Si were so talented that they could build a bridge in one night. The wooden spirits made a door to block the hole in the tomb with wood and stone. They covered the hole with that, and Seol Young, Zaha, and the shaman used talismans and their power to seal it. Then Jung Myung covered it with branches. The ce where the ground was dug up and the pile of dirt blended in with the forestndscape. No one will find this ce because I used an illusion spell. Jung Myung lowered the tree branch and asked, What was in that tomb that you hurt this badly? As soon as we entered, earthen beings attacked us. Seol Young answered. Bird-shaped earthenware turned into moving birds and attacked us. After we destroyed them, there were iron troops guarding the tomb, and they all rushed at us. That is how the arm of the High Governor ended up like this. Bird-shaped earthenware and iron troops? The shrine maiden must have noticed it, but both of them remind me of the Gaya Confederates. Usually, things that are deeply rted to the dead are buried in Right. Let us ask about that. So is Mita a Confederate? It can be assumed as such. Seol Young frowned slightly and said, But the iron troops were unusual for sure. During the fight, both of us became paralyzed in the middle, and we had no idea what technique it was. Does the maiden know anything? About those iron soldiers with odd spells? Zaha asked. Jung Myung thought for a while and shook her head. I dont know. I cannot remember anything. What do we do? It is fine. If we search thoroughly, we might find something. Zaha looked at the sky. It was dawning, and the day would soon turn bright. I need to go back for now. I should go and investigate the things that are centered around the Gaya Confederates. Then I will protect this ce for the time being. Jung Myung looked at Zahas arm. I will send you back home. Seol Young and Zaha quickly stopped her. We can borrow horses and ride our way out. What if you use your power and get exposed to the other forces? Jung Myung lowered her hand. Right. Then go ahead first. I will stay and look around. She said so, but she just stood there and watched until the two disappeared. And the two men went down Mount Toham. Since your injury is serious, the maiden is worried. Seol Young stopped for a moment and tried to untie the cloth that was wrapped around Zahas arm. It was deeply cracked, and his skin was dark blue. Thankfully, there was no change in the talismans that they had wrapped around it, just to be sure. If we take care of it like this, your arm will heal without any problems. When Seol Young said that with a serious look, Zaha raised his eyes. Seol Young-rang, are you saying you dont want this to heal? Its not that If you touch a powerfully sealed tomb and get hurt, you cannot help but be worried about the curse that follows. Usually, the curse starts with. So, are you feeling sad that it isnt showing up? Thetter is the problem. If it is a curse from a wound, then it can be handled, but that isnt happening. What is going to happen? I am more concerned at what curse awaits us. It had such a meaning? I misunderstood you. Zaha thought the same. First, the attacks were all mostly basic. If it were a psychological attack would the people Ive killed show up and curse me? I will be through so much pain. Going through the memories of the past? You have already been through that a lot of times. Ive been through a lot of things many times. I dont think anything can bother me anymore. Still, is there something else that is different? Well, it does bother me. The two of them continued to have a subtle conversation, and they borrowed a horse to return to Zahas home. After opening the gate and going inside, both of them stopped. In the yard,nterns lit up the darkness of dawn that was slowly moving in. Then they saw Jin Rim and Hyo Wol lying face down on the table. Everyone was drunk and seemed to be sleeping in peace, and the couple was carrying the people one by one inside. Well, right. They were so focused on Mitas tomb that they forgot they had guests at home. His teacher and his parents, who were all alive, were here in this ce. Finally here? The married couple found the two and approached them. Sir Baek San went inside, and even Seol Young-rangs parents also went in. Was there something so urgent you had to do that you ran out without saying anything? Your parents said they would wait for their son toe back, but Sir Baek San seemed to have been tired from traveling, so they went inside together. Everyone is asleep The couple paused while talking. And they only noticed it when they got closer. In the dark, Zahas and Seol Youngs clothes were stained with blood, and the arm of their master was wrapped in cloth. Hurt? I just scratched myself a little Zaha said, The rumors will circte tomorrow. I heard about this ghost that appeared near the Wolha Bridge. I decided to check it out and forgot to inform anyone. It was such a rushed situation that I couldnt even tell the elders and had to hurry out. Then is this the doing of that thing? Such a nasty one. Right. Maybe not to the extent of being nasty. And it wont appear again, so there is no need to worry. I should get some rest. After sending them off in a familiar manner, they entered the study and shut the door. The candlelight shone through the cracks in the door. The couple went back to moving the drunk people again, and grunts and moans from the drunk people could be heard. So peaceful like expected. Seoil Young thought to himself. It was so opposite from the tomb they had just gone intonot to mention their own world. They looked at the light shining through the crack in the door, and then Seol Young said, If we had been brought here through the tomb of the God of Cataclysm It must have been because of Jung Myungs wish, but the evil spirit must have also done some work. Maybe? The reason it showed this world to us must be because it wants to keep us locked in here, right? To seduce us by showing us the sight we want to see. .. But since we are not easily swayed by such temptations, what shall we do to this peaceful world? Isnt that the curse we get? . Zaha turned his gaze and looked at Seol Young. Well, it sounds like the God of Cataclysm is. But then his eyes changed. But isnt this a world where it cant just mess around with like that? Even though there is just one Tree God left alive and standing here, the shaman who has lived for a hundred years had gained great power, and is guarding it, right? That is true, but. Anyway, it is a problem that can be solved when we get back. Zaha leaned back on the chair as he said, Its better to get some sleep until the morning. Seol Young looked at his arm. I understand. He picked up a book about the Confederates and some old bamboo sheets on the bookshelf before heading out. He heard that the lodging for him was in the house, so when he went there. The whole ce shone brightly. It was a ce for the Hwarangs, and there were some traces of the trainees visiting this ce. It was different from a normal resting residence, which had a historic look. Where is my room? He couldnt ask the couple now, and it would already be morning soon, so he went to the nearby study room. Sitting at the desk, he opened the books and bamboo sheets he had brought. After digging around, he found something that caught his eye. They were earrings with a shape that was simr to an upside-down drop of water. 1 Among the objects that they had noticed at Mitas tomb, such things were there. Gardenia fruit earrings. These must also be there. Various objects and essories in the book were close to the burial objects. Gaya. As he flipped through the book, he felt tired, and before he knew it, he began to get drowsy. Seol Young sat down at the desk. Soon, his consciousness fell endlessly into the darkness. He didnt know where he was and had been floating for a while Suddenly, it appeared. The Moon Pce. And the front yard. An altar was decorated with a five-colored cloth spread around it. A sacrifice or ritual was going to be held. The Golden Ring members were busilying and going while carrying incense burners and gs. Even in the midst of a hazy situation, Seol Young noticed that this was the other world, the one they lived in. He was now looking beyond space and time. So he became curious. While we were gone, what happened to the world over there? What are the other us doing? He looked down at his body, but he found nothing. It was just empty space. At that moment, Seol Young realized that they didnt exist. He didnt know what had happened, but Zaha and Seol Young werent there. Then where are they? He was a bit shocked as he looked around, and earthen things suddenly appeared on the altar. And characters were written on the bodies of the bird mud beings. These were the ones that he and Zaha met in Mitas tomb. [What?] The courtiers arrived, mumbling. At that moment, the earthenware beings transformed. In the form of half-humans and half-birds, they attacked the courtiers with their ws and beaks. [Ack!] Blood sshed, and corpses were strewn about. The sacred altar turned into a mess. [Is something the matter?] The Golden Ring Hwarangs came rushing in, and a group of iron troops suddenly appeared in front of them. They were the ones that almost killed Seol Young and Zaha. [Who are you?] The men drew their swords. But the spears of the iron men pierced them like wooden dolls. An annihtion happened on the spot. [What is happening?] People began to rush there and were horrified at what they saw. [What are those things?] Those who knew nothing about what had happened were now being attacked by these rogue beings. Blood sttered everywhere, with screams echoing. .! Seol Young shook his head. He was now looking at the book on the desk, and the light of the candles was swaying. What did I just see? He jumped up in shock. He opened the door and ran outside, tripping in the darkness several times, and rushed to the main hall. He knocked on the door, but no answer came. High. He was about to shout when he realized it wasnt locked, so he pushed it open. Zaha was in the chair. In the darkness, his golden eyes looked so odd. We have a problem! Seol Young spoke right away. I know what the curse is! What we have broken in the tomb appears in the other world! The earthen beings and iron troops are all attacking the Moon Pce! The courtiers and the Golden Ring were ughtered! The punishment of not touching the forbidden tomb. You need to pay the price of it like this. We need to head back! Right now! He hurriedly said that, but Zaha didnt say anything. And after a while, he slowly said, So? He asked. Isnt this the best thing? You want to kill the divine tree here and go back there right now? His eyes, which were looking at Seol Young, were different from usual. They seemed to be covered by some sort of veil. Why is he looking at me like that? And then he thought, is he suspicious of me? For a moment, he felt the blood drain from his head. Even though it was in his mind, the thought that he had been trying to put away came back. As expected, the tomb was too suspicious. Still, all of it felt like a creepy coincidence, even though it might not seem that way to others. -Strange. Looking at Mitas tomb, he remembered what Zaha said. Even his eyes, which seemed to melt like ice, looked colder now. Actually, werent his words aimed at Seol Young and not the tomb? How could such a coincidence happen? How did I not know there was such a huge tomb underneath when I have lived there for over ten years? Did Seol Youngs words sound like a false answer? Was that why he was looking at Seol Young so strangely? He was suspicious, but suddenly there was a noise. . In the stillness, Zahas gaze was still on Seol Young. Seol Young felt like his chest was clogged. And he barely opened his mouth as he asked, Are you wondering if I am the reincarnation of Mita ?
  1. TL/N: Simr to a mango.
Chapter 185: Three Thousand Worlds (9) Chapter 185: Three Thousand Worlds (9) Inside the heavy silence. The question sank endlessly, like a huge rock thrown into the deep sea. Seol Young noticed that he was sitting on the ground before he even realized it. Then an answer came from the other side of the chair, Right. Zaha that. Isnt it too much if you think about it? How can one be so sly? Without parents who have spiritual power, their child ends up being born with the strongest spiritual power. Of course, the spirits rted to the God of Cataclysm killed your parents. The ce where the tomb ghosts took the baby happened to be the tomb where the body of that evil being was kept. You grew up there and became a Hwarang, but unfortunately, there was this revtion that a great evil was hiding within the Hwarangs, and it was pointed at you. Come to think of it, there are a couple of strange things. How do we add up all these strange things? That you alone were seeing the visions of that being wandering around the pce. Should I still trust you? Zaha mumbled. Since the technique I used in the past failed, all I can think about is killing that evil spirit. The colleague who informed me of the one possibility, and the one with whom I came this far now, was someone who is actually the reincarnated body of that being? It is a n that can only make me dumbfounded. He was arrogant yet furious, and a glint could be seen in his golden eyes sometimes. It had always been like that, but it was now covered with mist. Seol Young felt like he would be suffocated. Even when he was used of being evil for the first time, he didnt feel odd. What if things really turned out like this? How did they get here His head felt dizzy, and arge lump formed on his chest. No. I really When he barely opened his mouth with the emotions of wanting to cough blood, How is it? Did your heart sink? Zaha got up from the chair in front of Seol Young and pped his hands. Calm down, Seol Young-rang! ? Seol Young looked at him with a nk face. At that moment, a strange smell caught his nose. Have you been drinking? Right. I drank. Zaha responded. Something felt missing from my body, so I had to replenish it. I drank a little, but how can you be more distraught than me? And then he mumbled, Why are we like this? If I am fine, you are out of your mind, and if you are fine, I am lost. Well, if you chase after such a spirit, there is no way one is fine. His golden eyes turned to Seol Young. Anyway, I am so lost with all the bleeding, so do not mess with my mind with nonsense. Reincarnationisnt that impossible? Mitas soul continued to resurrect for hundreds of years and turned into the God of Cataclysm. How would she turn into you? Even the heavens know that it is impossible. His other words were more important than the heavens. Seol Young mumbled, Then you think I am not the reincarnation of Mita? Is your head spinning? Zaha shook his head. If I had thought of you as her reincarnation, I wouldnt have let youe close to check my scars. In addition, there is no way you would have let those iron troops attack you. I already made my decision, and it is simr to how the Hwarangs were first wiped out eight years ago. It was because some evil being had an influence. Zaha twirled his Dead yer sword, which had been ced next to the chair, with one hand. What is so important that Mitas tomb was there? It is either a ploy to arouse doubts about you or a coincidence that means nothing. It is only natural that ghosts are drawn to the boundary between this world and the next. . Who am I, though? I did my own research beforeing to a decision. It wasnt easy. Ive never been shaken like this, and it is unlike me to do something wrong. So it cannot be helped. Zaha drew his sword with his left hand and swung it into the air. Anyway, I cannot kill you. Now that this has happened, I have no choice but to believe anything you saw. Even if you lead me to hell, I have no choice but to follow. Was this because I made the wrong choice? In the end, to sum it up in one word, it meant that there was no doubt. Only then could Seol Young rx. Then were those words something you just said? Yes. Zaha said, nodding his head without any shame. There was a bottle of alcohol next to him. He didnt notice it earlier since the ce was dark, but now he could see it, and there were golden letters engraved on the drink. It must not have been a normal drink. But it was definitely alcohol. Zahas eyes, as if curtains had been shut, didnt look suspicious anymore but now looked drunk. I didnt even. Seol Young got up. Right. Thank you very much. Thanks to you, I feel so enlightened. So get up before I pour cold water on you. This isnt the time to have drinks. In the other world, there is a mess Sit down. Zaha said that, without even looking at him. I was nning to talk about that with you. I saw what you saw. You saw? Seol Young didnt understand and asked back, Then how are you this calm? The courtiers, the trainees, and the Golden Ring troops are dead. The kids we know. But after talking about that, it felt a little strange. Was it because his head had cooled down now? He felt something rattle in his heart. Seeing Seol Youngs expression change, Zaha said, It looks like you noticed. That there is a part of it that doesnt match with the start and end. What is that? This one. Zaha called out his sword, and a golden light shone on it. Then he asked Seol Young, What is this sword? Dead yer. As the name suggests, if you kill with this sword, they will leave for the peaceful world. The Swords Spirit burns the core of the soul and brings aplete end to it. One cannote back from that, so how can they appear in the other world? Right. If one killed another with the Dead yer, then one couldnt form again. Seol Young knew that too. So when he thought about all of that, something felt odd. It seemed like the reality, but it really wasnt. Then why show us such an illusion. Its probably to throw us into a panic like you did earlier. For us to stop wanting to go back into her ce until the very end. . The tragedy in the pce that he had seen earlier came back to his mind again. And Seol Young shook his head to brush it off. As long as we dig into her grave, she will continue to charm us this way. In an increasingly brutal direction. Right. So we need to be prepared. Zaha nodded. Well, as Jung Myung said, we cannot turn back now. We just have to go until the end, no matter what is at the end. Right. Seol Young nodded. I didnte running to tell you to kill the tree. We had already made our choice about that. In order to not bring that spirit into this world, they had to head back to the tomb. And so he made a decision. No matter what he saw, he would push ahead with all his might. But what if they got it wrong? What was the real bad thing that was happening in the other world? What if they had abandoned the ce that they were supposed to protect? Those thoughts lingered in his mind, but Seol Young believed in the power of Zahas sword. It is an illusion. It is a trick to delude us, and I will not be shaken. His mind, which had been confused, finally cleared up. Nice. All good then. Seol Young opened his mouth. But it would have been better if you told me about your sword the first time I came rushing in. You were so surprised that you couldnt even hear my words right. I wanted you to calm yourself first, so I did that. Zaha spoke back without any shame and tried to look at Seol Youngs face. You cried? No! Seol Young shouted. Pushing people to the floor, pulling them back up, and making them angry. That was a trick, too. He looked at Zaha and sighed. Do not lie. From the start, you worked hard to do this, even at the tomb earlier, you were looking at me with odd eyes. When did I? Are you trying to walk out of this too? How many times did you do that? Should I remind you? When you said that I lived in the ce where the tomb had been for ten years and didnt even know Ah, right. It was only then that the thought came to his mind, and he got up. Come to think of it, I almost forgot. I was thinking about something very important since you said that. What? The family whom you lived together with in the grave. The tomb spirits. The tomb spirits? Seol Young frowned. Of course, they would exist in this world too. However, it wouldnt have been the tomb spirits who raised Seol Young in this world, right? So he didnt bother looking for them. Where are they? I heard that they served a certain high-ranking person and got buried. Knowing fancy things well, they even prepared a birthday party for the Devil Lair Lord. Their clothes were just costumes, but now that I think back, didnt the long robes that they wear look like the style in Gaya? Now that you say. Seol Young was surprised. The tomb spirits didnt tell him much about their past. However, judging from the fact that they had been wandering around for a while, he knew that they werent from the city. Then are you saying that the high-ranking person whom they looked after is Mita? Well, I dont think they will match it so perfectly, but Zaha frowned slightly. Even if you are from Gaya or a nearby ce, it might be some help to us. I need to meet them. That is what I meant. But where will they be in this world? Seol Young thought. Seeing that I learned sorcery in this world, and that I disappeared in a carriage ident and was raised by them at the same. All because you didnt give up, there was no chance for the evil energy to collide in your body. You didnt hand it over. Then. Seol Young held out his hand and looked at it. The time when the tomb spirits were supposed to exist, it felt strange. Just like that time, fireflies appeared in the palm of his hand. He infused spiritual power into it, and their figures appeared. Lady Mo and To, Teacher Seo, and the two kids. Five bodies appeared. They were the same as the tomb spirits in Zahas closet in the other world. I have been keeping them in secret. If anyone saw this, Seol Young would be in trouble. Seol Young went and locked the door. Ask them quickly. Zaha urged him again. To suddenly ask them something now that he hadnt asked before. With a bit of a strange feeling, he cautiously spoke, Are you all from Gaya? The tomb spirits were silent, but then they all shone. They say yes. As I thought. Zaha rushed to the bookshelf and brought out some books. Which nation is Gaya in now? The book shone brightly. It is a book with information about it. Because the brothers built it. Is it a province or Great Gaya? At Seol Youngs question, the cover of the book shone at Great. It was Great Gaya. Which era? Seol Young asked. And the little boy stepped forward. While floating, he crossed his hands in front of Gaya. The same age as Uruk? When Zaha asked, they all blinked. Uruk was the founder of Gaya and was originally from Great Gaya, but he ran away to Si. At that time, it was the reign of kings. So they spected that the legend of Mita spread during the reigns of those kings. Maybe it ovepped a bit with the first and second kings. Then Seol Young asked them with a pounding heart, Do you know a woman named Mita? Chapter 186: Three Thousand Worlds (10) Chapter 186: Three Thousand Worlds (10) The five ghosts just looked at him without saying anything. They didnt respond. So he asked again, Have you ever heard of a woman named Mita? As if the ghosts waited, they all shone at the same time as if they had released their emotions. They dont know. Seol Young said with a sad face. I was hoping to get some information. As expected. There are bad coincidences, but there are no coincidences that are helping us out. So I didnt expect much. Zaha said, It seems that the times and ces are a bit out of sync. Anyway, where in Gaya? He looked at Seol Young. Ask about the iron troops. Yes. Seol Young asked the tomb spirits, Actually, I went to the tombst night. The tomb is presumed to belong to a high-ranking woman from Gaya. However, there were iron troops guarding that ce. The fact that they were strong was one thing, but in the middle of our fight, I was paralyzed. Do you know what sorcery that is? The tomb spirits were silent. But the feeling was different from before. Even though they were in different worlds, their existence was simr. Seol Young would be able to understand them right away because he had experiencemunicating with them before. You dont seem to know how to convey other bits of information with your body. Please inform us step by step, starting with the small things. Perhaps after hearing Zahas words, Teacher Seo began to move slowly. He floated through the study, stopped at the iron sword that was hanging on the wall, and shook his head. And he repeated that several times. The iron we saw in the tomb is different from the ordinary one. Seol Young interpreted it for Zaha. As if that were correct, Teacher Seos body flickered. Meanwhile, on the side, Lady Mo moved. She acted like she knocked down the Gaya-rted books and sticks. Zaha looked at her, confused. What does that mean now? We dont need to refer to them? The grave isnt for a person from Gaya? Lady Mo pretended to collect the books again. Not that. Seol Young exined. The part about being a person from Gaya is right, but it isnt like the nation that we thought about that had been mentioned in books. Aha. The two looked at each other for a while. In thend of the old Gaya, many nations rose and fell over the past hundred years. There were over twenty nations whose names became known to the people of Si. The history of the Gaya Confederation was a mystery. Because they didnt have a system like Si or Goguryeo that preserved their records well. That was why every clue about it was considered precious. Summarizing the stories of the tomb spirits Zaha arranged them. So they want us to find which Gaya allied nation produced a specific iron and not the normal one? Right. Right. The five ghosts blinked in unison. Then Lady To approached Seol Young. And she patted his chest where his talisman bundles were and shook her head. Not sorcery? When Zaha asked, Lady Tos body said, Right, right. And she shone brightly. Then, she went and stood in front of the iron sword that Teacher Seo had pointed out. Seol Young interpreted it again. The iron troops didnt use sorcery on us. It was because of that special iron that our bodies went numb. Because of the iron? Can we know more? Silence passed. Apparently, even the ghosts didnt seem to know more about it. I need to rest now. Seol Young used a lot of energy to summon these faded spirits. Iron Zaha went and sat on the desk. Based on the clues they had gotten until now, they found out a few things. I dont know what the hell this is. Does this mean that the numbing is caused by the enemys armor? Like a frog who sees a snake and hardens? That is kind of weird. He frowned. Rather than cutting the gaps in their armor, we should hit the iron troops on the head. Well, I see Seol Young recalled what had happened in the tomb. And just the thought of it was surprising. I never thought you would think of infusing demonic qi into the burial items. At first, I thought someone used an Air Sword technique. It was the legendary sword skill where one infuses qi to control things. Zaha had a bitter smile. If it was a burial item that was ced in Mitas tomb, it seemed to respond to my energy. So I tried it, and it somehow managed to work? With that kind of thing, Air Swordsmanship or something. No, it is still amazing. Not long ago, you could not even move a single bamboo leaf. What? Zaha pulled out a leaf from the pot on the desk and infused demonic qi into it. And the leaf jumped up. Then he picked up a GO coin on the corner and threw it. Then he threw a bunch more of them, and all of them fell on either side of Seol Young. Seol Young was shocked. Seriously. Have you been practicing? You had never learned sorcery. You practiced it by gritting your teeth, I see. Practice? Where do I have time for that? Isnt that what everyone basically does? Seol Young-rang is the one that needs to practice. Zaha replied as if it were ridiculous. Anyway, it was a good talk. Instead of my right arm, which is injured, I just used that. While he was doing that, they heard this buzzing noise from the outside. It was the sound of footsteps. It was already bright in the morning. They must have heard the two of them talking, and the couple spoke politely, It is said that the distinguished guests will leave early. He said that he had unexpectedly slept herest night, and before he would get dyed again Sir Baek San said he would greet the Governor and leave. Ah. Zaha got up right away. He hid the injury on his right arm by putting on a robe, and then he opened the door that Seol Young had locked. Seol Youngs parents were also there. And they all smiled. Seeing that the Governor was outst night, it seems like you worked hard. It felt like an urgent mission. We unintentionally caused trouble yesterday. While doing so, they looked at Seol Young and Zaha. But at that moment, both of his parents faces went stiff. . They went over here to greet their son and say goodbye. But what was this? They wondered and thought of something btedly. Then they gazed down. A board and some GO coins wereid out where Seol Young had been sitting earlier. The ck and white stones were crashing and rolling together. It was a situation that anyone could misunderstand. The head had locked up his sub all night and made him work, then he threw GO coins at him and ran away? The Governor couldnt possibly? Unlike thest time, Seol Youngs parents didnt ept this calmly, and they were visibly shocked. Its not what you are thinking. Zaha was also shocked. At that moment, Seol Young forgot everything else. Lets see how this works. He quickly stepped forward and lowered his head. Do not care about this. I was stupid and didnt understand the words of the Governor. And Zaha looked even more dumbfounded now. What are you doing, Seol Young-rang? This is not right! If he had had some time to recover mentally, he couldnt have made them calm down. But he couldnt do that now. He finally found a weakness in this snarky man, but it was a pity that it only worked in a different world. Seol Young immediately confessed, Actually, it was a joke. The Governor showed interest in sorcery, so I taught him. Ah. Both of his parents sighed at that. True. As if they were sorry for the momentary misunderstanding, they smiled at Zaha several times. We will see youter. They left those words for Seol Young, and their eyes that had been ring at their sons boss calmed down. Go back safely. Zaha sent them their way with a smile. And soon, his expression changed. I am dumbfounded. I managed to appease you when you were running and crying, but it hasnt even been a while, and you do this? Dont you have a conscience, Seol Young-rang? It is a joke. I also used shock therapy to sober you up. Seol Young epted it calmly. You need to consider your behavior. Isnt this at the level of a childs jokepared to the harsh words you have said to me? I should have done more. I should have made you cry. I am too softhearted. Zaha said, but it was toote. As long as the High Governors turn was done, whatever he said wouldnt matter. Seol Young recalled the vague feeling he had experienced earlier. That is what I am most afraid of. Killing each other by doubting one another. Wasnt that what the God of Cataclysm wanted? And it wasnt just that. Compared to that, it felt like they could endure whatever came their way, not thinking of it as the worst. Right. I learned something good. However, Seol Young felt bitter. Why are you not talking? What more are you nning? Zaha opened the door and looked around. The eyes looking for Buddha see Buddha, and the eyes looking for pigs only see pigs. Do you think I am someone who bullies people all the time? Seol Young replied coldly. I was only thinking about finding out about the strange iron. Do not lie. I was thinking about that. The two exchanged words and left the hall. In the yard, some servants were wandering among the trees and walking around. And one sneezed. They passed by them without a thought, but Zaha suddenly stopped. Wait. Why? That one-second feeling. What are you looking for? Seeing a servant sneeze? Right. He was not joking. There was no mischief on Zahas face. Find it quickly. But where is that? What? My brother-inw. By that you mean Zaun-rangs husband? Who else could be? Zaha hurriedly headed somewhere. Follow me. Why? Seol Young wondered and followed. Chapter 187: Three Thousand Worlds (11) Chapter 187: Three Thousand Worlds (11) Dont be the only one who knows something, and let me in on it too. Seol Young asked as he crossed the kings path, which was straight. Why are you suddenly looking for your brother-inw? Because of the armory. Zaha said. Come to think of it, did I tell you his name? No. It is Woo Hyun. Memorize it in case we need it. My brother-inw knows everything about steel and metal or anything rted to them, even from the past. He can definitely help. When he heard the word metal, he thought of the ring. The ring that Zaun-rang gave to herte husband. In their world, Zaha had killed his sisters husband, so he couldnt help but care about this fact. However, he headed directly to his house without hesitation. It was a small mansion near Jaemae. Zaun-rangste husband Seol Youn prepared his mind, even if he was the only one doing so. The moment they entered, they ran into someone who wasing out. Oh? Who is this? Our Governor ising here right in the morning? It was Woo Hyun-rang. He didnt even know this person, and he had just taken a nce at him now, but as he looked at this person, his robe and dress were different from the general Hwarangs. He was probably working as a Hwarang and an official here. His face was particrly tannedpared to others. He seemed to be more trained inbor than in martial arts. Considering the status he had, he was a unique person. And Zaha told him, I need some advice from you. Hmm? From me? Woo Hyun looked shocked. See now, this is shocking. Your work is good, but it is a bit easy, right? Seol Young-rang also looks a bit down. For now, both of you shoulde sit down. I was told that you were out and aboutst night. You might faint. He asked the errand boy to bring them some refreshments. What on heavens could be the advice that the Governor wants from me? Is it rted to weapons? Precisely, it is iron. Then Zaha brought it out. Among them is the one that is used in Gaya. Gaya sounds right. What are you curious about? Gaya has had a lot of iron ores since ancient times, so their smelting process for iron had developed a lot, and they produced this mysterious iron that cannot be found in other nations. For example, the Snowke Ice Iron. Right. Woo Hyun nodded. The Snowke Ice Iron, which is white, bloody, but cold like ice, and then the Blood Ice Iron that cuts down limbs, and then the. Right. Zahas eyes shone. What do you think of this, brother-inw? I think if iron can poison a person, it isnt impossible to paralyze someone for a short time. It wouldnt be that impossible. But it seems that the short amount of time will be difficult. There is something else on my mind. It is an incident that happened in Gaya in the past. In the iron smelting ce, the workers were coughing up blood and dying. At first, I thought it was a curse of a ghost, but after looking a bit more into it, didnt it turn out to be caused by iron? Seol Young, who heard that, was now alert. If it truly was like what they said, was it the iron? Did they guess correctly that a secret spell was used by the iron troops? Right. Right. Woo Hyun nodded. If simply touched, it will take longer for the symptoms to appear. But it is different if you inhale that iron powder through your nose and mouth. And from what the Governor knows, certain metal powders are like poison to the body. Whether it is the Snowke or the Blood Ice one, they are all dangerous and can cause one to cough blood from inhaling them. So isnt that why they use it for assassins? In other words, what Brother-inw said. If you inhale this mysterious dust through your nose and mouth, it seems like your body bes paralyzed. Woo Hyun came to a conclusion. Then Zaha exchanged nces with Seol Young. Thank you. They felt so rushed and got up, but it was at that moment. Someone appeared from the side. It was a girl who seemed to be seven or eight years old. The child was walking with a serious face while touching the part where her front tooth was missing. Then, when she saw the two visitors, her eyes widened. When did youe? Forgetting about her lost teeth, she ran to greet them. At that moment, Zaha looked at her so oddly. He didnt hesitate at the sight of his brother-inw, whom he had killed, being alive, but the sight of this child agitated him. Why? Seol Young was puzzled. Then another child appeared. Uh? Mother! The Governor and Aide arrived! A girl over ten years old followed and turned around, shouting something. That child is the second, and is this the first? Seol Young suddenly remembered. When Zaun-rang gave him the ring to check on her husbands state, among the visions that shed through his mind was this. The second one has a red face, so maybe a fever. So the toothless one had to be the second child. Could it be that when Woo Hyun-rang died, and the family was in a mess, this child had suffered from some illness and died then? Eight years ago, she would have been just a child. Who came? Zauns voice broke his thoughts. Aha. She looked at her little brother, and her eyes went wide. Who is this man here? The Governor? They said you went outst night? You should teach your aide good things, okay? You dont even care what today is, do you? Zaha asked. What day is it today, Noona? Forget it. Lets not talk about it. Hold back the reins, My Lady. I heard there was a ghost that appeared near the bridgest night, and both of them were busy with that task at hand. Zaun fell silent, and her husbandughed. And then the little girl asked, Father! If one swallows their missing teeth when sleeping, do they turn into a yokai? My sister keeps doing that. Zaun looked at the eldest one. Why are you saying such absurd things? It isnt my first time saying this. The eldest daughter nced at Zaha and Seol Young, then went to cling to her mother. Mother, do you know? Father says we can head to the shrine after he finishes his work early. Is that so? Zaun nced at her husband. If you are fine. Is Mother not okay with it? Lets go. She took her two daughters and went away. Woo Hyun looked at the back of his wife and kids before mumbling, Did you say you wereing? No. Both of the visitors said. To think they had been staring without realizing it. Then Zaha looked at Woo Hyun. Brother-inw, we dont have time to dy, we will head out first. Hmm? Why dont Ie along? I was about to leave. That is because we arent going to the Moon Pce. Another ce? Brother-inw, let them know that we will bete. And Zaha took out a piece of paper and a brush, and he wrote a couple of things down. Could you pass this to Jin Rim-rangno, the official? It is an important matter, so please have him check it out. And if you said it, he would definitely listen. I get it. Woo Hyun took the paper with a bit of a confused face. Then lets go. Seol Young and Zaha went out of there. And after a couple of miles of walking, they stopped. And Zaha mumbled. I feel strange. I know. Seol Young agreed with him. Then he looked back at Zauns ce. The thoughts they hadnt been able to think about came rushing through their heads. If that didnt happen eight years ago But they didnt think further than that. It seemed that Zaha had sealed away those thoughts. And he had already made sure never to touch them again. This world wasnt theirs. As Zaha said before, it was better to consider this a painting. Then we will do our jobs again Seol Young searched through his sleeves. He took out the items he kept for emergencies and held them in the sunlight. It was a cloth that was dense and strong. How is that? Will that be enough? I think that should do. Then let us try it right now. Nice. Lets go. Zaha immediately agreed. And the two silently headed to Mount Toham. At the entrance, they almost ran into the Blue Dragon troops, who wereing down. They climbed up, avoiding them as skillfully as they could. This way. From there, Seol Young guided the way. Jung Myungs illusion was strong. There was no path that was easy to walk on. Green bushes were everywhere and covered everything. If they didnt know the location of the tomb, they would have probably missed it. Seol Young stepped into that and called out, Miss. At that moment, various trees appeared from all directions. There was a rustle, and the bushes in the middle cleared up. Hwarang Seol Young? Jung Myung showed her face. Her eyes were nk from not being able to sleep, but they became clear when she saw them. You are already back. Did you find a way? Zaha shrugged his shoulders. We figured out quite a few things, but they say it might be paralysis from a unique iron powder rather than sorcery. So we are going to try it by covering our nose and mouth this time in order not to inhale it. Seol Young said, If we are wrong, we wille out right away. Miss, please take good care of the outside likest night. Alright. Jun Myung waved a tree branch into the air, and the illusion above the tomb changed. The excavation site was now revealed. The wooden spirits appeared and opened the blocked entrance. Then be careful. Jung Myung said, seeing them off. Yes. Miss, you too. Zaha and Seol Young stepped on thedder and went down. As he drew his sword and lit up the darkness, the surroundings were revealed. Earthen birds were broken and had fallen to the ground. It looked the same as when they went out. When he raised his head, he could see the darkness beyond. . It would be a lie if he said he wasnt afraid. The tomb itself was like a powerful demon that he had never encountered before. But we arent fighting each other or alone in here. Seol Young looked at Zaha. How do we proceed with the n? We will try it once, and if it doesnt seem right, we can leave right then. Zaha said that while raising his demonic qi in his left hand. This should work fine. I dont know if we will be cut down by doing something wrong. It wasnt tough. Imagining the situation of being surrounded by those iron troops, Seol Young felt a bit relieved. . He walked quickly without saying anything. After passing through the passage, there was a stone chamber. It was a room with Gayas precious burial items where monsters attacked. The iron troops appeared in this ce. Isnt it about time to run? The moment Zaha said that, Unsurprisingly, from the other side of the aisle, towards the exit, they began to hear a rattling sound. Chapter 188: Three Thousand Worlds (12) Chapter 188: Three Thousand Worlds (12) Blue Rainbow and Dead yer. The light of the two Sword Spirits spread far beyond the stone wall. Long shadows began to appear from there. The iron troops, the guardians of the tombs, came again. These ancient ones werent to be looked down on. If they gave up touching the tomb and walked out, it didnt seem like they would be going after them, so that was a relief. Lets get ready, Seol Young-rang. Zaha looked back at the pile of burial items. Among them was this ring-shaped de with a round handle. The Illusion de moved in the direction of his demonic qi. Zaha hid it in a hollow between the stone walls. Check the direction of the exit direction again. Grabbing them is fine, but surviving is more important, okay? If your body feels even a little strange, just escape. Yes, yes. Seol Young nodded and pulled out a cloth that could tie a wound. And then the two of them covered their noses and mouths with those. As soon as the knot was tightly tied, the iron soldiers with spears appeared on the side of the chamber. They immediately attacked the two intruders, just like thest time. A long spear pierced them in an instant. There were many soldiers around them, and their spears had a wider attack range than swords. To avoid being surrounded, they had to kill their opponents with one blow. Speed is important. Seol Young flung it lightly, avoiding the sharp spear. And he raised his sword to stab near the neck area between the helmet and the armor. The spearman went stiff for a moment, and he fell down with blood gushing from his neck. Because they cannot move their shield quickly. When they would stab their spears, they had to use sorcery to pull them or use wind skills to push them. So just like that, they were able to knock them down one by one. ? Zaha looked up and shook his head slightly. He looked a bit frustrated, but he didnt say anything. He just continued to sh the throats of several of the staggering spearmen. With just his left hand, he didnt have as much control as usual. However, it wasnt enough to cut through the soldiers surrounding them. Beyond the iron troops, more soldiers threw their spears at them. At that moment, something shed as it flew in and struck the back side of the troops. It was a ringed de wrapped in a ck haze. The sharp de was able to sweep through the heads of the troops. Lets see now. Seol Young turned over the body that had rolled up under his feet, and a small cloud pattern decoration on the chest of the armor stood out. It seemed like the motion of the arms of the soldiers was spraying something from their armor. As expected. Seol Young pointed at Zaha, and then he pointed at that. Our theory was on point. Then it all works now. They exchanged such nces. And on the other side of the aisle, the iron cavalry appeared one after another. But as long as they could avoid that powder of paralysis, they had nothing to fear. Bang! Bang! The iron troop soldier who ran up fell to the ground. The two of them engaged in a pincer attack, and the sword with a round head moved between the enemy lines to assist, so no matter how much the enemies tried to attack them, they would be able to defeat all of them. At some point, no more iron soldiers appeared. The two untied the clothes that covered their noses and mouths. They finally took a deep breath. Finished. Looking around, it seemed that there were around sixty to seventy soldiers that they had defeated together. Zaha blew a whistle at the giant de that floated in the air, and the de, like a puppy,nded in front of him. It is fine. Zaha mumbled. Even if he hadnt said anything about it, he must have been burdened by his right arm injury, but he seemed to have finally shaken off his concerns. If one learns anything like this, it will be really helpful. Whether it was sorcery or robbery Seol Young said that and took the lead. We might end up inhaling the iron powder, so let us move out of here now. Normally, after cing the ashes in the center, the burial items would follow, and the other things around. They couldnt finish talking. It was because there was a rumble below their feet. The stone walls on all sides trembled. The air in the heavily buried tomb shook. And a feeling of drowsiness came over them. Seol Youngs legs gave out, and his head dropped. What? Zaha also stumbled. What is with this? I dont know The moment he answered, he realized something. On the other side of the aisle of the stone chamber, he could see the fallen iron soldiers. Because we killed them again. They touched the tomb, so they had to pay the price. And the payment for that came right away. I cannot fall asleep now. But he couldnt stop it. Before his eyes closed, Seol Young looked at Zaha, who was falling asleep. This cannot be avoided no matter what. A curse. His hands dropped, and a sea of blood appeared in front of him. [Ack!] The soldiers of the Moon Pce were fighting in despair. There were just four to five troops, but they all seemed strong. However, with everyone there, they managed to take them down. The moment they barely defeated them and took a deep breath, dozens more iron troop soldiers appeared. It was the legion that just fell and died guarding the tomb. [W-What?] The soldiers of the Moon Pce were terrified. They tried to fight against these unknown enemies, but their bodies wouldnt move. Cover your nose and mouth Seol Young wanted to tell them that, but he couldnt convey it. All he could do was watch. The iron troops spread out and began to kill them. [Hmm?] The Great Heavenly Pavilion officials, who were heading somewhere, stopped. Screams and suffering rose in all directions. [What is this noise?] At that moment, the troops went beyond the yard, and they immediately went for the officials who were there and struck them with their spears. [Guys!] The head of the Great Heavenly Pavilion was shocked. She shouted for the young disciples, [Run away!] She took out her sacred bell and shook it. The sharp sound of a bell spread across the yard of the Moon Pce. At this time, the Blue Dragon True Troops Hwarangs were just passing in front of the ce. Everyone below Seo Geom wore ceremonial robes. It seemed like they were taking part in a ritual. They walked, making a lot of noise, and they all stopped at the same time as they heard the sound of a bell. Isnt that the sound of the bell from the Great Heavenly Pavilion? Something seemed to have happened! Seo Geoms face turned serious right then. [Go quickly and inform the Governor!] [Yes!] The Hwarang ran back all the way they hade, and the rest of them drew their swords and ran across the garden. Soon, their feet stopped. On the other side, soldiers wearing ck helmets and d in iron armor were rushing in. After that, a terrible scene appeared in front of them. All of the officials were dead, and their bodies were scattered everywhere. The body of the head of the pavilion was also there. [Miss?] Seo Geom and the other Hwarangs were shocked. Just then, the iron troop soldiers brandished their spears and attacked. The Blue Dragon True Troops responded immediately. As several swords shed, the iron soldiers fell. And the next moment, the bodies of Seo Geom and the other Hwarangs suddenly stopped moving. Spirit swords began to drop from their hands, which were going numb. It is because of the iron powder! Cover your nose and mouth! Seol Young shouted. But his words couldnt reach them. Spears flew in from all directions towards the numb Hwarangs. The spears pierced through their chests in an instant. and they all copsed. ! Seol Young sighed and opened his eyes as he inhaled. The cold air of the cold walls touched his back, and in the darkness, a faint light shone from Blue Rainbow. When its owner regained consciousness, it turned bright again to shine on the tomb. On the other side, Zaha opened his eyes. . The two sat for a while without saying anything. The vision they had seen felt so vivid that it was hard to believe it was just an illusion. Everything spoke. Because of you. Because of you. All because of you. Darkness rose within their hearts. If he took another step, it felt like death would be on the way. Because of you No. Seol Young got up, not listening to the voice in his head. After passing through all the stone chambers with the piled up burial items As if nothing had happened, he continued to speak. How the dead died and what status they had while they were alive will be revealed one by one. From now on, you need to look closely. Zaha also got up, and neither of them spoke of what they had witnessed as they walked down the chamber. Zahas sword glowed in gold. There was something on the aisle wall. As they got closer, they saw a mural. A huge Buddha was sitting on a lion while giving a sermon, and a huge crowd was listening to it. A painting of the sutra. Zaha looked up at the mural, and Seol Young asked. What is this? A painting depicting the contents of the sutra. Zaha pointed at the opposite wall with his sword, and at the end of the golden glow, a huge lotus flower was revealed. It is called the Field of the Lotus World. What is this now? At Seol Youngs question, the Dead yer sword shone downward this time, and it showed a huge wheel that generated wind. Zaha raised his sword and swept it from the bottom to the top. At the bottom of the world is the Wind Wheel, and above is the Scented Sea, an ocean of fragrant water. The huge lotus flower blooms in the middle of the sea, and each of its thousand leaves has ten billion nations. Each of them has a Buddha sitting under the bodhi tree. Its simr to the Three Thousand Worlds? Seol Young looked around. Is this just a coincidence? Well. The two walked slowly along the aisle where the painting was. The ones painted to be listening to the sermon were the Gaya people, and they were all covered in blood. But after passing the part where the Buddha chanted, its appearance changed to a calm manner. There was something beyond. Purification and extinction. Their two swords shone. At the end of the passage, there was a dark red wall blocking the path. There was no way out. In the end, we need to break down the wall Seol Young looked through the wall with his sword. It feels so ominous. Still, we need to do it. Zaha took his Dead yer sword. What more are you waiting for? Gathering energy, he tried to break the wall down, but Seol Young stopped him. Wait, I will do it. Why? It feels like I should. It felt ominous yet strange. Could it be that he was being possessed again? Seeing Zahas suspicious gaze, Seol Young reached for the wall. When he pressed it with pressure, some part of it crumbled down. He carefully worked through it, while gently rubbing it. And then his palm touched something. Seol Young looked at what was under the mud wall. And the next moment, he flinched. Chapter 189: Three Thousand Worlds (13) Chapter 189: Three Thousand Worlds (13) What appeared through the crumbled soil was a human skull. And there wasnt just one. Clumps of sand and mud fell with the other skulls there. And it wasnt an earthen wall. It was a wall made of countless skeletons lined up. However, that wasnt why Seol Young was shocked. From the time he started to walk, he had witnessed many skeletons in the tombs around him. He even yed with them. So there was no way Seol Young, who grew up like that, was puzzled by a skeleton wall. The problem was that the skull in front of him was horrid to look at. What is this? Seol Young looked at the skull he had found. The facial part with the eyes, nose, and mouth looked fine, but the back of the head was oddlyrge. It seemed its hair had blown up, and the skull had stretched back. The size of the head was two or three times greater than that of a normal person. What monster was this? Monster? In the middle of their serious conversation, Zahaughed. Seol Young-rang, you should study. Uh? Well, I, too, had only heard about it, and this is my first time seeing this too. This is called Narrow Headed. It is a custom in Gaya. They say that when they are young, and their bones are soft, their heads are pressed with stone or trees so they would be deformed. Just why? Each person says a different thing. Some say it is a symbol of handsome men and women, and some say it is a status symbol. In any case, it must mean that they were different from normal people. Was that so? Only then did Seol Young understand what the skull was. People of Gaya. Carefully tearing down the earthen wall, he noticed more skeletons. There were a couple more Narrow Heads, but most of them were normal. Judging by their exposed parts, there seemed to be more than a hundred skeletons piled up. ording to Miss Jung Myung, Mitas tomb was actually elsewhere, and they relocated it here to prevent her from resurrecting. Seol Young said that while brushing the dust off his hand. Were the skeletons also moved? It seems like it. Zaha nodded his head. Looking at the mixed skulls, they have to be old Gaya people. I have never seen so many skeletons being buried together. In the tombs of the great officials I saw, there were at most ten or twelve at the highest. Seol Young once again estimated the size of the wall with his eyes. Isnt this like a Great King level? You mean Mita was a King? If we look at its size alone, it might tilt to that side. But we need to find out more about this. Seol Young reached out to take a Narrow Headed skull, but his hand went right through the skull. That is strange. I could touch them earlier. The skeletons wide eye sockets were staring at Seol Young. A hole was pierced inside the cave. It was the same hole in this tomb that they had entered. Seol Young stared at it in fascination. At that time, something appeared in front of his eyes. .? Seol Young looked at it in surprise. He looked at it, and it turned out to be an alcohol bottle. Zaha sneaked up from behind and pushed Seol Young. Thank you for bringing me back to my senses. Seol Young was shocked. Did you decide to be drunk when you came to this world? Why are you carrying this bottle everywhere you go? Why? It is for drinking. So that I can get drunk anytime I want to and anywhere. Lies. Seol Young moved to snatch the bottle. As I thought, this isnt normal alcohol. Isnt this a drink that only exists in this world? As expected, you notice things quickly. Zaha quickly dodged, opened its cap, and poured it all onto the ground, making Seol Young shocked. Are you throwing it away because you dont want it to be taken? I didnt throw it away. Zaha said. Actually, this is divine alcohol. It was a drink of the priests in ancient times whenever they meditated so they could obtain some form of heavenly teachings or revtions. Uh? Seol Young was surprised when he learned the true nature of this alcohol. Wait. Doesnt the word meditation also mean hallucination? Not alcohol, but medicine for dreaming. Somehow, the thought of losing consciousness quickly and saying they are weak in His words stopped there because something shocking happened. The moment Zaha raised his left hand and reached for the odd skull. He was able to pull out the skeleton that he couldnt pull out earlier. Then he smiled and handed the skull over to him. Now, a gift. Seol Young was speechless and received the round eyed skull. Did the alcohol that drove people into a dream-like state affect the spirits of the tomb? As heid the skull down on the soaked ground, a cloud of smoke rose. And it turned into an old Gaya man. It was a person who wore decorations on his head and loose clothes. While watching the two together, he pretended to run like he was being chased. Then he fell, staggered, and tried to hide. And at some point, his body was dragged away. He was roughly hit, and painful sounds of death could be heard. And then he vanished. This cannot Seol Young looked at Zaha. Try something else then. Sure. Zaha stretched out his hand against the skeleton wall. But what was this? It didnt work again as Zahas hand passed through the skull. It was the same when he used his demonic qi, too. He lowered his hand with a sad face. It might be an asional sess. Is this fine? What is this? Seol Young looked at the hole where the skull had been removed. When he looked over there with his blue qi, he saw a huge stone chamber at the end of the passage. We are almost there. The ashes need to be buried there. There will be a passage that can lead us back to the other world. All they had to do was tear down the wall. However, even when they stabbed it with a sword or a righteous weapon, it just passed through the wall. And even a talisman was powerless. At that time, Zaha who had been examining the skull said, What are those letters inside there? Letters? The two put the Dead yer sword above their heads and looked into the skull. Among the letters that were hard to recognize, there were a few clearly visible letters. Nativend. That meant oldnd. They didnt know what it was referring to, but it seemed important. I found something crucial. Zaha handed the skull to Seol Young. I need to meet Jin Rim. If we tell him this name along with the clues, I am sure he can get some answers for us. Then lets go. After bowing to the skull, Seol Young took out a clean piece of paper and wrapped it well with that. And then he followed Zaha out. When they passed the iron troops, he thought about it and collected the iron powder. After cing it in a bottle and sealing it, he went out of the tomb. Miss Jung Myung. They called for the shaman as they found something important, but there was no answer. They couldnt see her around, nor the wooden spirits. There was only a small tree goblin hiding in the corner, and when he saw them, he gestured, The shrine maiden left in a hurry? Did something happen? The two looked at each other. Jung Myung couldnt be doing that? He wondered and turned his head, but then stopped at the same time. Several shadows were lingering around the entrance to the trail that led their way. They were soldiers in blue. They were Seo Geom and the Blue Dragon troops. They gathered at the entrance of the trail and thought as they mumbled, Someone surely used demonic qi in here. Seo Geom spoke loudly. Ovepping his arrogant face was the horrible image they had seen in the hallucinations. . Seol Young thought it was strange, but there was no time for that. The voices of Hwarangs could be heard. Head-rang, the Sura mes should be used. Is that so? A me moved from Seo Geoms half-dragon sword, and it felt like it had the force to burn everything down. Seo Geom used that to break the illusion around the tomb. This. Why is he forcing it down? Zaha went out of the area that was covered by the illusion, and Seol Young also followed. .! Seo Geom, who was about to stab the air, backed out in shock as he couldnt believe his eyes when he saw two people suddenly appearing from among the bushes. Governor? Why are youing out of there? No, even your Aide too? I was looking for something around here, so I was investigating that with the Governor. Seol Young answered. But we came out after hearing the noises around. Seeing that, the Hwarangs looked up and down. Seo Geom was shocked. I apologize. I didnt know that. I will leave right now so I wont disturb your work. And he rushed back with the Hwarangs, but then he suddenly turned around, as if he had remembered something. Right, Governor. What about the meeting today? We will have to make a decision about it. Tell them to do it on their own. Zaha, who just said that, corrected himself right away. No, follow the traditions. It will not be a problem. Alright. I will pass that on to the other side. Then Seo Geom bowed his head. The forms of the Blue Dragon troops quickly disappeared over the mountain road. Zaha shook his head. What the hell is Seo Geom-rang in this world? Is he here with his brother? To try and start the Sura mes right away. We almost got into trouble. Seol Young gestured to the wooden spirit, who was hiding in the corner. Go and inform the Miss that we made them return. The spirit nodded and disappeared. The two went down Mount Toham on that path. When they arrived at the Moon Pce it was already dark. The Sun and Moon Troops were standing outside the hall. Official Jin Rim came here as soon as he finished his duty and has been waiting for you. Okay. I understand. And the two went inside. Jin Rim was dressed in official clothes and sitting near the desk. I am no longer a Hwarang, so why am I here? That was what his expression said, but when he saw Zaha he bowed, Governor! You are here? He was the embodiment of manners and sincerity. Normally, he would have joked about that, but since they were in a hurry, Zaha skipped it and asked, Did you find out what I asked for? No. I didnt. Governor, this riddle is too difficult. Jin Rim shook his head. All we could do was narrow down a few candidates based on themon things you had informed me of. First, the owner of the tomb was from a small nation that people know as the Great Gaya. He took out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. We have never been able to figure out what special iron powder was used to paralyze a body. But anyway, it isnt the Ice me ice powder that we know of. So we used an elimination method to take them down one by one with the remaining nations. The names of several nations that could do it were written on the paper. And one of them caught their attention. Nativend. They were the same words that were written in the long skull and Seol Young pointed to that with his hand and asked Jin Rim, Is this the name of a nation? Ah, that. Jin Rim shrugged. It is a bit vague, but I just put it down. Zaha asked, How is it vague? As you might know, during the conquest of the Gaya nations, they could be ssified into two. There were nations that surrendered, got epted as official nations, and were given the right treatment. But there were also those who resisted and got suppressed until the end. Jin Rim exined slowly. At the end of that, a group that was worshipping the Goddess of Mt. Gaya appeared. They insisted on restoring their nativend, regaining their old regions, and building a kingdom of nativend for themselves, and a priest took the position as King. Was the king a woman? At Zahas question, Jin Rim shook his head. All that is known is that the new nations yed the role of leaders of the small nation alliance and fought. Various small nations formed the Holy Kingdom and fought against our nation. There was silence, and Seol Young asked, So what happened to this Holy Kingdom? Unlike the other small Gaya nations, these people werent given the chance to choose their destiny. In order to not break the alliance, the nation had to copse, so they were attacked and subdued at first. There was silence. This was a familiar story to them. It was just like how the God of Cataclysm killed the Hwarangs, when it woke up after eight years, and just like how Seol Young was put in danger.1 . When Seol Young and Zaha were lost in thought and didnt say a thing, Jin Rim looked at them. Shall I learn more about it? It would be nice if you would. Zaha took out a bottle of iron powder and handed it to Jin Rim. You go and find Woo Hyun, and ask him to find out about this. Quickly. Yes. Jin Rim got up and left. Silence fell when the door closed. Is this karma? He groaned while resting his chin. To think that a nation that was so small that we had to find out so hard about will be shaking Si hundreds of yearster But we didnt even participate in the war. Isnt it unfair for such descendants to be asked to pay for it? For now, do not think about that. Because going back is the most important thing. Seol Young spoke. Thanks to Jin Rim, we could catch the thread of the issue. The tomb is a ce filled with the resentment of the King and the people who had lost their nation. No wonder the wall couldnt be broken. We need to do it with sincerity. And bring them peace. Yes, thats it. Seol Young nodded. But there is one problem. There are too many spirits. I dont know if it is possible to appease hundreds of spirits at once. Couldnt it be that if we rush into it, we will get pushed out? If that is the problem, there is a way. I never thought Id say this, but. With a stiff face, Zaha said, I also have to learn to appease their souls.
  1. TL/N: Like how unforeseen things keep happening.
Chapter 190: Three Thousand Worlds (14) Chapter 190: Three Thousand Worlds (14) Seol Young looked at Zaha with a confused face. Even though he clearly heard it, it made him doubt his ears. So he asked, The High Governor said he would learn how to exorcise? I know that is what the Hwarangs do. Of course, it isnt something that people like us should do either. Zaha continued. But there are so many ghosts in there that you cannot appease all of them alone, right? Then why dont we split them into two groups? It was such a simple statement, but Seol Young wasnt sure what to say. But there is no need for me to do it alone, but Did it feel natural? He didnt have any objections to it. And usually, shamans would soothe the spirits in pairs of two. Even if it were a disciple who assisted their teacher, only one person would perform the main ritual. It was because they shouldnt get in the middle of the ritual. It was much easier for one persons heart to be shaken, but was it possible for two people to share it? It wasnt for nothing that people said rituals stained people. You arent going to say that I dont have talent, right? You never know, I might be better than you. Zaha spoke as if it didnt matter. If he couldnt do it alone, the two of them could. If he didnt know how, he just had to learn it. With such a simple and clear attitude, Seol Young also threw his worries away. Maybe it really can happen. He made up his mind and said, I understand. Did he know how much trouble and trust were put into that statement? Zaha smiled without knowing that. No matter the oue, it seemed like he would never forget this face. Seol Young opened his mouth again. But it wont be easy. I just need to practice. Zaha stared at the skull on the desk. I will try this first. I alone will appease this soul and set it free. You need to change your thoughts first. Seol Young took out a talisman and a mirror. You said earlier, We didnt even participate in the war of conquest, so it is unfair for the descendants to pay the price. It makes sense, but you cannot think like that. Then what do you think? Just dont think about anything. We mustnt make any judgments and see the souls of the dead for what they are. Seol Young said while writing on the talisman. That is important. A mindset tofort the soul with sincerity. Depending on whether you have that thought or not, it can be easy enough that even a child can do it or so difficult that the High Governor cant. . Zaha held up the brush without saying anything else. First, he copied what Seol Young wrote and ced it in front of the skeleton. Then he got up from the chair and looked deeply into the skull. The deceased is an old person from Gaya who lost his life unjustly due to being caught in the war and got locked up in the tomb for hundreds of years. Now that you have been released, please be reborn. Seol Youngs eyebrows raised slightly. Maybe because he had seen Seol Young do it many times, he was imitating it perfectly. But the problem was this. Just like Seol Young did, Zaha also pushed spiritual qi into the talisman. But no response came back. He frowned. Were you sincere for sure? It was at that moment that the door to the room where the two were in opened, and several people entered. They were the Sun and Moon Hwarangs, and they were surprised to see Zaha and Seol Young seated. Governor? What are you doing here with the Aide? . Come to think of it, down here was theboratory for their troops. They had forgotten that these people existed in this world. Seol Young and Zaha got up from their seats while taking the skull. We are leaving home now. The Sun and Moon Troops will start now, right? Then do your best. After leaving the Hwarangs Hall, they moved quietly to a bush around the ce. I will try again. Zaha put the skull down on a t rock. Earlier, he ced the talisman in front of the skull and recited the same prayer to honor them. May you be reborn. But this time, nothing happened. Zahas face twisted. Just why? Your attitude is the problem. Seol Young said, not able to withstand seeing this any longer. The idea that you can do your best can also be arrogance. You cannot look down on them like that. To soothe the soul, you must first open your heart. Handle the heart. Even if everyone else in the world turns their backs on you, I am on your side. How can that be? Zaha spoke as if he didnt understand. A traitor too? A yer? Even an evil spirit trying to harm me? Once youve decided to appease a soul, you shouldnt ask about such things. You said it earlier. You shouldnt make any judgments. Seol Young spoke slowly. Is it difficult? That is why not many try it. . Zaha went silent as he was lost in thoughts. Was there anything more to say? He seemed to being up with something more to say. Ah, right. There was a time when a ghost told me, Your fate is so terrible, remember? Well. Such a pity. I think you should look at a soul with that kind of heart. . Zaha looked at the skeleton without saying another word. After a while, he reached over, picked up the talisman, and tore it in half. I will write it again. He created a new one and ced it in front of the skull. Then he knelt down in front of it. ? Seol Youngs eyes went wide. Even though he failed once, Zaha wasnt the kind of person to do this. The great Governor of the Hwarangs. If he crossed the bridge now, it would be shocking. He wondered whether the man would actually cross the line. Yet he didnt think that Zaha would bow like that to the old skull of the Gaya man. Zaha lowered himself and recited, The deceased is an old person from Gaya who lost his life unjustly due to being caught in the war and got locked up in the tomb for hundreds of years. At that moment, the talisman that had been ced on top of a rock finally began to glow gold, and a warm light embraced the Gaya skull. Done. Seol Young looked at the scene without blinking. The soul, which was struggling with the pain of its death, slowly escaped from the talisman. Then the surface of the skull cracked. Zaha continued to bow, and he only raised his head when he heard that sound. Did it work? As if answering yes, the light moved from the skull and scattered. Then the skeleton, which was now left with just an empty shell, shattered. He did it. But then, a vision of the other world flickered in front of them. The ghosts of the Gaya people who were released from the tomb were attacking the capital. Seol Young looked at it. A lie. Then the terrible sight slowly vanished. No matter how much is shown, we will not be fooled. As if they hadnt seen or heard anything, the two stood resolutely and looked at each other. Zaha smiled and said, Seol Young-rang, am I not a genius in this field? It isnt fair. It is against thew for someone like the High Governor to do this. Seol Young replied. This is just practice. It is different when you actually do it. You need to go ahead and do it. Then I will just do it. Zaha dragged Seol Young away. But if we seed, we will end up heading into the stone chamber of Mita, right? Are we going to leave right now? Right? If we fail, neither of us will survive. You knew that? I thought you didnt because you looked so confident. Anyway, we are parting from this world. And there are things I need to leave behind. Zaha searched through his pocket and took out an alcohol bottle. Seol Young frowned. There was one more? No. In front of his eyes, Zaha continued to take out more bottles. And there were a total of six of them. Seol Young was shocked. You are going to have this much? Isnt that too much? I am not in the other world, so what? Why dont you hurry up and take out the talismans and other things? I was nning to do that. Seol Young took out the things and ced them near the bottles. He was really leaving. When he realized that, it felt strange. He kept thinking that this was a different world, but his heart longed for this. The faces of his teacher and his parents were so clear. If he left this ce, he couldnt see them alive. I should see them onest time. While he was lost in his thoughts, Zaha suddenly said, Ah, I dont know about anyone else, but I have to meet Jin Rim one more time. What if he sees the Governor and thinks it is strange? We need to fix what we said to him earlier about finding out more information. He looked at Seol Young. Lets both go see him onest time. Yes. Seol Young answered meekly. On the way to Jin Rims house, they might run into his teacher or his parents, so he followed Zaha with those thoughts. But just as they hade out of the Moon Pce, a white light shed between Zahas cor. And the two of them stopped. Great Mother? What is it? She has been quiet for a while, so why suddenly? He reached into his cor and pulled the ne out. The eyes on the wooden ne were shining. This is usually the reaction it shows when something happens to. I am fine, though, so it isnt because of me. Maybe something is happening to the sacred tree here? Theirplexion changed. They immediately went up to a high tower and looked down at the capital. And there was a problem. Normally, the divine tree would shine brightly, but now, its light faded and was flickering. The two of them jumped down right then. Could something have happened to Miss Jung Myung? We can never know. And then they remembered something. They thought they had managed to avoid the Blue Dragon Troops, and so did she, but could it be something else? They ran out. In the forest, the wood spirits were wandering, and upon seeing the two of them, they rushed over. In front of the sacred tree, they saw a small lump covered in cloth. Seol Young was shocked. Miss Jung Myung! And then she rose. I am sorry A weak voice said. Then, coughing sounds broke out. Miss! Zaha hurriedly raised her up, and they were surprised to see her in this condition. Her face was red, and her lips purple. Her condition looked bad. As he took out some recovery pills, Seol Young asked, What happened? As I thought, I had to pay. Her voice was so thin. As a shaman who protects the world, I shouldnt allow others to disturb the order. Instead of punishing me, I became ill for helping. So even the tree I worship is ill. Then Zaha looked at it. Isnt this a problem for us? It is still fine. I can hold on longer. Before she could finish her sentence, she coughed again and closed her lips. But this is a crisis. And I have a good idea. A good idea? I will turn a blind eye onest time. Take advantage of the gap between me and the tree, open the passage, and sneak out. You dont have to go down the hard road for no result, right? Isnt this a good one? Jung Myung looked around as she spoke in a whisper. Her eyes were shining brightly. Her eyes were full of goodness and sincerity. Even in this condition, she still wanted to help them. . Both Seol Young and Zaha were at a loss for words. Chapter 191: Three Thousand Worlds (15) Chapter 191: Three Thousand Worlds (15) Seol Young had met a lot of souls until now, and their rtionships were both good and bad. Among them, Jung Myung was special to him. Even after she left, they were able to meet again, and he was able to receive help from her. It was a special rtionship. . Perhaps taking the silence of the two as consent, she staggered inside. Come this way. And the two snapped out of their thoughts. Miss, you seem to be pretty sick. Zaha shook his head and said, I know you want to help, but do you think we are fools? Do you want us to head inside after hearing all of that? You are about to get seriously sick for helping us investigate the tomb, so what if we manage to sneak through the passage now? How do you n to handle the aftermath after we are gone? Seol Young grabbed Jung Myung and dragged her back. Miss, the ce we need to head to is the tomb. We are almost there. All the guards of the tomb have been dealt with, and just a wall made of ashes is blocking the way, but we will hold a calming ritual for them and tear down the wall. After that, we can reach the coffin. Ah, is that so? Jung Myungs eyes widened. I see. I thought you could actually do it. It is almost over now. If that is the case, then I will have to protect the divine tree here and suppress that evil energy that is seeping in. I will help you until the end so you can return safely. Even though nothing was said, they could feel how happy she was. That was made clear from her words. Seol Young looked into her serious eyes and asked, Does Miss intend to stay here as well? I should. Jung Myung replied calmly. Regardless of Mita, the evil ghost, I cannot go back to the original world. If I leave, then the life of the Tree God will bepletely cut off here. At one point, I really wanted to go back. But now, I dont know. I dont know if I am a human or a monster. Just that, if it is meant to be, then one day. A cough broke out, blocking Jung Myungs words, and her face looked red with fever. Her condition was getting worse by the minute. It seemed to be getting worse when she was facing those who didnt fit in this world. She was talking resolutely, but she would be in pain every moment. Then they could help her by disappearing quickly from here. I get it. The two turned around without saying anything else. We will leave you alone for now. Yes. Jung Myungs voice was full of regret. The stone chamber where the coffin is located is the boundary between this world and the next. It is connected to the other world, so you should be able to return from there. And then she added to Seol Young and Zaha, who were now leaving. Be careful, please. They looked back at Jung Myung, who was standing there. Under the pale tree, the small shrine maiden was surrounded by spirits. They would never forget this. The two of them left the forest without looking back. We need to go there right away. At Seol Youngs words, Zaha nodded at once. Since the price the child was paying was too harsh, they couldnt go and see the others. Even if he wanted to, he couldnt go and meet his parents or teacher now. Those thoughts would just make him feel guilty now. This is a fleeting time anyway. And the two quickly moved to Mount Toham, where the tomb was. To be able to hold a sacrifice without preparation. Zaha mumbled. Still, I will try to remember and do it again. It is good to try new things we have learned. He reached out and broke a long twig. He seemed to n to use it as a medium. And what else was needed? Music, food, and alcohol for the souls of the dead. Seol Young picked up each one of them as he was thinking and stopped. We should have brought the bottles earlier instead of returning them. Zaha shook his head. There is no need for that anymore. Why? Seol Young asked, but Zaha just smiled, not answering. After passing through the wooden door, they descended down thedder, and a strange scent reached their noses. The pitch-ck darkness was full of this scent. It was the scent of divine alcohol that Zaha had poured onto the groundst time. Was that why he said there was no need for more? I dont know how long it will take. Zaha put his hand to his chest and pulled something out. It was a moon bell stained with blood. It was the bell that showed Seol Young the vision of the Sun and Moon troops. Then Zaha hung the small bell at the end of a branch. Ting. The sound of the bell spread through the darkness, which was filled with a fragrant smell. At that moment, a change urred. The earthenware that had been broken and scattered turned into birds and flew. The shadows of people shimmered over the burial items that had been piled up in the chamber, and a lot of ttering noises could be heard. Seol Youngs eyes widened. When did you learn this? I havent taught you that yet. Illusion spell? What are you saying such baseless things for? Zaha smiled. It was only after seeing the sight in front of him that Seol Young finally understood what it was. This was a phenomenon caused by the authority of a priest. When the ritual began, this ce would no longer be a normal world. It would be thend that connected the Gods with humans. Ting, ting. Following the gentle sound of the bell, the murals on the aisle began to move. A light shone from the Buddhas forehead, which was seated on a lion. The instruments began to y, and those who gathered to listen to the dharma bowed their heads deeply. And The skull at the end of the passage also came to life. In this majestic and sacred ce, there was only anger and resentment. It was such a strong grudge that the passageway seemed distorted. There was a hole in the middle of the wall where the skull fell through. And Seol Young focused his attention on it. It would be nice if we could take them out one by one and treat them individually He carefully stretched out his hand, and murderous energy immediately came. I cannot handle this. Seol Young stepped back. When he was young, he witnessed a shaman touch something like this and instantly turn into a goop of blood. Thanks to his quick response, he wasnt harmed. However, the shock to his heart was strong, and there was this fishy smell inside his throat. Be careful. Zaha came up to him and patted him on the back. Blood trickled out of his mouth as he could breathe again. Seol Young wiped the blood out as he said, I just took one out. Now I cannot do it. Well, it was expected. The scene of the skulls death that it showed him was horrible. People died almost as if they were being hunted. How hateful they must be for the people of old Si to kill them so brutally. Even though we didnt participate in the war of conquest, we did enjoy the benefits of that war. But now, it makes me very guilty to appease them. They were trying to figure out the position of the skeleton, but Zaha stared at Seol Young, so he asked, What? Are my words wrong? Rather than that Zaha shrugged his shoulders. Even though you said no, you will get confused before you even realize it. What do you mean? Think about it, Seol Young-rang. Are we really the descendants of the people who destroyed a small nation like Gaya? Seol Young hesitated. Wait. Come to think of it, did he think about that before? Zaha said, Do you get it now? This is another world. These people arent the Gaya people who were killed by our ancestors. Strictly speaking, these people dont have any ill rtions with us. Then he picked up a wide bowl. He rolled up his sleeves and shed his right arm with a knife. There was a scar from a sword there. Seol Young was surprised. What are you doing? A bribe. Zaha said as he gave his blood. Do not look at me with those eyes. It isnt insane at all. There are many cases where the ancient priests actually sacrificed themselves. They would give the most precious and sacred one of them to the God. The bowl was full of blood. Perhaps because he had been drinking the divine alcohol since stepping into this world, a five-color light shone on the blood. Zaha picked up the bowl and went to the wall. The grudge of the dead is deep, but the two of us are travelers, who do not belong to this world. I am trying to appease you, so please take a moment and cool down. After saying that, he poured the blood in front of the skull wall, and the blood seeped into the ground. Now lets see. He stretched out his hand towards the wall. And there was no murderous energy this time. The skeletons didnt move, but they could touch them now. And now what? In response to Zahas question, Seol Young talked about his n. Why dont we try to do the charm spell on the skeletons and send them away at the same time? The two of us will join forces to draw a talisman. This seems to be the only possible option. Nice. Let us try it. The two quickly cleared the ground, and there wereyers of skeletons there. They counted them, and there were around one hundred forty-eight in total. Split them in half. Seol Young folded the talismans and cut them into small pieces to make one hundred forty-eight pieces. On top of that, each of them had the letter yes written for the talismans response and was attached to each of the skulls. Then the ritual began with a buzzing vibration. Seol Young stretched his hand out. He could feel the souls. There was another emotion other than resentment. It was wanting to escape from the pain. Come over here. Seol Young told the skeletons. I will help you forget the pain, make you leavefortably, and be reborn in a nice ce. And then he politely bowed to them. I will make sure to send you all with my utmost sincerity. He said that with all his heart and mumbled it over and over again. At his sincere words, some of the skeletons began to move. The pain they had been through was too much. ck. Several moved, and Zaha looked at them. They are responding. At those words, Seol Young got up and approached them. As soon as he got to the front, a spark broke out. There is still distrust in them. Seol Young conveyed his feelings. Even if you people arent the ones who killed us, arent we all still the same? Arent you trying to kill us cruelly by tricking us with nice words? It isnt that. Zaha stepped forward and answered, Everyone, I am not lying now. You should know since you drank my blood. If it is a lie, take my life. Wait. You cannot make such promises. Seol Young looked at Zaha with a bit of anger in his eyes. Even though he was dead, the body moved like it was alive and angry. Because they need to believe us. Zaha said that as if he had no choice left. As expected, upon hearing that, the skeletons moved again. Even though they were still doubtful, their hearts were shaken. It worked for now. Then the two exchanged nces. Now all the skeletons were linked through the talismans. If they were letting their guard down, so could the rest. Then lets prepare the talisman. Draw as I say. Seol Young raised his spiritual qi to the maximum. A blue light shone with a silvery shade on his finger. But The moment he stretched out his hand to draw a talisman in the air, an object fell from his sleeve that was rolled up. What? He looked at it, startled. It was a 13-sided dice made of wood. It was Miss Dohwas dice. Seol Young held his breath. Why now? It was like he had been hit on the head. He had blocked her revenge before. She couldnt resolve her anger and grudge, and she had to perish, leaving the curse behind. It was an object containing evil thoughts. It was a reward in return for all those who obstructed the will of the evil spirits. They would never forget. One day, they would be caught off guard and had to pay the price for it. And the dice waited, hiding in Seol Youngs sleeve. And finally, it had chosen the right time. Is that now? Before anyone could react, the dice rolled and then stopped. Sing for yourself tonight. Call the goblin. Immediately, a huge spirit jumped from the dice, and it attacked the souls that Seol Young and Zaha managed to release. [..!] Then the skulls on the wall vibrated. Waves of anger and shock filled the space. All the skeletons opened their mouths and shouted, [You people tricked us!] Chapter 192: Three Thousand Worlds (16) Chapter 192: Three Thousand Worlds (16) The anger of the ghosts burst out. ck energy began to attack them. This cannot. Seol Young felt his head spin. Something which shouldnt have happened had happened in a peace ritual. The ritual they barely managed to make work was now ruined. And what was this? Didnt Zaha convince them with his life on the line? What would happen now? No. At that moment, he could only think of one thing, so Seol Young turned around. If he wanted to avoid the evil attacks, he could avoid them. But he didnt have the time. He left one side and reached his hand out to the other side. Puak! At the same time, Zahas sword split the goblin that suddenly appeared in half. But things had already happened. Zaha frowned and looked away. How do we fix this? There was no answer, though. He thought Seol Young would have avoided it, but he unexpectedly knocked him down. Zahas face changed. Seol Young-rang! Seol Young staggered to his feet, his blue spiritual qi rising. Inside, there were souls that had been crushed by the goblins attacks. So Seol Young wrapped them in aura and held onto them, so they wouldnt scatter. It disappeared, so what will you do with that? Zaha shouted as if he didnt understand and made Seol Young sit up. Thoughts of anger were pouring around even then. They were screaming that these two wouldnt be forgiven. Calm down a little! Raising the Dead yer sword, he stopped the evil thoughts, and a powerful demonic qi rose. Even the thoughts attacking him couldnt be prated. The souls attacks were tightly connected. [You deceived us!] All the eyes of the skeletons were wide. And it was an instant moment. Behind Seol Young, who was shivering with chills, something shone. It was a hum. It turned into an echo and spread through the chamber. [Live! Now I live!] [Thank you, Mr. Hwarang! Thank you!] Some of the peoples voices sounded like a dream, and Seol Young raised his head. What is this? At that moment, several faces came to his mind. These were the people who were kidnapped in the painting in the past. When Seol Young and Zaha broke through the wall, they thanked and greeted them. But why were they suddenly appearing here? Is it because they are the refugees of Gaya? It did seem that way. He could read their memories if he looked through them with spiritual eyes and the eyes of the soul. It seemed like the skeletons who were hating them identally found the voices of their descendants in Seol Youngs memory. The souls who were in rage fell silent, and there was a moment of silence. Thank God. Seol Young immediately scanned the hit that he got. His vision was blurry, and his head was hazy. But he didnt miss this chance and quickly drew something on the ground. As he infused spiritual qi into it, the pattern began to glow. Some of the light shone on the shattered souls, while others spread out in different directions. Seol Young put his hands together, and his bloody lips trembled. Seol Young-rang, what are you doing? Zaha, who was spreading his demonic qi to stop the evil attacks, looked up. Even the skeletons looked puzzled. Seol Young didnt answer and focused. Soon, something amazing happened. The shattered lumps of light gradually shone brighter. Then the vaguely faded shapes gradually began to take their true form. It was as if the souls that had just been annihted had been brought back to life. [.] The skeletons that were angry went silent, and Zaha looked at him with wide eyes as he asked, Is there a spell that can bring a dead soul back to life? No. Seol Young answered. I am not a God. How do I bring one back to life? Then? This is the first one. They said that if one sings with their heart, even a soul can be attracted. Teacher Seo told me I had such a talent. That is all. I called the scattered souls back before it was toote. As he said that, the energy that was united formed a shape, and the chills stopped. And Seol Young exined to the skeletons that they didnt betray them. We did not cheat you. This thing interfered. He pointed to the dice that fell to the ground. The die was now broken, and it was slowly turning transparent. With this, all the anger had been paid off. And then There was nothing more inmon between the hearts of the dead. Miss Dohwa tried to take revenge by killing the children of her murderer. And those ashes in here who hated the people of Si. There was definitely something inmon between the two. Maybe that is why the dice finally managed to make itself useful. Seol Young thought that. It always hurt his heart to think that Miss Dohwa had such an end. So he prayed once again for her. The souls that had fully recovered were forming into a mass of light. Everyone was returning to where their skeletons were. Seol Young grabbed Zaha, who was next to him, and got up. Standing in front of the wall, he said, I think you must have noticed the history of that dice by now. [] I know you have a deep grudge, but I still dont think you should take the life of someone who wasnt directly involved in the crime. And my thoughts then and now are the same. The skeletons went silent. They were no longer going to attack. I knew it would work. These are the souls who died protecting the nation until the end. Zaha said. He also pulled back his demonic qi. Everything was normal now. Because of the sudden variable, everything almost got ruined. But fortunately, they had another chance. Seol Young looked at the skeletons piled up. It doesnt matter who we are. What matters is you. All of you who have suffered for so many years. Then he raised his hand and pulled up his spiritual qi. A silvery blue light shone up on the walls of the tomb. I just want you to befortable. Seol Young drew a talisman in the air. Forget about the pain, anger, and hatred, and be reborn. In the darkness, a clear light stretched out. Then a bright pattern was drawn, as if coloring the air. Even Zahas eyes shone. He raised his spiritual power to his fingertips and spoke. May you all be reborn. Brilliant golden mes rose over the light shining in the air, and the dazzling light spread everywhere. Seol Young frowned. The two of them were standing side by side, facing the skeletons, and it reminded him of the past. When they first met in the tombs, they had to fight together, not knowing who the other person was. But of course, the situation has now changed. But somehow, it doesnt seem like much has changed between us then and now. With that thought, he looked at the majestic form in front of his eyes. It was a powerful talisman that Seol Young had never seen since his birth. Ugh. The inside of the tomb began to vibrate. A strange scent spread from the ground, which was stained with blood. Then the murals came to life and moved. There was a figure in dazzling light. It had just one meaning. Rebirth in Paradise. Jung Myung told them about it. She was able to leave and be reborn after receiving guidance from the talisman of rebirth that Seol Young wrote. This talisman would guide these lost souls. It would lead them through darkness and be reborn in a good ce. The peaceful glow of the talisman reached the corners of the walls and shone through the dark skulls. It seemed like they were agitated. Hundreds of years had passed, and everyone was exhausted. Everything is inherently empty. Then Zaha mumbled as if he had suddenly remembered it, There is no sorry, pain, hunger, thought, action, consciousness. It was the sutra of Buddhism that the Queen once recited for the twelve children. ck. The skeletons began to move little by little, and Seol Young continued the next verse. Our hearts are so free from being caught. Let us forget our fears. He put his hands together and bowed his head. May you enter the world of Nirvana. Both of them said that at the same time, and at that moment, the talisman with the word yes above the skeletons burned up. The spell was activated, and dozens of talismans burned. Then, as they exploded together, a blinding light shone. It was a sight to see. . Both Seol Young and Zaha looked at the scene without saying another word. A huge halo of light appeared as if the entirend was white. Among them, the old Gaya people began to escape one by one. Their faces looked grim. Ones with arrows, tattered limbs, missing eyes, heads that had been cut off. But when the light touched them, their appearance changed. The wounds healed, the blood stains erased, the cuts were cleared, and broken bones joined. Everyone was back to their original appearance. [You were here?] [You too?] The sound of chattering loudly rang out, as if they had forgotten that they had died, and they all looked at peace. Then they disappeared one by one, as if leaving. Only the shadows remained. [We lose the nation, we lose everything. We cannot copse.] [Ah, how can this be! The Great King is murdered!] [These people! Are they even human? They are animals!] [What did we do to die like this?] From the shadows left behind, deep cries resounded. Looking at them, Zaha lowered his head. I apologize. The skull wall copsed right then. Chapter 193: Three Thousand Worlds (17) Chapter 193: Three Thousand Worlds (17) One hundred fifty skeletons were buried in the wall, and they all broke down at the same time. A thick cloud of dust rose. His ears were deafened by the roar that echoed through the entire space. Then he finally realized it. Seol Young looked at the wall that had copsed in front of his eyes. I apologize He turned his gaze and looked at Zaha. Its not our fault that the people turned out like this, and this isnt our world in the first ce, so why apologize? He asked out of curiosity. Well. He replied to Zaha, Why did I say that? Well, I think you did a good thing. It seems like those words broke thest binding force of the wall. Seol Young looked ahead at the ce where the souls had left. The powder from the broken skull wall spread around like a cloud. [This.] [We shouldnt just leave.] Several peoples voices could be heard in the fog. The voices soon merged into one, and their mouths were saying something. What are they saying? Seol Young and Zaha went silent and listened. At first, it was muffled, and they couldnt hear it. But slowly, their conversations became more clear, and Seol Young said, Woman priest? Doesnt it sound like that? Woman priest? After thinking for a while, Zaha said, If it is a woman and a priest, isnt it like the ng term for a queen? Then wouldnt it be like calling Mita? As soon as Seol Young said that name, a ck me rose in front of his eyes. There was a passage beyond the skull wall. There were some faint things that looked like stains on the wall. They seemed to be letters. Seol Young looked at them with the blue brilliance of his Blue Rainbow sword. It seems to be a memorial written that records the story of the deceased. A memorial The two went inside the ce where the skull wall was, and there was a white mist from the bones there. And then an illusion appeared. It was a blurry shadow reflected on water, but it was hard to see what it was. gs and spears seemed to be tangled up. The sound of metal shing was clear, along with screams and shouts and the neighing of horses. This seemed to be a battlefield. War of conquest. Si conquered Gaya. In the other world, it was a part that could be said in that one line. At some point, the two of them were in the middle of the battlefield. And then a shout was heard. [Even now, it isnt toote! Surrender now! Our great king has promised to give yound and official posts!] The army of Si was moving in with great momentum. It was all an illusion, but just from a nce, they could realize who would win and who would lose. It was then, Seol Young-rang, look there. Zaha pointed to the west. A group riding white horses appeared. And their leader was a woman. Their iron armor was shining under the sun, and their gs were fluttering. Her face could not be seen very well. But the helmet on her head showed her identity. She looked identical to the painting they had seen in the shrine a while ago. She was the ancient priestess, Heavens Priestess. [Princess] Cheers were heard everywhere. Princess? Some letters stood out clearly on the memorial at the tomb. And Zaha looked at the spot where the sword was ced. Priestess of Royalty, Mita. It was the name of the deceased. She must surely be the one. As we thought. The Priest of Royalty was a member of the royal family of Gaya. They were the descendants of the founding fathers of Gaya. While these thoughts ran through their heads, the sounds of shouting changed into other words. Her Highness the Great! And a huge shadow fell over the battlefield. The sky went dark as Mita raised her sword. The pattern along her sword shone with light, and the next moment, the entire ground shook. Seol Youngs expression darkened. Summoning? At that moment, soldiers with human bodies and animal heads began to rise up. They jumped right onto the battlefield and began to fight their opponents. They were an army of ghost soldiers. Then another army appeared beyond the thick dust raised by the ghost soldiers. They were soldiers wearing ck iron armor and carrying spears. They were the iron troops who guarded the tomb. [Ack!] Screams ran out wherever the iron troops passed. No matter how valiantly they fought, the generals were all immobilized in front of the iron troops. And they easily ughtered the enemy soldiers like wooden dolls. And soon, the corpses piled up like a mountain. gs with the words Recover the oldnd were fluttering. What is the true identity of that bizarre force? An angry voice echoed through the letters carved into the walls of the tomb. [It is said that the priest who worships Mount Gaya has ascended the throne! The weaker nations are now forming a new coalition around that woman!] [A woman who uses strange sorcery and powers we dont know about! The damage to our allies is too much!] The bodies of the soldiers of Si piled up. [That bizarre power has to be destroyed!] [I found it! I finally found out where they are!] And the illusion appeared. Deep in the night. They saw a fort buried in the mountain. The army moved into the thick darkness, and they approached the fort without a sound. The troops were closely moving in, but for some reason, all of them stayed motionless. Amidst the silence, the officials of Si stepped forward and broke the barrier. Then themander quietly raised his hand and issued an order. Fire arrows flew off their bowstrings, and they covered the dawn sky like a cluster of shooting stars. The thatched roofs caught on fire. They red in an instant, and all the people who were asleep came out. [A fire so suddenly.] A me arrow pierced the chest of a man, who was looking around in shock. [Kuak!] [Ack!] All the men and women of all ages were hit, and the troops were pushed into the castle. [They are people of Shinra!] Screams rang out, and themander ordered, [To break down the momentum of these rebels, we need to destroy their castle now! Do not leave even a single child alive!] [Yes!] In front of the soldiers attacking from all sides, the people died helplessly. And they were hit by swords, arrows, and mes. [Help me!] Even pleading had no effect. Parents were dying in front of their children, and children were dying in front of their parents. Even those who had managed to escape were caught by their hair and pushed to death. [These bastards! What sins are we even guilty of?!] [The heavens should be scary, right?! You will be punished for generations!] Curses came out of each persons mouth as they died. Seol Young and Zaha felt like they were trapped in hell. They couldnt move. They could just look at what was happening. They wanted to look away, but that wasnt possible. Look now The spirits had left, and their thoughts remained in this dust made by their bones. Please look at our deaths, which havent been recorded in history. The castle, which had been peaceful until then, has now turned to ashes. Mitas back looked devastated. Her men came running. [Even now, we can just abandon the castle and get out of here and think for the future!] Their appearance vanished, and the vision that Seol Young and Zaha were seeing changed to another ce. It was an underground path that was dark and ominous, like the tomb they were in. There were already dead bodies in there. The few remaining iron troops and priests were there, and all of them were covered in blood from the battle. But they all began to fall, one after another. [Do not look back! Keep running!] [You need to survive! You are the only one who can take revenge!] The priests withrge earrings and tattoos on their heads ran. Only a few servants who served the king were left. And they tried to escape through the secret passage, but they were all soon surrounded. [Ack!] The priests who remained until the end were all hit by the swords as they fell down. And now only the king remained. She raised her sword despite being surrounded, and the pattern on her sword began to glow. She was going to cast a sorcery spell. But Puak! An arrow hit her in the middle of her chest. [The price for myte brothers life!] Soon, arrows rained on her, and Mita copsed with the arrows on her. [The devil is dead!] Her body was dragged out of the castle. She was tied to a rope and hung on a high wall. Then a faint wailing sound came from somewhere. [Your Highness] The heads of the people piled up under their feet were wailing, and the white mist around them began to die down slowly. Only then did Seol Younge back to reality. This is? As they walked while watching the vision, they passed through the aisle before they knew it. The ce they had entered now was surrounded by stone walls. Tomb. It was the ce where the coffin of the dead was ced. ! Both of them were shocked, and at that moment, their gaze fell on a certain thing in front of them. A bloody corpse was hanging high, with arrows stuck in its body. It was Mitas soul. Seol Young and Zaha both stood there without saying anything. Then she opened her eyes. Chapter 194: Three Thousand Worlds (18) Chapter 194: Three Thousand Worlds (18) The body was swifter than the head. Blue Rainbow and Dead yer. From the two swords, a spirit-like me rose. Before Mita could even move, they blocked the path. But. The evil spirit in front of them didnt react. Her twinkling eyes shone through her tangled hair. However, those eyes werent directed at the intruders who came into her tomb but they were just looking at the air. Come to think of it Seol Young reached his hand out to her. Shouldnt the evil energy be strong, though? He stretched out his fingers to touch her clothes but they wouldnt touch them and they just passed through. His anxiousness cleared up. An illusion? A question mark crossed over Zahas face. What is this? Is this a trap? No, rather. While cing his sword into its sheath, Seol Young said, I think it isnt an afterimage or an illusion. If one leaves a dead body on a wooden floor for a long time, it will leave marks on it. The traces of the owner are left on this tomb like a symbol. Even though it was an illusion, the figure itself was clear. Even Seol Young and Zaha, who had excellent spiritual power, mistook that for a moment. However, Mitas evil spirit was in front of them. Wasnt this a world where the maiden Jung Myung and the divine God existed? It was different from the other world, where the divine tree didnt exist. Still, be careful with all of this. Seol Young raised his spiritual qi and defended himself, while observing the figure in front of them. There was a thick rope wrapped around her neck, as if she were dangling in the air. And an ornate crown of priests was pressed against her head. Her decayed face couldnt be seen under her long hair. The blood she coughed up the moment she stopped breathing stained her chin and chest red. The shape of her corpse had broken bones and pierced arrows that were stuck to each other. This was the ghost of Mita, who had be the God of Cataclysm. There was a clear difference between how she looked now and after turning into an evil spirit. It was not the usual short jacket that is popr among women these days, but the old priests robe. Also, the fact that the talismans on her face didnt stick right showed that the exorcism on her didnt work. Even though she was an evil spirit, she didnt seem to be someone who had crossed the line to be a disaster right now. Seol Young brought his spiritual qi out. In our world, this evil spirit must have developed into the God of Cataclysm as she gradually changed over the years. What we are seeing now is what she looked like before she changed. Right. Zaha said that without taking his eyes off Mitas figure. They say everything has two sides. Do you think she turned into such a disaster because she was dragged into the world like this and suffered? Still, we have achieved something good. Finding out the reason she had turned into an evil spirit is necessary for us to appease her soul. The two looked at the illusion of Mita hanging in the air. Silence passed. But was it really impossible to appease them? Zaha raised the question. The scenes that the dead people had shown were just fragments. But it was enough for them to know what kind of death their King met. She unexpectedly lost her nation, and the people tried to protect her, but she died a cruel death. The King of Ruins. Even Seol Young had never appeased such a gigantic being. Anyway, we have to do our best. Didnt things work out before because we knew the story? And now, again. When he was about to say something, a strong vibration could suddenly be felt from the walls and the ground. Zaha immediately focused his eyes there and looked alert. What? Seol Young thought it felt familiar. It is because people who shouldnt enter the tomb hade in. If this continues, there will be a sh, and something strange will happen in this world. Even at this moment, Jung Myung must be outside suppressing the evil energy with all her might. Come to think of it, we dont have time for all this. Zaha looked around the tomb. We need to find the door. Right. As Miss Jung Myung said, this ce is where the border between our world and this world exists. Between that, the location should be Both of them looked at the same ce beyond Mitas figure, who looked dead in the eyes. In the middle of the ground, in the shape of a camp, there was something that was buried in thendfill. It was a huge sarcophagus. And the two walked past the figure of Mita and got closer. Part of the lid of the sarcophagus was open at an angle. There were fragments of broken chains around it. And Zaha looked down at it. Sealing the coffin with a chain did nothing. Yes, neither digging up her remains nor burying them at the boundary between this world and the next was of any use. If it werent for the divine tree, she would have crossed over to our world more freely. Seol Young looked through the crack that was revealed through the lid. Anyway, there must be a door connecting this world to the world on the other side. Right. As if to say that, the ne on Zahas cor shed brightly. Between the Three Thousand Worlds, one might get lost or things might go wrong. But they had one secret trick. The body of the Tree God. A God was a being who could freely cross between heaven and earth, so they had the power to find the world they belonged to. But we dont have the body of the God. Seol Young pulled out a safety rope. Just like when the Hwarangs would cross a river for training, he threaded a string through his belt hole and connected it with Zaha. This is also like crossing the river between this world and the other. Zaha reached out and lifted the lid of the sarcophagus. Wait. Seol Young stopped him. I was nning on telling you earlier, but there is one more important thing. What is it? Since the two worlds are connected through a boundary, the tomb on one side will connect to the tomb on the other. This coffin will connect to the coffin of the other world. Seol Young said that carefully. If we use this chance right, we might be able to obtain her ashes somewhere in the coffin. Zaha understood it right then. Not Mitas ashes, but the ashes of the God of Cataclysm? Yes. Seol Young nodded. Ashes are different in many ways. When ites to calling, blocking, or expelling evil spirits, nothing is more powerful than human remains. We need to get our hands on it. Fine. I get it. Zaha lifted the lid. Then a strange darkness swirled. And stepping in first, he said, Congrattions. Seol Young-rang is finally getting to experience what it is like in a coffin. Are you really saying that? When he was still too dumbfounded to respond, Seol Young was dragged inside and it felt like if he was falling forward. Darkness. At the same time, it felt like colors were moving around him. There were so many colors that they mixed to form darkness. In the middle of that strangend. The eyes of the Tree God shone ahead. Light was the driving force here, and it was now carrying them ahead. Even if his head was feeling dizzy, Seol Young did his best to use spiritual qi. High Governor, do not forget. Find the remains of the evil spirit. Even a small speck of dust is fine. I get it. Zahas voice sounded far away. Isnt that it? In the midst of a whirlwind, this pitch-ck darkness formed ahead. A small piece of bone was spinning inside it. Zaha raised his golden spiritual qi and grabbed it. At that moment, a scene unfolded before their eyes. The ashes of the Moon Pce. It was the ce where the iron troops had wiped out everyone, and Jin Rim was there, fallen dead. To show this illusion again, this must not be our world yet. Zaha threw it right away, and the whirlwind began to get stronger. Seol Young found another piece inside and grabbed it. At that moment, the surroundings turned into a mansion. He and his parents were standing there. Seol Young? When did youe? We tried to go to the house of Governor earlier, but we were. Not this too. Seol Young threw it away, and Zaun was talking beside them. I kept this a secret from your brother-inw, but you went and injured your right arm? Even if you try to fool others, you cannot fool me. Come inside and get treated before I shout. When Zaha threw the bone away, her form also disappeared. This cannot be all of them. Seol Young became impatient. Everything was disappearing quickly. It looked like this would all end soon, and then he found another one. Seol Young grabbed it, and the world was in ruins. He almost shrieked at the sight of that for a moment. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were leaning against each other, covered in blood, as they died. Among the corpses of the other Hwarags, there were also Hwa Un and Mu Won. Not this either. Seol Young threw the bone right then. This space looked tight. And when he thought it was over. We are here. Zaha barely managed to find another bone. He reached out for it, and at that moment, the back of the God of Cataclysm appeared before their eyes. She turned her head, and her face, covered with talismans, looked at them. We found it. Zaha quickly brought out his spiritual energy. The appearance of the evil spirit disappeared like a me and was put out. At the same time, their bodiesnded somewhere. Where are we? Seol Young looked around, but he couldnt see anything in the darkness. It was still the same when he used his spiritual qi. But he could see a few things through his senses. Well, we are back. Silence passed. The things that had happened since the moment they were first dragged into the other world shed in front of them. Well. We are back. Eventually, Zaha said, Take this. He held out what was in his hand, and at that moment, a strong pressure pushed against them. Wait. Seol Young took out a bundle of talismans with the character Seal written on them. He received what Zaha was trying to hand over and ced the talisman on top of it. After tying the knot tightly, the heavy pressure finally disappeared. Seol Young held the small thing in his hand. It was an indescribably strange feeling. The fragment of the God of Cataclysm. He stayed like that, lost in thought, and then Seol Young kept them. Now we need to leave. We should. Zaha agreed, but neither of them moved, and only silence fell. He wanted to return to this world so much, and when he realized they had returned, a thought passed through his mind. Zaha was probably thinking the same thing too. What if Seol Young recalled what the bones had shown them. What if the illusions werent really illusions? What if they actually happened in this world? What if everything we saw was real? They had that thought, so they couldnt bring themselves to step out. Seol Young shook his head. No. It cannot be that. It cannot be that. Zaha also said. It was then. A thump came from the outside, and a voice was heard. The entire ce rumbled, and the buildings outside seemed to be in a mess. No? The two of them looked at each other with pale faces. Chapter 195: Three Thousand Worlds (19) Chapter 195: Three Thousand Worlds (19) The thumping and roaring were too much. This couldnt be happening unless there was a fuss going on outside. They had to get out quickly. Seol Young suppressed his anxiety and looked at the space again with the light from Blue Rainbow. It seemed like they were blocked on all sides by thick stone walls. How do we get out of here? Look. Zaha raised his spiritual qi and Bang! The ceiling shattered with a roar. At the same time, the sunlight poured in. Seol Young looked up in surprise, and someone was looking down. Who? His eyes, which had barely adjusted to the dazzling light, were able to discern the appearance of the other person. It was a Hwarangs uniform with a dark purple color. The metal ornament on his head indicated that he was a leader. His blunt-looking face and eyebrows said the guy was quite demanding. It was Mu Won-rang of the ck Tortoise Troops. Mu Won-rang? He also seemed surprised at the sight of Seol Young, and an awkward silence passed through them. Mu Won-rang! Zahas voice broke the silence. Ah. Mu Won nodded with a face that still couldnt hide his surprise. High Governor, you are here? Uh? High Governor? The voices of other Hwarangs could also be heard on the other side of the hole. They had to be the Hwarangs of the ck Tortoise Troops. It seemed like they had broken the ceiling by using martial arts. Oh my! You are really in there! Bring a ropedder now! No! Can we get water too? The Hwarangs were making a lot of noise, which was odd. Seol Young looked up at them and seemed dazed. In the Moon Pce, which was in ruins, the bodies of the ck Tortoise troops were scattered. That sight was still vivid in his eyes. He is actually alive. Even though they didnt get along well because of their bad rtionship in the past, seeing them safe like this put him at ease. Seol Young sighed. I think the roar earlier was just the sound of them breaking the ceiling. Having power is good Zaha grumbled. He chuckled at the thought that both of them had almost imagined the worst. Of course, I believe in your strength, but I cannot let go of my doubts since the opponent is too sly. He looked around after saying a couple of words to Zaha. Sunlight came in through the hole in the ceiling, and it shone around them. As they had guessed beforeing here, the tomb was right beyond the door. And Mitas tomb was under the tomb where Seol Young grew up. However, when they looked at the ce with the light from their swords, they noticed nothing. It was because the inside was different. It is odd. Zaha walked over and dug out the floor with his sword. Isnt this supposed to be where the sarcophagus is? There was neither a coffin nor chains. In the middle of the space were just loads of dust and stone. Even so, when exposed to sunlight, they gradually disappeared, and soon nothing was there. Seol Young looked at the ce. Right. It is odd. They went outside the tomb and looked at it. Its structure was the same as that of the other world. But the skull wall wasnt there, and there werent any burial items. There was just fine dust in this ce. Even the wind that asionally touched them wasnt there. Seol Young stopped. There is nothing more to see. This tomb is empty. Everything has been shattered, and there are no traces left. Zaha stared at the dust on his fingertips. I see. In this world, we have awakened the God of Cataclysm. Every ce she passed by must have been ruined. And then he added, When she got out of her grave, nothing must have been around. Right. Seol Youn agreed with him then. So if we had found and entered this tomb too, we wouldnt have found anything. Right. If this is enough, it might be better to say that it is a coincidence that we were dragged to the other world And when Zaha said that, A ropedder was thrown down. You cane up now. The Hwarangs who were above shouted, and when Zaha said that, he realized something. What chance is this? Had it not been for the ck Tortoise Troops, we would have been trapped deep beneath the earth, unable toe out, right? Listening to that now, it seems so. Just like the legend of the monk who came back alive, even though a shepherd passed by, his voice didnt reach him. No matter how much they would have shouted in this deep hole, no one would have heard them. Seol Young felt goosebumps rise. These people really saved us. But why did they suddenly decide to destroy the tomb? Didnt you hear? Mu Won-rang looked at me and said, You are really here. And the other Hwarangs too. They expected us to be here. But how? Zaha also thought about it as he headed for the hole. And the two of them came out. There was a huge pit. The Hwarangs had to dig deep into the ground and diligently worked on this. Zaha asked them, How did you know we would be here? The troops answered, The Governor said so. Mu Won answered. A tall man was standing behind him. It was Jin Rim. High governor, I am d you are safe. Seol Young-rang also seems to be fine. Jin Rim stepped forward and said. Without hiding his surprise, Zaha asked, Governor, how did you know? I had a strange dreamst night. Jin Rim said, In my dream, I left the office and worked as an official of the ministry. Instead of me, the High Governor was the Governor, and Seol Young was the Aide. What? The two were shocked. Could it be that Jin Rim experienced what they did in his dreams? Jin Rim continued, But the Governor had entrusted a certain mission to me. It was to find out about a small nation called Gaya. So? I searched through the records within my dreams and informed you. Then, when I woke up, no matter how much I thought about it, it felt more like reality and not a dream. It seemed like the High Governor was trying to say something to me through the dream. So I sat on the bed and began to think about it. The fact that I met Seo Geom-rang in the dream Seo Geom-rang? Jin Rim nodded. When we met in front of the Hwarangs Hall. The Seol Geom-rang in my dream said this to me, After destroying the old tomb, the Governor and the Aide are investigating the underground. The location is said to be a secluded trail in Mount Toham. I immediately climbed Mount Toham and found the ce that Seo Geom-rang had told me about in the dream. So there really was a tomb? I wondered if the High Governor and Seol Young-rang were trapped there. So, I urgently called the ck Tortoise Troops to break it down and dig the ground. But you really did end up being here Jin Rim looked at the two of them like he couldnt believe it. What happened? The Governor saved us. Zaha patted Jin Rim on the shoulder. After all, you arent the Governor for nothing. So mysterious. Seol Young also helped out from the side. I heard you started looking for us as soon as the dream came. Didnt the Governor think that the High Governor and Seol Young-rang could be fake? Hmm? Jin Rims expression changed. What do you mean? Fake? The High governor and Seol Young-rang, who reced us while we were gone. Those two were the fakes from the other world. Didnt the Governor notice that? Isnt that why you sent them out for us? Zaha exined it to him. However, Jin Rims face couldnt be recognized. I dont know what you mean. The High Governor and Seol Young-rang from another world? We didnt see a thing. You didnt see a thing? Literally. Jin Rim replied honestly. Why did I stay awake all night? It is because the High Governor and Seol Young-rang went missing yesterday afternoon. The Hwarangs saw you go into the archives behind the hall, but no one saw youe out. And you had been missing since. . Seol Young and Zaha were at a loss for words. How could that happen? They had no doubt that the other worlds Zaha and Seol Young had crossed over here. Even if they werent in an illusion, they thought someone had taken their ce. But they didnt? Their minds wereplicated. At that moment, a sudden thought came to his mind, and Seol Young asked, Did Baek Eon-rang, Song Ok-rang, and Hyo Wol-rang know I was missing? Of course. Jin Rim replied. Even if that wasnt the case, I contacted them the moment we found you in this tomb earlier. Maybe by now Governor! As if waiting, Song Oks voice came from above the pit. Who is inside the tomb? Is it the High Governor? What about Seol Young? Clumps of dirt rolled down at the sound of the loud question. At the same time, Baek-Song-Wols figures appeared. When they found Seol Young in the pit, they were relieved. As I thought! The three of them jumped down right then. High Governor, are you alright? After greeting them, they immediately surrounded Seol Young. You were safe. Even if you went missing, the High Governor was with you, so I didnt worry As always, Baek Eon had a calm voice. Seol Young was filled with emotions. Forgetting that others were watching them, he stretched out his hand and grabbed Baek Eons face. Great-rang! Yes! Baek Eon responded calmly. Right. Seol Young. It is me. Seol Young fumbled and checked him. His brother was not an illusion. He was alive and healthy. And he went to the side. Second-rang and Third-rang! Right. Right. We are here. Song Ok and Hyo Wol were all fine too. Yes, you too. The cruel sight he was shown in the visions was finally erased from his mind. Even in Seol Youngs heart, all the worries in the world vanished. Of course we are. Hyo Wolughed. If anything, you are the one who went missing and came back. I know. Baek Eon and Song Ok smiled. Seeing their faces, Seol Young realized something. Certainly, it wasnt a dazzling smile, just like in the other world where the God of Cataclysm didnt exist. But it was still warmer. Even after searching through a billion worlds, there was only one real brother for Seol Young. Seol Young cried again. I really wanted to see you. Really Right. Right. Baek-Song-Wol didnt know why, but when they saw Seol Youngs face, they also felt moved. And the four of them stretched their arms out like they wanted to embrace. But then they felt a gaze. Seol Young looked back. Zaha was looking at them. It was an expression that didnt change a lot. It is such a great friendship, no matter how much I see it. He whispered to Jin Rim and Mu Won. Even I might cry. Seol Youngs face contorted. Chapter 196: Three Thousand Worlds (20) Chapter 196: Three Thousand Worlds (20) From where the three brothers were standing, Seol Youngs expression wasnt clear. So they didnt know why their youngest was frowning. Instead, they noticed something else. What is this? Song Ok reached out to something in the hem of Seol Youngs clothes. It was a string. It had been cut off, leaving only the length of two fingers, and was dangling from his belt. Seol Young only remembered it when he saw it. Ah, this Zaha intercepted his words. What is this? Seol Young grabbed me and forcibly tied me up, saying he would not die alone by himself. I never said anything like that. Seol Young refuted him by untying the knot. I had no choice but to tie it for our safety. The High Governor is just joking, you dont need to react like this. Baek Eon smiled. But you had to secure yourselves by tying each other with a string. What was inside? You cannot even look at it now. There is nothing there anymore. I see. Bae Eon headed for the hole and then came back. Well, ording to the Governor, the two of you took the risk to investigate something very important. Did you get what you were looking for? Although they didnt say it out loud, all three of them were looking at them with expectant eyes. Did you find the evidence that can allow you toe back to the White Tiger Troops? They were missing for a day, so they thought they had achieved something good. Maybe. Seol Young felt the presence of a small piece of bone in his arms. After being falsely used of being a coward, it seemed like he was constantly grabbing things in the fog. They were appearing now. Wait and see. First, I need to talk with the Governor. Zaha spoke instead. We will head to the office first. Baek Eon-rang will bring all the leaders there. Yes. I understand. Together, they climbed over the pit. The ck Tortoise Troops dug up the ground and the tomb where Seool Young had livedpletely disappeared. Only the remains of stone fragments were piled up on one side, revealing that there once was a tomb there. Zaha looked at that, and said, That, Seol Young-rang. What would you do now that your home is broken? It is fine. It is a hundred times better than dying in a grave with a person who doesnt stop talking. While talking to each other, they walked to the ck Tortoise Hwarangs. Zaha clicked his tongue as he saw them covered in dust. You people have been through a lot. No. Mu Won shook his head. I am just d that I could be of help. Then go and rest. I will clean up this scene and return. Baek Eon approached him. Mu Won-rang, the High Governor seemed to n on working right away again. He has asked for the leaders to gather at the office right away. The Hwarangs of the ck Tortoise heard that and said, Leader, please go. We will sort this all out. I understand. Everyone scattered again. Seol Young tried to turn around to the ck Tortoise Divine Troops and nodded. He didnt expect it, but several of them nodded back, and then an awkward moment passed. Then we will all call Seo Geom-rang and Hwa Un-rang. Baek-Song-Wol and Mu Won headed for the Blue Dragon Troops, and Seol Young headed for the Moon Pce with Zaha. High Governor! Seol Young-rang! Where have you been?! As they received the news of their return, the Golden Wheel Troops went straight for the Hwarangs office. There is one thing I am very curious about right now As soon as Zaha sat down on the chair, he asked Jin Rim questions. Do you remember the contents of the dream and the research I asked you? Yes, I do. Jin Rim said, Isnt my hobby studying history? I remember every single one of them. Then you must have found and understood it right away. Right? How was it? As I thought, you know my personality well. Jin Rim took out a piece of crumpled paper from his chest. Well, I was curious about it, so I took some time and looked for it while the ck Tortoise Troops were digging. I wondered if it was true to history. Then these things came out. He unfolded the paper. This is a record of the small nations in Gaya. And this is the meaning behind the character Goto, which various of their artifacts had. Everything matched what Jin Rim had been told in his dream. He looked at Zaha, who said, You mean those things actually existed in our history? Yes, High Governor. Jin Rim nodded. There was a priest from the royal family of Gaya who imed to be the descendant of the mountain God there, and small nations united and fought around that person. It is said that they were subdued overnight by the attack of the Si army. As expected, the history was there. Mita was one of the Gaya leaders who fought against Si until the end. But her story was buried in the darkness. Even though the ghosts continued to appear with the same name and cause chaos, no one recognized their true identity. . Seeing the two lost in thought, Jin Rim opened his mouth. Actually, it wasnt a dream. I investigated the matter with the High Governor and Seol Young-rang in the dream, right? We did. Zaha smiled wryly. It turned out that Jin Rim, the official in the ministry whom we met in the other world, turned out to be this Jin Rim. It seemed that only your soul flew there while you were sleeping. Just how. Jin Rim looked confused. Where was it? Where were Seo Jun-rang, Woo Hyun, Seol Young-rangs parents, and Baek San alive? A world without the God of Cataclysm. Seol Young answered. The High Governor and I were in the archives and taken there. I guess that it was one of the three thousand worlds. But we arent entirely sure about that either. The two of us from the other world didnt cross over here Stop. My head hurts. Zaha said, Lets just think of it as a phantom dream of looking into another universe. Just like the way priests get their revtions. Anyway, I get the feeling that these historical facts that we found are very important to us. Jin Rim spoke with a serious face. Whose tomb was the tomb that the ck Tortoise Troops brought out today? It was a confounding question. There was a brief silence. Then Jin Rims expression changed for a moment. No Seol Young could feel it in the silence. The evil spirit that was called the God of Cataclysm. It struck fear into the world and spread everywhere. It had been kept a secret until now, but it seemed that the time hade for it to be revealed. Zaha looked at Seol Young. Right. It is the tomb of the God of Cataclysm. Jin Rim was at a loss for words. He did expect it, but when he heard it, he still felt shocked. You found the grave. After saying those words, Jin Rim fell into silence. Then someones light footsteps broke their silence. High Governor, all the leaders of the troops have gathered. Baek Eon said from the outside. Come in. Zaha said. The door opened, and Baek Eon, Seo Geom, Mu Won, and Hwa Un entered. The leaders greeted the High Governor and the Governor. Then they all sat down. Realizing how unusual the atmosphere was, Seo Geom spoke first, High Governor, where have you been for a day? I knew that you would return safely, but I was worried that you had left the kingdom again. What kind of incident happened this time? It seems like you called us to tell us your story. Hwa Un also said that while fiddling with his fan. Meanwhile. Mu Won just stayed silent. Because he did the excavation, he knew a little. But apparently, he didnt say a word to them on the way here. Baek Eon was the same. He just kept silent. Zaha looked around at everyone and said, I guess we should talk about it from the start. Yes, High Governor. As everyone knows, there was this ominous revtion that came up while doing the ritual, which spoke about the peace of the kingdom, and supernatural cmities urred. And there was a revtion that pointed to Seol Young-rang as the evil spirit Wasnt this too much at the beginning? Such expressions were evident on the faces of the leaders. However, the words that followed immediately changed their expressions. During my investigation, I discovered some important secrets. It wasnt normal for Zaha to speak so seriously, so everyone stared at him without even blinking. I thought that if the secret were revealed, it would have been a huge thing that would have a ripple effect not just to the Hwarang troops, but the entire nation would be affected, so I continued the investigation with Seol Young-rang without informing the Governor. Zaha continued. But now that I have found out some information to some extent, I think the time hase for a decision to be made, so I will reveal it. Then he turned to Seol Young. Seol Young-rang, speak. Yes. Seol Young, who was there, stepped forward and said, The God of Cataclysm has resurrected. At that moment, everyones faces went stiff. No matter how it was said, shock and dumbfoundedness were registered on their faces. Werent Jin Rim, Baek Eon, Seo Geom, Mu Won, and Hwa Un all there when they experienced the disaster it brought eight years ago? God of Cataclysm With those words, all the nightmares they had buried in their heads resurfaced. Everyone was shocked and couldnt say a thing. Back you mean After a while, Seo Geom looked shocked. I am sorry. Zaha said, I thought we had gotten rid of it eight years ago, but I was wrong. I should have done better. Everyone was startled by that. What are you saying? Who doesnt know that the High Governor alone carried the entire burden of it? We werecking. No. No one wascking. That evil thing is too vicious. We all did our very best. Everyone nodded their heads at the words of Baek Eon and Hwa Un. They were able to get out of the initial shock faster than expected. Perhaps it was because they had the High Governor to rely on. Finally, the cause of the supernatural cmities is now clear. Jin Rim said with a stiff face. At least Seol Young-rang can clear his name. Not yet. Seol Young spoke cautiously. The Heavenly Pavilion will say that I made this up. Only when the evil spirit is truly taken down and the flute is restored back to its original state will we be able to clear the false usations on mepletely. Completely clear. Jin Rim mumbled. Isnt that impossible? Instead of answering that, Seol Young took something out of his chest. It was a bundle of talismans that was tightly wrapped and sealed with a string. It looked unusual at first sight. All the people gathered there had spiritual power, so they felt it. Baek Eon asked, What is it? A fragment of the God of Cataclysms ashes that the High Governor had found. A fragment of the ashes of the God of Cataclysm. There was a reason they felt bad. Everyone looked at it without blinking. I heard that when the God of Cacatlysm appeared eight years ago, there was nothing you didnt do to stop it. But there was one thing that no one had tried before. Calling the evil spirit with its own ash and holding a peace ritual to soothe the spirits. Seol Young said in the silence. I want to try that. Chapter 197: Three Thousand Worlds (21) Chapter 197: Three Thousand Worlds (21) The meeting room was so quiet that one could even hear their own breathing. Several leaders stared at Seol Young. Summon the God of Cataclysm? Eventually, Jin Rim spoke. I have no idea what Seol Young-rang intends to do, but the High Governor said that eight years ago, none of the methods worked, and now you want to head out and settle the matters alone. Yes. Zaha said. Everyone elses eyes turned to him this time. That evil spirites and goes on its own, and it wields huge power. If we could summon it to this side, we thought the situation would be more favorable. It might actually work to a degree. Zaha calmly exined it as if it werent a big deal. The method I used in the past was only possible once, so I cannot do it again. But now that we have a fragment of her deceased body, we can try it again. If Seol Young-rang summons her, she will have to get dragged by us. Everyone held their breaths and listened, not wanting to miss a single word. Due to what happened to her eight years ago, the powers of the evil spirit havent fully recovered. Zaha continued. It is trying to gain its power back by causing these supernatural cmities and bringing fear into people, but we have blocked them all. So it seems to be trying hard to get stronger. He looked around at everyone who was listening. There hasnt been a major disaster yet, but once it starts to move in earnest, there is no turning back. So for me, it is now or never. Like Seol Young-rang said, holding a peace ritual is an idea that no one has ever thought of. Also, that will not be the way the Hwarangs do. Zaha spoke in a rxed tone. But I saw it with my own eyes. Through the peace ritual, the powerful evil spirits also gave up their obsessions and left. It is really effective, and I dont see any reason not to try it. But High Governor. Hwa Un, who was silent until then, spoke carefully. I am only asking this out of curiosity, but isnt it possible to fail with it? The God of Cataclysm is definitely not one who Right. Zaha nodded his head. Seol Young-rang, what do you think? Of course, I dont think that talking with her will work either. Seol Young replied. If we had been able tomunicate with her, we would have defeated her a long time ago. But she is not a normal evil spirit. Over the years, she has turned into someone like a demi-god. Right. Jin Rim nodded. Even though we call it an evil spirit, it crossed the level of a spirit a long time ago. We dont call it a God for nothing. But still, now we know its story and identity. I know the reason she exists. It isnt for nothing that there is a saying, Knowing the history of the demons and Gods can make youmand them. Knowing their identity gives us power over them. Seol Young continued, Its power might be too strong, but a peace ritual can calm the spirit against its own thoughts. After strongly suppressing it, it will have no choice but to ept our words and eventually let go. That is the purpose of the peace ritual. Jin Rim frowned. That isnt normal. Right. That is why I am telling you this now. Seol Young looked at all of them. Someone must stop her from escaping during the ritual. Are there any warriors willing to help with that? Everyone went silent. Seol Young started solving supernatural cmities to clear his name, but no one expected that to end with such a dangerous spirit. Of course, it was natural that Seol Young also didnt expect it. But he didnt seem afraidhe wasnt even trying to avoid it. Rather, he wasing up with countermeasures as if he had been waiting. How could that be? Was it possible that all of this was a conspiracy with the evil spirit to ruin the Hwarang troops? Depending on how one looks at it, it could seem suspicious. However, the eyes of the leaders didnt seem to think that. Were Seol Young-rang and the High Governor tracking the God of Cataclysm at the time when Hyung returned? Was that why they wanted to see the Wonhwa Tower? They recalled all that they had experienced or heard about. A lot has happened since then. Seol Youngs gaze was now different from the first time he was falsely used. We, the Blue Dragon True Troops will cooperate. Seo Geom spoke first. We, the Red Vermilions, will cooperate too. Hwa Un also said that right after. I will cooperate. Even Mu Won, who had to limp because of Seol Young, nodded. But Unexpectedly, Baek Eon, who should have agreed first, stayed silent. He looked confused. Then Baek Eon looked at Seol Young. Our youngest has already made up his mind. It was the same situation when he first set out to solve the supernatural cmities that were happening. Then, wasnt it their job to set aside their concerns and help him? Baek Eon nodded his head. The White Tiger Troops will also cooperate. Then the entire Hwarangs have agreed. Jin Rim said so. Our Golden Ring Troops will participate in the ritual He thought for a moment, and then he said to Zaha, Actually, I was thinking about it too. What? Lets rest for today. If youe to the front yard with Seol Young-rang tomorrow, I will show it to you. Jin Rim blocked any questions right then. The leaders of each troop should talk to me. Yes, Governor. Baek Eon, Seo Geom, Mu Won, and Hwa Un gathered around Jin Rim. It meant that he wanted the others to go and rest, so the two of them turned around. Its not like they can make a surprise party for. Zaha came out and said, Well, the die was thrown. Seol Young flinched. He finally notified the others about the rebirth of the God of Cataclysm, and he couldnt help but be anxious at the thought of a battle in the future. The sound of die only made him more nervous. Do you have to choose such a thing to sound satisfied? What is wrong with you? I still feel my body throb at the blow I received from the evil energy. Is that so? You are softer than you look. I didnt realize because I got healed. Zaha tapped his right arm. It was a conversation without much thoughts, but The moment they were about to talk more, it popped into their heads. . They had forgotten what they were even arguing about. -Come in and get treated before your conversation gets longer. The familiar face of another Zaun, who tried to heal her brothers injuries, came to mind. Zaha also went speechless at the thought of it. The human mind is so strange. It didnt matter much to him, and he wanted toe back home. Thest time they briefly ran into each other, they left without regrets. He wanted toe back to this world to put his mind at ease, but now that he had returned, The world without the God of Cataclysm. Seol Young lifted his head and looked up. The sky over the roof of the Hwarangs Hall was blue. The more they looked beyond the clouds, the darker the blue clouds became. Time passed differently there than here, and another us who should havee had never appeared. So even though it seems like a lie. Seol Young mumbled. What we went through was not a hallucination. It was real. And it existed too. Right. Zaha also agreed with that. In front of the Governor, I said it was a dream, but no matter how much I think about it, it truly wasnt a dream. It was real. Right? I understand why Buddhism speaks about the Three Thousand Worlds. Just the thought that there is another world like that and can give usfort like. Just then, the door to the office burst open. It was Mu Won. It seemed like he had been given an order by the Governor. Mu Won looked puzzled at the two. His eyes looked unsure, but he still greeted Zaha. High Governor. Yes. I am going. Yes. Mu Won-rang. Seol Young also greeted him. Mu Won silently nodded and passed by. As he descended the stairs, his leg was limping slightly. Well, our interpretation isnt wrong either. Zaha suddenly said, The theory of the Three Thousand Worlds exins how vast the universe we live in is. There are billions of worlds just like ours. Doesnt this world suddenly feel small and insignificant, like dust? If the world is so small and insignificant, then how small will the person in it be? And how small will that persons heart be? Resentment, anger, and affection are so small. Seol Young thought again. Then, when he looked up, Zaha was walking down the stairs alone. Seol Young quickly followed him. Zaha nced back and asked, Why are you following me? Because I am someone who depends on others, I hate the concept of dying alone. I need to do my part. Can you not go there? Wont Baek Eon-range soon? I will head to Mount Seondo anyway. Seol Young responded coldly. But before that, we have something to do. It is good that your injury has healed. For the ritual, we need you at your best. Maybe it just happened to fit right in front of the skull wall And Ah, right. I need to y GO a couple more times. Zahas face contorted. As if he didnt know what to say, Zaha stared at him with his golden eyes without saying a word. Seol Young-rang, that isnt GO.
The next day. Because of the words of the Governor, Seol Young got up early and headed to the Moon Pce. He went to the Hwarangs Hall and asked the trainees, but they said the High Governor hadnte yet. He must have lost a lot of sleep because he lost too much in GOst night. Seol Young thought to himself and asked, Did the Governor ask me toe? Yes, then. He will be in front of the yard right away. Go ahead. We will tell you when hees out. The troops were excited for some reason. I get it. Seol Young headed to the yard first. Since early in the morning, a buzzing sound could be heard. Something ck flew above the heads of the people. What was that? Seol Young stopped. Then someone shouted, What! I am scared! Go away! Monk! Calm down and cross this way! But can the poor and weak monk be there alone Ackl! Seol Young immediately recognized the owner of that voice. Wasnt that the monk who was almost killed by Sa Daham? Monk Do Cheol! He was so happy that he almost forgot that he was in the front yard of the hall and was shouting. But why did the monke to the pce? Curious, he broke through the crowd and went inside. Chapter 198: Three Thousand Worlds (22) Chapter 198: Three Thousand Worlds (22) A number of young monks had gathered in the front yard of the pce, and Do Cheol stood out right away among them. Om Amitabha! Go away! He swung his fist in the air, and the ck shadows went t. ! Everyone looked at them in surprise. They forgot how scared they were at the appearance of the strange shadows. Meanwhile, Seol Young focused on watching the monks fast and powerful punches. Do note here! Do Cheol was scared of the dark shadows, so he beat them all before they could even get close. Thanks to that, they couldnt get close to the people. Seol Young barely got close while avoiding the punches. Monk Do Cheol. *Ack!* The monk screamed and looked back. Seeing who was standing there, his tear-stained face went normal. Hwarang Seol Young! Do Cheol was delighted, as if he had met Avalokiteshvara in hell. Everyone, it is alright now! Hwarang Seol Young will take care of everything! Monk Do Cheol has already solved everything, though. Seol Young replied, but the guy looked so excited that he didnt listen to him. I thought that the Hwarangs would be in the pce, so we kept looking for you! Ah, the High Governor ising over here too! Seol Young looked back, and Zaha was indeed walking across the yard. And as soon as he saw Seol Young, he said, If the Governor called me and you, then you should have waited near the Hwarangs Hall. You are being too much just because you are in a white robe. It was something that would have made others go still, but Seol Young didnt care. I knew you would bete. Did you just wake up? I thought you couldnt sleep because you lost straight yesterday. It is true that I didnt get any sleep, but it was because I was cleaning the house. Zaha grumbled and brought out some things from his arms. There were bamboo leaves with eyes, noses, and mouths shaped like actual people. Iid down to sleep, but I had to get up since it was noisy. These things were all over the house. Seol Young-rang, who does that? I dont know. I told you I was going to cleanse your house. There arent any people in that big house, which makes goblins gather there, so I put those things in each empty room for protection. It was hard to leave them secretly but to think you managed to get them all Seol Young-rang, if you talk back like that, you will get scolded by the scary monk, though? Zaha looked at the monk. Do Cheol was watching them talk with bright eyes. High Governor, you seem to be doing well. I am happy. Who is he? Zaha spoke with a look of happiness shing across his face. I didnt even see your face as I spoke, but you look familiar. Arent you Monk Do Cheol, who is good at using his fists? Zaha also noticed the ttened shadows on the ground. You showed your skills? Yes. The punishment of Buddha. Seol Young touched one of them with his fingertips. This is just like old dregs, which ur naturally in a ce with an old history. It isnt harmful, but I am sure people are surprised. It is strange. Zaha picked up the shadows and held them up to the sun. We didnt even hold the ritual yet, so why are they popping out? And as if he felt the presence of someone, he turned around and said, Aha. He eximed suddenly. Jin Rim was approaching from the other side with several old monks behind him. Ah, since the chief monk is back, I need to go. Do Cheol said so and went there. He approached the old monk, who looked rather strong-willed, and talked to him. The chief monk looked at the two and then sped his hands. Seol Young and Zaha bowed their heads at the same time. One look was enough to know that this monk was unusual. Not just that, but all the other monks seemed to have this tiger-like force around them. That is why. Seol Young understood it then. There wasnt just one, but dozens of high priests had appeared since the morning. The old pce was probably shaken by this. After talking with the monks, Jin Rim approached them, and Zaha asked him, Are these monks here going to help? Yes, High Governor. Jin Rim nodded. When I thought about it after having that dream in the other world, it felt like something unusual. I thought that something big wasing for the nation, so I asked the Queen to hold a ceremony. Within today, a hundred high priests from the city will enter the pce to see the Queen. Hundred Puja. 1 It was a Buddhist ritual time where a hundred seats were set up high with a hundred Buddhist priests. It was a ritual to protect the nation in case a natural disaster came, a misfortune urred, or the public was disturbed. Whenever such things happened in the nation, the King would willingly conduct this ritual. Jin Rim exined, It isnt something that I came up with on my own. I just did what Seol Young-rang would have done. What Seol Young-rang would have done? Yes. At the dance festival, didnt he go there and summon the evil spirit? I thought he actually did well. If we do that, we will benefit from the aura that the warriors have. Even if we fail to exorcise the spirit right away, it is safe to say that the Hwarangs who participated in the Sword Dance would help. Jin Rim continued, It will be the same this time. If we try to bring peace to it by doing this, we will be able to use the spiritual energy of a hundred priests. Besides, the King and Queen of Si will be praying there. I dont know if that will help in appeasing the grudge of the spirit. *Aha.* Seol Young and Zaha looked at each other. It was a wise idea, but there was one thing that bothered them. And Zaha said, There is something I have to check, so ask these monks to recite the sutras for a while. Sutras? Okay. Jin Rim went to the priests, and the two were left alone in the yard. Zaha brought the Great Mothers ne there. After a while. Free the mind and body with a subtle. They could hear the monks reciting the sutra. It was low, like a hum, but it held force within it. At that moment, the Great Mother opened her eyes. The Tree Gods hated Buddhism. So when she heard the sound of sutras being recited, a powerful force was swirling inside her. And the louder it got, the more chaotic she felt. How is it? Zaha asked. Same as them. Seol Young said, Like how the mask in my closet became angry after hearing Monk Do Cheols prayer and suddenly created a power to drive out the evil spirit. The same effect is happening now. Nice. We have proven again that the energy of the original God doesnt weaken in front of Buddhist prayers but is increased instead. It was a fact that they already knew, but since it was a serious matter, they had to confirm It again. And Zaha put the ne back. Then, as Jin Rim said, holding a ritual with them will help us. At that moment, ck smoke rose from Zahas hands. It wasnt just the old God, but even the demonic qi within his body was stimted. Stay still. Zaha said that without moving a finger. He was also able to do this at their first meeting, but he looked more used to it now. His qi moved on its own in his body, and it was normal to be like that. When a person uses sorcery to steal the qi of another person, even if the person whose qi had been absorbed dies, that qi doesnt vanish. If one took it away, it was rightfully theirs. And it was the same case with Zaha. Because he was able to take away the qi of the God of Cataclysm, his dead body was able to move again. Even if the evil spirit dies now, her qi that had been taken away wouldnt disappear. It has already been absorbed by his body. Watching the haze of spirits merge with his golden qi, Seol Young thought so. Zaha smiled. What is it? Are you worried that I will die? Seol Young frowned. The thing I am most worried about is the High Governor. It is you not wanting to die. Is there any human who wants to die? I dont know. Maybe if the end isfortable, but to die painfully after being attacked by evil spirits? . If you know that, then it is good. Yes. Seol Young said, and the two of them went back to Jin Rim, who asked, Did you confirm it? Yes. Zaha answered. As the Governor thought, this seems advantageous to us in many ways. It was a nice idea. Well, I just did what Seol Young-rang did Even as Jin Rim said that, his face softened a little. Originally, the Hundred Puja is held in a temple, but the ce hasnt been decided yet this time. Where do we go? Zaha looked at Seol Young. Where would be good? After thinking, Seol Young said, Somewhere like the Old Pce. It is where I first had the vision about the God of Cataclysm, so I feel like it should be there. Okay. Jin Rim nodded. I will inform the Queen that the ritual of the monks will be held in the Old Pce. And the date. It was at that moment that a couple of boys appeared across the yard. They were the trainees of the Vermillion Birds. They looked around and then ran while shouting, Governor! High Governor! A strange thing happenedst night, and our leader asked us to report it to you. What is it? A bizarre wooden man appeared in the training grounds of the trainees. Its whole body was twisted and was tightly tied to a chair. At those words, Zahas and Jin Rims faces changed. Their friendly atmosphere a while ago changed, and both of them looked pale. ? Seol Young was surprised. It was the first time they reacted like this. What? Body twisted up. As he thought about it, there was one thing that came to mind. It was when he went to get his hands on the reports. On the way back to the capital, they once stayed in a haunted house. While they were telling ghost stories to summon ghosts, Zaha spoke about this one story. It was an incident where the new trainees found their senior Hwarang dead and tied to a wooden chair while training. Even though Zaha said nothing else about it, it must have been the first incident with the God of Cataclysm. Seol Young guessed it. Could the story be real? Looking at the reactions of the two, Seol Young thought that had to be the case. Then Jin Rim asked with a stiff face, Was it only a wooden man that was found on the scene? Yes. The trainees answered. Our leader went there right away. He told us not to worry about it, and we were to shut down the training grounds and not enter it. . Zaha and Jin Rim couldnt say a thing. They were probably recalling the tragedy that had happened during the incident eight years ago. Was this a sign that the evil spirit was moving in earnest? Seol Young said, We need to hold the ritual as soon as possible. Right. Zaha came back to his senses. Governor, start preparing right away. We need to move the schedule. Jin Rim frowned. To do that, we need the Great Heavenly Pavilions cooperation. Since the scale of the ritual was huge, it would need a lot of permissions. Let us talk to them then. They turned around with Seol Young. The two of them went to the shrine on the road and told the Pavilion Head about the situation. Instead of answering, she looked at them and said, I had a dream too. What did that mean? Did she just dream about the other world like Jin Rim? Or did she get a vision? What was the dream? Without answering Zahas question, she said, I get it. Our shrine will do our best to cooperate with the things that need to be done ording to the wishes of the High Governor and Seol Young-rang. Then she turned to look at Seol Young, her eyes scanning him. Since I already decided to give you a chance. . You understand, right? Failing this means the end of everything. Seol Young answered, Yes.
  1. TL/N: Puja is like a ceremony of hundreds gathered.
Chapter 199: Mita (1) Chapter 199: Mita (1) Seol Young opened his eyes. The darkness beyond the window had a bluish light. It had to be early in the morning. He slept deeply without dreaming for the first time, and thanks to that, his mind was now clear. Seol Young immediately infused spiritual qi onto his fingertips. And it made him feel alive. The White Tiger Troops aura, which he had trained for seven years, was shining bright. On the other hand, the qi that he had newly acquired from the Sun and Moon Troops had a low efficiency. But it isnt a bad start. Seol Young thought so. At least, before the important day, his energy didnt seem lower than usual, and none of his meridians felt blocked. Then. This time of the day, when he hadnte in contact with anything, was when his spiritual qi was so pure. Then Seol Young looked around through that qi. The bamboo soldiers responded, and he confirmed that nothing happenedst night. There is nothing wrong with this side either. Finally, he put his hand on his sleeve. The remains of the God of Cataclysm were safe. Well, who could take it? Seol Young was willing to carry this ominous thing in his hands. In order for other people not to know what it was, he reced the talismans that were around it. Then Seol Young got up from the bed. When he went over to the annex, water was already prepared, and a new uniform was ced next to it. Seol Young looked down at the dark blue water and untied the strings on his clothes. Abstinence and cleanliness. It was a ritual to purify the body before a sacrifice. After that, he changed into new clothes and went out. Then he ran into the couple in the hallway. The couple looked surprised. Seol Young-rang! You are awake? Yes. Seol Young nodded and said, Thank you for preparing the things that I asked for. Can you wake up the High Governor now? He is already awake. The couple smiled. After we were done with the preparations, he asked us to wake you up. I didnt think you would be up and around already. How can you be this particr? You sure you arent a ghost of a goblin? Seol Young looked at their smiling faces. Can I see them again after today? That thought passed through his mind. Rather than anxiety and worry, it was more out of curiosity. For example, the couple didnt know they were holding a ritual for the God of Cataclysm. They knew that the Hwarangs were doing some kind of Sword Dance together with the Hundred Pooja. Seol Young-rang, lets proceed to the main hall then. Yes. Seol Young followed them to the main hall. He didnt even look into the mirror as he was tying his hair. In the room where he had to remove his wooden sandals, the smell of wet wood was evident. Seol Young went in and opened his mouth. When will you dry your hair? You should have done it correctly, right? You didnt mix hot water into it, right? Nonsense. He responded with a confused face. You should havee as a trainee when I was the Governor. Back then, even in winter, we would break the ice and go into the river once every seven days. Uh? Did you harass my hyungs like that? That isnt the point of my words. They both exchanged lighthearted words. Was it because they were standing in the line of fire that they were having a normal conversation? Their words didnt mean much, but as they exchanged them, they seemed to have forgotten the heavy burden. Then Zaha quickly tied up his hair and got up. Enough. Lets go. They didnt leave the house right away. Before going to the yard, they had onest thing to do. They had to pray to the ancestral spirits to help them go through the ritual today. Since Zaha was a dead person, he couldnt do that, so he removed all the tablets of his ancestors. However, the shrine still remained. It had been a while since the door opened. The two went in together, burned incense on the empty altar, and prayed. Please help us. Seol Young prayed. To his senior Hwarangs, to the Tree God, and to the maiden Jung Myung He prayed to all those to whom he could pray and got up. He was lost in thought as he watched the smoke of the incense. Todays ritual was for the two of them to be together, but actually, the role was mostly Seol Youngs. Zaha hated the God of Cataclysm. As a descendant of Si, it was true that he felt sorry, but this was a different feeling. Because the evil spirit had brought too much change into his life. When he faced it, it would be impossible for him not to feel any hate. It is a natural feeling, but that is why it is difficult. Seol Young nced at Zahas expressionless face. Those who couldnt let go of hatred couldnt appease souls. So he told Zaha not to step ahead. Of course, it wasnt like Seol Young didnt hate the God of Cataclysm. That evil spirit had brought major changes to Seol Youngs life, especially the time he had spent in the other world, which was painful. If it hadnt been for that evil spirit, how happy would he have been? What precious people would have been by his side now? But, still Seol Young could at least harbor another emotion. It waspassion for the human named Mita. Everything she went through was more than enough for her to abandon her human nature and turn into an evil spirit. Seol Young understood her. And he hoped that she would forget it all and find rest. If he could convey those feelings, they could perform the ritual properly. Of course, conveying that is the biggest problem As they left the house after praying, Seol Young looked back at the mansion. Will I see this house again? Again, a question out of curiosity went through his mind. He couldnt even guess what would happen after this. When he thought that, he said nothing. The two of them walked quietly and hurriedly went to the Moon Pce. The Old Pce that they visited after a long time had a different air than before. Was it because the two of them had dealt with the Eight Ghost Stories of the Moon Pce? The atmosphere that used to be gloomy had changed, and it now looked like an antique ce. The hall is this way. An old eunuch guided them this time. In the Old Pce, there was a spacious hall where the monks had gathered. That was the ce where todays ritual would be held. Under the high ceiling painted in five colors, there were hundreds of seats lined up. The seats had lotuses and jewels decorated on them. The high priests attending the Dharma meeting would sit there. All the heads of the Hwarang troops, including the Governor, were gathered at the site and fully prepared. Now, let us start. Jin Rim raised one hand, and the other four used their spiritual qi at once. At that moment, numerous sword shapes formed in the air. Each one had spiritual qi, and they all turned into a huge one and rotated fiercely around the hall. It was a shocking sight. First time seeing the circle? At Zahas words, they all looked his way in unison. High Governor, you are here? Then Jin Rim answered as the representative of everyone there. Right now, there are loopholes, but after a while, when the Hwarangs are in ce, they will be perfect. This is the Eight Shadow Sword Circle made by Seo Geom-rang. No. I didnt do it. Seo Geom waved his hand. In the past, when Seol Young-rang and I were imprisoned in the sword tomb, the spirits of our ancestors showed us the 108 Cloud Dragon Great Circle. After that, I had this realization while studying alone, and based on that, I proposed to make a sword defense circle that could protect us. The overall idea of this was made by Baek Eon-rang. Then Baek Eon shook his head. I just remembered how everyone used spiritual qi to calm their unstable energy at the Wonha Tower, and I gave some advice. That was all. We referred to Mu Won-rangs opinion for a full-scale defense circle. That is the idea I came up with after seeing the defense circle of the Vermillion Bird Troops. Mu Won spoke briefly. A smile appeared on Zahas face when everyone was passing on the credit to the other. Seeing that you are doing well on your own, you dont need me now. Why are you making such sad jokes? Hwa Un frowned and said that. Then Zaha asked, And the peak? I was waiting to get rid of it as soon as the shape of the wooden man appeared, but nothing happenedst night. And even now, guards have been ced there at a good distance. Jin Rim stood beside him. Everyone vividly remembers what happened eight years ago, so we are keeping our eyes open for it. Do not worry. Jin Rims gaze turned to the wall in front of the hall. Since there wasnt enough space in the hall, they expanded it by tearing down the walls. The space beyond the wall was a ce made for todays ritual, and two different spaces were in contact with the wall. It is like the Three Thousand Worlds connected through the tomb. When Seol Young was having such strange thoughts, a voice came from somewhere. Fortune and misfortune arent fixed, but if you have a heart, you can make them. The Great Heavenly Pavilion Head was talking. Then Hwang Soo, the eunuch, shouted, The Great King is here! Everyone bowed their heads deeply and showed respect. The King, Queen, Crown Prince, and Princesses walked and spoke. Pavilion Head, do you think so? Everything is like that. Apparently, the King thought that this day could either be a good day or not a good day, but the Pavilion Head responded well. After greeting the royal family, Zaha said, The Heavenly Pavilion Head is right. If the Great King does something auspicious, wouldnt that be an auspicious day? The High Governor is right. Since the Great King gathered a hundred monks and did his best, today will remain an auspicious day for the children in theing generations. The Heavenly Pavilion Head quickly agreed. The King seemed to like the two of them. Is that so? Well, the Hundred Pooja will be conducted, and the Heavenly Pavilion and the Hwarangs havee to attend. It is nice to see the people, Buddha, heaven, and the Hwarangse together as one. It is all thanks to the virtue of the Great King. The Queen said that with augh. At the same time, they exchanged nces with the Hwarangs on the side. The Queen would also y a good role today. Then she said, while pulling Princess Ara, who was looking at Zaha, and Princess Ajin, who was trying to get close, Then let us hurry up and take a seat before it is toote. Right then. The back door to the hall opened. Old monks in various robes entered the row, and the hall turned quiet in an instant. Seol Young took a deep breath. The ritual was finally starting. Chapter 200: Mita (2) Chapter 200: Mita (2) The King, Queen, Crown Prince, and Princesses went to their seats and sat down. The high priests invited by the royal family were all old, yet they had straight backs and clear eyes. They had loose robes around them, and the sound of the fabric pping couldnt even be heard. The monks walked in perfect order to the front of the King and Queen, and they all went to their positions. A hundred lion seats 1 were prepared under the five-colored ceiling. It was such a spectacle sight. At that moment, everyone went silent in unison. Namu Amitabha Amidst the resounding chant of the Queen, the monks at the higher seats also stepped forward and took their positions. And Monk Do Cheol stood firm among them. Meanwhile, the officials of the Great Heavenly Pavilion were on the other side. Everyone seemed nervous, as this wasnt their usual way of attending a royal court, and it was clear that they should respond to any mistake right away. Finally, the Hwarangs came in, dressed in gold and purple. Today, the Hwarangs decided to surround the entire hall and keep it closed. Among them, the Golden Ring Troops and ck Tortoise Troops were in charge of this ritual. Let us head to our positions now. After greeting the King and Queen, Zaha took the rest of the Hwarangs except for Mu Won and Jin Rim. As he passed Mu Won, Seol Young paused for a moment. He still didnt thank the guy for bringing them out of the tomb. It couldnt be helped that they werent on speaking terms, but he couldnt ignore the person who saved his life. Then Seol Young looked at Mu Won to greet him. . But contrary to his intentions, he couldnt speak. Maybe it was because he thought this might be thest time he would see the leader of the ck Tortoise Troops. Or was it because of what Zaha said? The small world in the three thousand worlds was small in its own way, and his emotions were even smaller. When he thought so, it felt like a band around his chest had loosened, and Seol Young sighed. It hurts me that Mu Won-rang lost his leg because of me. ? Mu Won frowned and looked straight at Seol Young. He wasnt expecting any response. He just felt the urge to say that, and Seol Young followed the group. Zaha turned around and asked, What did you say to Mu Won-rang? I said, lets do well. Seol Young replied. Baek Eon, Seo Geom, and Hwa Un were on their way. Together, they made their way through the hall and to the other side. The Hwarangs from all four troops were guarding the ce. When the High Governor and the leaders came, they all bowed their heads. Is everyone here? Normal Hwarangs didnt know that they were calling the most ferocious spirit today. However, they still noticed that it was something important, so everyone was on alert. . Song Ok, and Hyo Wol nodded slightly. Seol Young also secretly nodded. Then they passed in front of the people and went up to the floors of the building. The door facing the site of the ritual was opened. Since formality wasnt important, nothing more was prepared. There was just this one huge sword dangling from the ceiling. To subdue the evil spirit. Baek Eon, Seo Geom, and Hwa Un looked at it. But in reality, it wasnt like that. Before this ritual, Seol Young counted all the possible cases based on his experience. And the most dangerous one was probably a possession. And Seol Young had no intention of letting that happen now. However, contrary to his thoughts, he had to prepare it. So he prepared this Air Sword technique. It would be difficult if Zaha couldnt cut it down. -If anything seems odd, you should behead me right away. You can use a spell even after my head is cut off, so you can definitely destroy the. -I get it. He remembered their conversation. Zaha must have thought of it as well. His eyes lingered on the sword for a while. But how exactly does the ritual work? At Hwa Uns question, Seol Young returned to reality. Then a knocking sound came from the other side of the wall. He listened to the sound of drums and exined, The process itself is simple. Summon, suppress, weaken, and give peace. It happens in four steps. Then Seo Geom asked, What would we do if a dangerous situation arose along the way? Cancel it. Cancel? He felt like exining would be hard to do, so Seol Young looked at Zaha. There is this spell that Seol Young-rang used to summon stone beasts in the past and also send them back. A reverse summon means the opposite of summoning. It is releasing the bond that had been tied at the start and sending it back. Zaha exined, This reverse summoning is strong, but we n to prepare it by making it stronger. So if things get dangerous, we can send it back with force. That is what it meant. Seol Young added. We have prepared for any variables to be handled in the right manner. However, if there is an abnormality that can be noticed from the outside, it means that the heavenly bond that we created has been shattered. It would mean that both of them would lose their breath. Thinking so, Seol Young pulled a red pouch from his chest and handed it to Seo Geom. And burn this. I get it. Seo Geom epted it without a word. As soon as the pouch he handed over burned, the spirit world could copse, and the souls of Seol Young, Zaha, and the God of Cataclysm could never escape from it. Of course, only in the worst case. Seol Young turned to Baek Eon. Before it reaches that point, I will try to end it in one way or another. He said that, trying his best not to think about anything else. Right. Baek Eon nodded lightly. Then lets move to the location. Good. Each of the three leaders moved to where their Hwarangs stood. Seol Young turned around and entered the ce. Zaha followed, and without looking outside, they shut the door. The time has reallye. Seol Young asked, Nothing to say before starting? None. What about Seol Young? What should he say now? As he tried to answer, he couldnt think of anything. Seol Young took out the brush that he always carried and wrote words on the ground. To Die Together Circle. Seeing that, Zaha frowned and tried to speak, but then Seol Young erased the letters and wrote again. Do what you want. It meant to live if they wanted to and die if they wanted to. That was what it meant. Zaha smiled and turned his head. At the site where the ritual was being held beyond the wall, the ceremony of knocking on the Buddhist items was over. Listening to the sound of the prayer, Seol Young drew a huge summoning circle on the ground. After that, he put a green sword in the middle. Zaha put his sword next to him. The two types of aura didnt collide but spread around in the shape of a talisman. The shamans circle was filled all over. Seol Young made a seal for the flow of spiritual qi and chanted something. Heavenly Desire. The spiritual qi, which had been spreading everywhere, shone. Centered on the summoning side, the entire space began to rotate around. Just like before, Zaha drew blood from his fingertips and dropped it on the letters. The twelve signs of the zodiac appeared in each direction. Unlike the time when it received Seol Youngs blood, it shone in ck and gold. Strong pressure was applied to the entire space. This was several times stronger than the circle that unfolded within Miss Dohwas space in the past. Even at that time, they were able to capture the God of Cataclysm, so this would be perfect now. Our side is done Finally, Zaha brought the ne out, which was hidden behind his clothes. Its energy immediately spread everywhere. With this, the preparations to suppress the power of the God of Cataclysm was nowpleted. Then let us start summoning. Seol Young took a seat under the hanging sword. First, he took out the bundle of tightly wrapped talismans from his bosom and untied the strings. The talismans on the outside were intact. But with eachyer removed, it turned blurrier. And there was a nk piece of paper at the end. When that was undone, the remnant of the evil spirit revealed itself. It was a fragment of the ashes of Mita. The remains of Mitas head. Seol Young took a deep breath and looked down. Even though it was just a piece, he could feel how strong it was. It prevented him from looking into her memories, but Seol Young already knew everything. That was why he was able to read all of them without trying. The life of a princess, a priest, everything she experienced as a ruler. The life of the dead was in front of his eyes. High Priestess Mita. Seol Young called her name. May the dead with such an extravagant history respond to the call of a summoner. The light shed blindingly on the ground and hit the skeleton fragments. Through this powerful medium, they began to draw out the spirits that wandered the nine heavens. The dead, listen. Seol Young closed his eyes to focus. He knew how to do it. He had to call with all his heart and attract her soul. Respond to the call of the summoner His consciousness was going dark, and suddenly, everything faded. Seol Young felt her presence inside. Between this world and the next, her breathing felt like poison. Fumbling for breath, he looked beyond the walls of time and space. And in the pitch-ck darkness, he found a wooden man with his limbs tied in an odd shape. She was close. I see you. Seol Young whispered to her. The situation was simr to when Mita showed him the visions. However, there is one major difference now. This time, they had control over the situation. I see you in that ce. The sword hanging about his head was moving quickly. It looked like it would kill Seol Young right then, but Seol Young kept his eyes shut and watched her. He could feel Zaha staring at him, ready to use his demonic qi. And at the same time, he was watching the God of Cataclysm. I see you. The powerful waves it caused spread in the darkness. Mand of darkness. Over there. Seol Youngmanded the darkness. Respond to my call! He gave another wave ofmand for the summoning. Then the sword above his head that had been swaying stopped, and Seol Young opened his eyes. She is here. At that moment, all of the twelve zodiacs opened their mouths and let out a terrifying scream.
  1. TL/N: The seat where the Buddha sits
Chapter 201: Mita (3) Chapter 201: Mita (3) She is here. Seol Young got up and drew his sword. The screams of the zodiacs changed into something else. It was a high and sharp screech that would make even the sanest people go insane. Right. Zahas eyes shone in gold. The pitch-ck demonic qi that was hiding within his body rose. You really came. He looked down at the fragment of Mitas bone in the middle. The two of them were able to perform a powerful summoning technique. They drew her out of the darkness, and now the darkness engulfed the entire ce. This was no longer the Old Pce where the ritual was happening. It was now a spirit world that transcended space. The light shook inside. It was just like in the space of Dohwas dice game And the evil spirit appeared in front of their eyes. .! In the midst of the powerful shock wave, the zodiacs screamed again. The God of Cataclysm appeared. In the midst of the summoning circle, her long clothes fluttered, and beneath her hair was a face covered with talismans. At that moment, darkness exploded from the body of the evil spirit. At the same time, a blinding light shone too. Before he knew it, Zaha had pulled out his Dead yer sword and was blocking it. The powerful energy of the two rose, and they attacked each other. Then a huge, grim face appeared. It opened its eyes and let out a roar. -How dare you?!! At themand of the Tree God, who had been protecting thisnd for a long time, the entire world shook like it would copse. The moment the two energies collided, the mand of darkness, which had been expanding, stopped. Woong The spiritual body shook. And the darkness began to flicker and try to spread again. But Pat! The sound of an explosion came, and the Dead yer sword struck the force this time. And now the darkness couldnt move any longer. Like a frozenke, it went stiff. It is suppressed. Seol Young was looking at it with wide eyes. We seeded. Beyond the bright light created by the spiritual qi and demonic qi, the eyes of the two met. For now, they had crossed a hurdle. They summoned the God of Cataclysm and seeded in subduing her. It was a different situation in many ways than in the past. First, thank you. Seol Young looked at the floor, where the fragments of her ashes that were used as a medium to call her were. The ashes were pulsating like a heart as they received the qi of the summoning circle, and exerted a force that couldnt be shaken off. And Seol Young looked at the ce where the wall had existed before. Another sound filled the ce where the light was fading. It was a humming sound. [ording to the words of the Great Buddha, the Great King prepared one hundred lion seats and invited one hundred monks to read the , and all the disasters which are causing havoc to the nation will disappear.] A scene unfolded before their eyes. A hundrednterns were lit on the seats, a hundred flowers were ced, and a hundred sticks of incense were burned, with everyone singing the same sutra. [Oh, Great King, the countless ghosts of thisnd and the countless incidents under their control will listen to this sutra and protect thend.] The chant was apanied by vibrations since many monks were performing it, and it moved beyond space. The echo strangely suppressed the energy of the God of Cataclysm. Seol Young and Zaha wanted this to happen. They did what they had to. Right now. Seol Young turned his gaze to the evil spirit. Even though she had been greatly suppressed, she was better than the other spirits. And the words didnt seem like they would work. But we have to do it. Seol Young made up his mind once again. Everything he had prepared so far felt right. A chance like this would not appear twice. Something could go wrong again, so they had to hurry. So Seol Young turned his head and looked at Zaha. Both forces continued to push each other with all their might. It may look like everything was calm, but it was a rough sh. Because of the aftermath, Zahas face also shed with light and darkness. As if standing on the edge of a cliff, his hair and clothes were fluttering. Even so, he continued to look at the God of Cataclysm. Please continue to suppress her like that. Seol Young asked him with his eyes. This was something that everyones fate depended on. Such thoughts rushed to his mind, but he quickly pushed them away. I am just doing my work. He took a deep breath and pushed his sword forward. The aura, which had been zing from his blue sword, disappeared, and his eyes went dark. But soon, a brighter light covered his body. Raising the spiritual power to the maximum, Seol Young stepped ahead. In the middle of the distorted space, more changes urred, and he slowly approached the form that looked ominous. And he said, Dead one, listen to me. There was strength in Seol Youngs voice. While appeasing countless ghosts, he had learned how to speak to them. Still, the closer he got to her, the more he felt his voice drown. Then a stars light shone from the center of that shape. It pierced through the barrier and shook every part of his body. After shaking it off, Seol Young realized that his body wanted to copse. But he held on. Seol Young stepped forward with difficulty. Mitas figure was surrounded by a frozen darkness like a halo. He knelt down in front of her. He bowed his head and his back. He lowered his entire body in front of her. Puak. A strong force mmed his head to the ground, and it felt like his head was being crushed. Tears flowed from him from the shock of it. And yet, he had to hold on. Seol Young gathered all his strength and bowed to her. Even doing this was exhausting for him. But he couldnt help it, nor could he get up. Then he tried to raise his head toward the one in front of him. I know you. Covered in talismans, the face looked like it held no emotions, and Seol Young said, High Priest Mita. The moment he called her name, the frozen mand shattered in the air with loud exploding sounds. Puak! Once again, this strong force hit Seol Youngs head. It was like being pressed to crush it. But Seol Young pushed his head up again. Oh, great priest and sorcerer. King of Gaya. The mand that had stopped on the other side shattered again. And then he continued, I know your past. The intense pressure was about to crush not only his head but also his entire body. It was as if he were being made into a pulp. But Seol Young didnt give in and spoke. Your anger and your grudge are all justified. The darkness in front of him shattered, and small fragments flew in all directions as smoke moved. But let go of that anger now. Stop, you already killed a lot of people, right? Seol Young was struggling to speak now. This thing in front of him was resurrected under Mitas name, and the records of its countless terrifying acts were present. On top of that, the faces of his master and parents alive in the other world were on his mind. The Hwarangs, Seo Jun-rang, Zauns husband Everything this world had to lose. Seol Young didnt like that. As opposed to a nation losing its people Even if it cannot bepared He raised his head and continued, We are all hurt too. The shape of the darkness broke again. At the same time, another gush of power hit Seol Young. Then a desperate scream that came from the God of Cataclysm pierced his body. It was like he was swallowing a burning sword. Tears were falling down his face, but he still had to hold on. Until either one of them ran out of power, they would cause pain and suffering to the other. Even if his body was broken, Seol Young had no other choice. The problem is Seol Young thought . Until then, the God of Cataclysms power has to be suppressed. Meanwhile, Zaha didnt know how things were going. Come to think of it, it was quiet. He felt anxiety rise. If something happened The moment he barely turned his head, breaking through the tense confrontation between him and the evil spirit, someones hand came in. I cannot watch this any longer. The hand grabbed Seol Young and picked up his body that was pushed down. Zahas face was visible in his blurred vision. You are still bad at talking. He said that as he extended his hand. The tip of his fingers brushed Seol Youngs tears. And only then did Seol Young notice something red and realize it wasnt tears but blood. But that didnt matter. Why? The sight of the Dead yer sword stuck in the ground caught his eye. Instead of the owner, the Sword Spirit was handling the darkness alone. Why are you doing this? Are you sure you dont intend to take over this? I said, you cannot His anxious hand reached for Zahas cor. Zaha looked down and then put Seol Young back in his ce. Stay still. Seol Young tried to reach out his hand, but his body wouldnt move. Wait. He couldnt speak despite trying to, and through his blurry vision, he could see Zaha getting close to the God of Cataclysm Chapter 202: Mita (4) Chapter 202: Mita (4) Wait. What are you trying. Seol Young tried to get up. However, it felt like a huge rock was being pressed down on his body. His eyes were spinning, and everything inside his body was shaking. I knew it would be like this. It was only then that he realized how far he was being pushed. But wasnt that the burden that he should bear for being a sorcerer? So why are you trying to intervene in this gap? Seol Young reached his hand out with those anxious thoughts. But after staggering, his body hit the ground. And it was at that moment that Zaha was now in front of the God of Cataclysm. The evil spirit reacted right then. Its spiritual body, which had been strongly suppressed, stopped as if it went still. A wild burst of energy spread like a whirlwind. Light and darkness tangled inside it, causing a collision. There was a blow that continued to hit the space. And the entire space looked agitated. Zaha stood upright while epting it. He couldnt see her face, but he could feel her killing intenting for him. No. Seol Young felt suffocated. Were the circle and Zahas ne unable to suppress this demonic qi? But what do you n to do with empty hands As if trying to do something, he barely moved his arms and implemented the reverse summoning. He prepared it so that he could cast it at any time, and he looked over there again. But ? A different scene unfolded than he had expected. The killing intent behind Zaha vanished. He was the only one there. Regardless of whether this world shook or not and if the impact spread or not, he just stood there and watched. The subject of his hatred that he couldnt kill at the cost of his life. He just looked at her quietly. In the middle of the raging storm. Seol Young followed him and looked at the God of Cataclysm. The broken mand surrounded her as if she were the Buddha. Come to think of it, the name Mita resembled Mita in Amitabha. Buddha Amitabha was the Buddha of the Westernnds. It was also the Buddha who guided people to paradise. An existence that people believe in and follow. Seol Young thought, The God of Cataclysm and Zaha. The two of them were simr in so many ways. Both of them were priests at one time. They were people who had to be held ountable. They lost precious people. Shadows shone on either side of the space. They were Zahas memories. The words he had heard since childhood. The burdens he had to carry. The choices he made. Such things shone in Seol Youngs eyes. Is he recalling those memories? While looking at the evil spirit in front of him? The evil spirit was silent. It held no emotions. It just exuded its powerful presence. But what if even such a thing could see? She might be looking at the person in front of her. A man who gave his life to kill her. A human who stole her qi and used it. She might be watching. The storm that had been raging violently subsided little by little. The scream that echoed in the void also vanished. Only silence filled the ce, suppressing everything. Then a clear voice rang out from within. [ Have mercy.] The voices of the royal family praying beyond the wall were clear. [Since ancient times, whenever there is a disaster, the ruler is the one held ountable, so hopefully, the me is.] The voices of everyone followed. [Do not take any more innocent lives.] The prayer was led by the Queens voice. It pierced through the spirit world and headed for the God of Cataclysm. The voices of people of all genders and ages could be heard. The entire nation was begging for mercy. They were all praying for innocent lives to be spared. [Have mercy] The prayer turned into another vibration and spread throughout the world. At each spot, the fragments rose up and fell, shining brightly. Looking at that, Seol Young remembered the Buddhist chants he heard as a child. ording to the Lotus Sutra, when the Buddha gives a sermon, flowers, and great mand flowers rain down from the sky Amidst the dazzling, bright light, Seol Young slowly raised himself and walked to where Zaha was. Together, they looked at the figure of the God of Cataclysm. We just keep the things that are precious to us. Like you. Seol Young thought. All souls were pitiful. Wandering in pain without knowing anything. Now, let us end this here. He spoke to her. In the pouring flower rain, a piece of the talisman fell. Then another, and another. They were falling down like fallen leaves. The two looked at each other without talking. He didnt know what Zaha was thinking Seeing the talismans fall down and flutter, Seol Young thought about the life and death of Mita. And then he realized. It wasnt a sacrifice. Everything he had done until now was a long process to soothe her hurt soul, and it was nowing to an end. Seol Young spoke to the soul of the dead, I want you to leave now. No matter who said this, spiritual qi formed on his fingers. May you be reborn in the Pure Land of Paradise. Gold and ck, blue and silver. Various colors got mixed into it, and it shone so brightly that he couldnt open his eyes. The space changed. Escape from the painful world and be reborn in a good ce. The light from the talismans that held the prayers began to embrace her. At that time, part of her face was revealed from the fallen talismans. Seol Young hesitated at that. What is that? It was as if he had been sshed with cold water. In the blink of an eye, the scene in front of him was clear. The talisman wrapped its light around the God of Cataclysm. However, as if it were crushed by a huge wheel, it crushed down and copsed. What is happening? Zaha also asked. Seol Young also just looked at it in shock. He had sent away so many ghosts and spirits, but this was happening for the first time. What was the problem here? [!] He heard the nature God struggling. The moment he looked in that direction, he felt something odd. Even the Great Mother is acting odd. This isnt His mind felt so messed up by the change that he couldnt even think of anything else. Zaha hurriedly pulled out his sword, which was stuck on the ground. Why are you doing this? There was shock and bewilderment in Zahas eyes. Why couldnt we send that one away? Something feels odd. Despite answering that, Seol Young hated it. I should have done something. He thought about it, but he knew he couldnt do anything. It is toote. The form of the God of Cataclysm vanished, the talismans fell, and they exploded on the spot. Everything was chaotic, with nothing happening the way it should have. And Seol Youngs eyes couldnt register what happened next. It seemed like Zaha was covering for him and trying to receive It. Just like how he saved Hyo Wol. It was a quick judgment. Moreover, he acted faster than his judgment. Even in the midst of that, he admired the man so much. That was why he was able to save so many people in crises. However, even if he were a god-like being, he couldnt handle it. It was like an arrow that flew with Seol Youngs name on it. This cannot be avoided. He had been listening to such things since he was a child. Appeasing evil spirits was like walking on a tight rope between the spirits and humans. When the line breaks, the man on the rope falls. If the ritual failed, the price had to be paid. He had never faced anything like this before. I failed. The spirit world around them was breaking down. None of the things that had to be in ce could be changed. [ACKKKK!] The zodiacs were screaming in pain as the circle failed and the sword on the ceiling shattered. The entangled qi flew to the person taking over the ritual. No matter how much Zaha tried to protect him, it felt useless. As if there was nothing there, it passed through Zaha and pierced Seol Youngs body. .! He couldnt even scream. There was just the feeling of his body shattering like ss. Unable to withstand the pressure, blood flowed out. Sorry Everyone did well and I Seol Young stuttered. I couldnt do it right Through his vision, which was turning white, he saw the door shatter. Seo Geom-rang didnt listen. I told him to burn down the talisman. Everyones faces were blurred. Baek Eon could be seen saying something. I dont hear it. Seol Young grabbed the hem of Zahas clothes with his bloody hands, but they just slipped. . He wanted to say something, but no words woulde out. All his senses were burning up. He had no choice but to let go of the life he was stubbornly holding onto. And the darkness embraced him. Chapter 203: Mita (5) Chapter 203: Mita (5) Just as how the veil goes down at the end of a y, darkness filled the ce when life ended. He saw Zahas back as he walked in a dark alley. Wait. Do not leave. When he called out, Zaha turned. He spoke with a calm face. -You are the one who left. Right. He was right. If he failed. There was a sharp scream. Then a ttering sound and noises everywhere. Seol Young! Seol Young! It was an anxious call for him. I do not want my brothers to see how I died They seemed to be saying something, but he couldnt hear them. His ears were filled with blood, and it felt like nothing could reach him. I am sorry. His consciousness sank deep. But it had to happen like this. His hands wouldnt clench. Instead of his life, he just wanted to hold onto something. Something feels odd. A face emerged from the darkness. It was a face that was covered in talismans. At the bottom of his consciousness, Seol Young faced it. Right. It isnt that I didnt do it right. I am good enough. It was a strange thing. The talismans attached to her face were swaying, and Seol Young looked at them. What was it that I saw beyond the talismans? It was something that appeared that made his heart pound. What was that? It was something he hadnt seen until then. His spiritual eyes, which read the souls identity, pointed at it. Yet he couldnt see what it was. To see meant for the eyes to receive information. But right now, the information isnt being epted. If it were empty, it was empty, if it showed despair, it was despair. What should I say about that? His head couldnt understand, so it caused a crash within him. Then his eyes shone. Seol Young couldnt stay like that forever. Zahas face was visible in the darkness. And he said, Saw that? It was odd. The words turned into mumbles as they came out. A small sound broke the silence, and Zahas face changed. His gaze, which he didnt know where it was looking, suddenly turned his way. Can he see me? Seol Young looked at him. Does he see my soul? Another sound came from his lips in a confused state. And his senses returned like candles being lit one by one. It was a dark space. The air smelled like herbs. He was now on a bed, and his entire body was soaked in water. Did he feel his body weight? Only then did Seol Young realize it. It wasnt that he was a wandering spirit. I was alive. He couldnt believe it. To survive even after being taken down like that. As if the fog had been lifted, the range of his vision widened little by little. There was no one else in the room. There was only Zaha sitting next to the bed. Seol Young squeezed every ounce of energy he had and asked, Everyone? Zaha looked at him and said, You told everyone to get out. I did? Then why didnt he go out? When he had such a question, he lowered his eyes instead of speaking, so Zaha did the same. He could see his hand sticking out of the nket. His hand had tightly gripped Zahas cor, but it was now normal, as if no one had touched it. He remembered. Before he passed out, he tightly held onto Zahas clothes. And even after letting go, he continued to cling onto something, and it seemed to be Zahas clothes. This. Seol Young tried to let go of the cloth, but his hands wouldnt move. That was when he thought to ask, How many days has it been? 3 days. Seol Young was surprised. He had been doing that for three days? Why didnt he pull Seol Youngs hands away? Why stay here? While he loosened each finger, Zaha just watched him. Are you a child? His eyes that were looking at him felt like theycked the usual shine. Why was he looking at Seol Young like that? He could guess it. The fact that he tried to think about all this meant the situation couldnt be ignored. I guessed it. Seol Young spoke in a calm tone. After suffering that much, even if my life were saved, I wouldnt have been able to recover. What went wrong? My internal energy? Legs. Or was my arm on the left. Zahas expression changed only then. Do you not sense anything? Yes. Is that so? I have good news and bad news, and the good newses first. He pulled off the nket, and Seol Youngs body was wrapped in a cloth bandage under linen. But nothing was missing. Your limbs and organs are all fine. Powerful energy pierced through your body, but your spiritual qi and innate qi got damaged badly. The fact that he was alive was already a miracle, but his limbs were intact too? Seol Young was surprised. It was a lie that he would have never believed until the luck of three rebirths was used. So he became more anxious. Then the bad news Instead of answering, Zaha put his hand inside his cor. He pulled out what was hanging there, and Seol Young went stiff. The body of thest Tree God that they had obtained through Jung Myungs soul was broken in half, leaving just its face. He was speechless. Great Mother No Right. Zaha said. I found itter too. It seemed like the moment you had been targeted, she did something to stop that. Why? Ever since this ne came into their hands from theke, it has been constantly looking after Seol Young. Like Jung Myung said, was it because she wanted to help the two? The power of the God, which had been cut off from this world, couldnt take down Mita. But still, it could suppress the evil spirit. And that was already difficult It is bad. Seol Young tried to get up again, but Zaha stopped him. Lay down. Now is not the time for this. Lay down. He squeezed Seol Youngs shoulders and put him back. You did enough. Just get rid of those thoughts. From now on, I will take care of it. His tone was forced, and his voice was cold. I guess so. He clearly said that with his own mouth at his home. -We can do it. He revived Zaha, who had copsed in the dark, and now they were both here. It was only possible because they believed in each other. But what now? The ritual of peace, which should have appeased the evil spirit, failed. And everyone believed Seol Youngs words and mobilized a huge amount of troops, the royal family, and the pavilion officials. However, it resulted in nothing. Could someone like Zaha ept such an oue? He will regret believing my words. Dizziness rose in front of his eyes, and his mind wandered. However, Seol Young tried to calm his mind. Give me one more chance. Zaha looked at him without avoiding his gaze. I know it is shameless of me to say that. Everyone did well, but everything got ruined in an instant, so now they cannot believe me. But it cannot be helped. This sacrifice was bound to fail. I dont know what it is, but there is another secret. One I didnt see. And it is not our fault. It was hidden from us from the start. Seol Young put his hand on the ground to raise his body. At this rate, she will move again. There really isnt any time left. But now, how can you move without me? Even so, I have no choice but to go through hell over and over again. . Zaha didnt answer. But his expression was saying what he was thinking. Is that what you thought? Just like eight years ago, you willmand the Hwarang troops and the God of Cataclysm once I tried it once, so I know. No. It will be the same asst time. We both know who will get ruined in the end. Zaha didnt answer, and Seol Young continued. For thest time, please trust me just one more time. Right. It is true that I didnt seed. But what if it was bound to fail, no matter who initiated it? That is not a failure. What an achievement that is. We were not wrong. He was trying so hard. But Zaha didnt speak. Then he slowly stretched his hand out. And pulled Seol Young by the cheek. What was he doing? When he looked shocked, Zaha spat out, Even after going all the way through death, you didnte to your senses. Uh? Seol Young-rang, are my words funny? It isnt that you didnt lose any body parts, but her energy ripped your body apart. He sighed. But that Are you not hurt? Of course. It is because you are being helped by medicine. So do not talk and lie down for a few days. He pressed Seol Young on the shoulders again. Wait! Seol Young struggled and resisted. He couldnt move because of the medicine, yet his mind felt relieved. It wasnt that he was disappointed in me. It seemed that Seol Young had be critically ill while he was working. And it is fortunate now Still, I dont have the time to lie idle now. It has to be done right. What? Illusion. Seol Young answered and raised his energy. There is only one way to find out the secret. We need to project the remnants of the God of Cataclysm. What? Zaha finally put on the familiar expression that Seol Young knew. It was an expression that liked crazy stuff. Chapter 204: Mita (6) Chapter 204: Mita (6) Seol Young protested. Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I did this once or twice? Ah, right, Seol Young-rang? Ignoring his reaction, Seol Young held out his hand. Come on, please. Because I know you have the skull ashes. In a state of shock, he was able to look into the form of the God of Cataclysm again. That only meant that the link to the other side hadnt been severed. Therefore, it was possible to guess that Zaha had safely taken back the skull ashes. And when he didnt move, Seol Young urged him again, Come on now. Nothing matters. He cut off his words. Seol Young-rang, people like us are ignoring the effect of sorcery too much, right? What you want to do isnt such a careless thing. Its something normal people shouldnt be doing. People like me Enough. Do you think I am stupid? What you want to do is get in contact with it to see its vision. When youe into contact with evil spirits, their nature flows into your heart. Even when we first met it during the painters case, didnt we avoid direct contact and try tomunicate with it using a bell and string? It was only after you convinced it that you were able to contact the spirit. . But now you want to do it with the God of Cataclysm itself, not just any ordinary spirit? Even if people are fools, there is a limit to it. . He had nothing more to respond with. After remembering each one of them well, he didnt think Zaha would talk back like this. Seol Young let out a small sigh. Anyway, since the ritual ended like that, there is no other way. If we could find out her true secret through Memory Projection, wouldnt we know something? If it is a normal Memory Projection that people attempt, it is bound not to work. Seol Young nced at Zaha. Cant the both of us do it? The High Governor has her demonic qi, so you can defend with it, and I will do my thing. That way, we can uncover her secret while avoiding danger. We have to do as much as we can. The moment he said that, his eyes turned bright. He wasnt fully recovered, but his body was excited. You were having a hard time even saying a few words Zaha said, as if it were absurd. It seems like Seol Young-rang is talking nonsense because you are weak now. There are things you need to see, so look at them and then talk. In a way, it was like he was saying he would change his mind when he saw it. Seol Young asked, What is it? You will know when you see it. As soon as they heard your voice, all the trainees must have gone and informed those who are needed, so all you need to do is move. Wait. Can I meet my hyungs first? They must be worried sick. They are there too. Uh? Just what was this? He had this questioning look, but Zaha didnt say anything. I understand. Seol Young waited for the dizziness to subsidepletely, and as they talked, the darkness slowly changed. He could now see that this ce was the Hwarangs building. It was a room where the Hwarangs and trainees on duty slept. It must have been an emergency that they didnt even think of putting me elsewhere. Considering how he copsed like that, this was expected, so he wondered how he couldnt ovee the pain and decided to die. His body was crushed by a strong force, and he should have been crushed without a trace. As Seol Young had witnessed several times, the human would turn into a handful of flesh. However, in case of an emergency, he also set up the zodiac, and thanks to the protection of the Tree God, he avoided such an end. Still, how strong it must have been for his skin to burst with blood flowing out, unable to withstand the pressure Seol Young looked down at the parts of his body that were tightly wrapped in cloth. Everyone must have been shocked. I told them you would be fine, so they calmed down a bit Zaha shrugged. It wasnt even a moment that there was a fuss. Because everyone thought you had died. Not to mention the reaction of your hyungs, Seo Gem-rang and Hwa Un-rang, who broke the door and ran While picking things up, he said, Even Mu Won-rang was surprised. He remembered the words he said to him before the ritual. Strangely enough, I wanted to say those words No matter how much they didnt like each other, for Seol Young to die right after saying he was sorry, he must have felt bad. Mu Won was that kind of person. How do I fix this? Seol Young got up. The circle must have also been messed up, right? It went well on the other side, so do not worry about it. Really? That is fortunate. After saying that, he reached his hand to the folded clothes next to the bed. Zaha asked, It will be difficult to change in your state. Do you want me to call the helpers? No. Seol Young shook his head. I need to inform my hyungs that I am fine, and asking for help now would be like lying to them. I will do it on my own. Such a useless, stubborn nature. Zaha mumbled and went out. Seol Young felt that the blood on his wounds hadnt hardened yet, so as he changed his clothes, he rubbed his hand over the wounds. And then he felt doubtful. Now dressed up, he went up to Zaha and asked, Did the High Governor think that I was dead? No, would I be called the High Governor if I didnt know that? Zaha smiled. But you copsed in front of my eyes, with blood flowing on the ground. Who would consider it a prank? I thought it was right when people say that the young ones need to be hit on the back of their heads at times to get some senses into them after saying they want to live together. What? Seol Young thought it was absurd. Who says that? If you remember that, then you shouldnt have done it at the time. Who was it that shook my hand and turned around to leave? You know one thing and dont know the other. Do you think I left you alone to die? You went out in front of the very evil spirit after saying, We should live together and to Die alone. And doing so Zaha answered and then stopped. Didnt that work out well, though? ording to the words he said, he felt he was right, but then he thought of what must have happened, so he stayed silent. Well Seol Young slowly strutted down the hall and said, Just tell me this one thing. I think I said something before I fainted. What was it? Zaha stopped walking. He had a strange expression on his face. It must have been something. What was it about? How would I know if I didnt know for what situation it was? So what was it? He asked again, but Zaha didnt answer him. He didnt have any intention of telling him. Let us go there for now. Zaha moved again. I will have to find outter. Seol Young silently followed him. It was hard for him to walk for a long time since he was running low on energy, but fortunately, their destination wasnt that far. It was just another room in the same building. It was the conference room. High Governor. Seol young-rang. The young people in golden clothes greeted them and opened the door. Through the door, which opened on both sides, they saw several people sitting. All the leaders and the Governor were seated. For some reason, Song Ok and Hyo Wol were also there. And there was also an unexpected person. Seol Young was puzzled. Why is the Great Heavenly Pavilion Head here? He couldnt even guess her thoughts. In the silence, Jin Rim said, Seol Young-rang, I am d you woke up safely. I am sorry to have caused such worries. Seol Young bowed his head to everyone. And then he looked at his hyungs. Their faces were full of joy, but there was also a sense of tension. Something was definitely out of the ordinary. In the midst of the silence, Baek Eon opened his mouth. It is the White Tigers teaching to ovee any ordeal, so all this time, I just continued to watch Seol Young-rang go through hardships. But I think he got what he deserved for it. No one refuted it, and Seol Young figured it out then. I did more than enough. What Zaha said was also the opinion of the Hwarangs and everyone else. The ritual failed, and Seol Young copsed, but it seemed like he had proven something. It was that he did his very best. When it was first revealed that Seol Young-rang was the evil spirit, there were suspicions even among the Hwarangs, and everyones opinions werent the same. Jin Rim spoke in a heavy voice. But now, the suspicions have died down, and the opinions of the Hwarangs are the same. So we all went to the shrine together and presented our opinions to the Pavilion Head. And she responded without refuting it. Just as the heavenly qi changes with time, the revtions also change ording to what humans do. And so she said, I also asked the sky once again, wanting to clear the doubts that arose in my heart. It is impossible to ask the same question twice. But surprisingly, a new revtion came through my dream. I had a dream too. He remembered what she said to Zaha. Was it that dream? I wrote down the contents of what it was and sealed it so that no one can open it. And when the Governor came with the leaders the other day, I finally opened it in front of them. She lifted the seal on the tray in front of her, and she unfolded it again for Seol Young to see. And it was written there, It is sess no matter what happens. Seol Young tried to interpret it. It is sess when things are done, and sess when things are not done too. In other words, if the ritual was sessful, it was actually a n working for the evil spirit, and if it failed, it meant that Seol Young-rang isnt the evil spirit. Jin Rim said, Seol Young-rang, the false usation against you has been cleared. Hm? The Pavilion Head got up. Governor, the revtion of the heavens has never been wrong. The first one was right too. Its just that Seol Young-rangs fate has changed. Then she got up and handed the bundle of clothes that was lying on the side to Seol Young. It was a white robe with a ck pattern visible through the gap between the knots. It was the White Tiger Troops uniform. I will tell the King about this. She immediately turned around and walked away as Zaha mumbled, It is so convenient that you can just change your words whenever. Lets quit being Hwarangs and work in the pavilion. But of course, I will be the head. She is the one who established the Kings power. Can you do that? Seo Geom and Hwa Unughed at Jin Rims words. And Seol Young just stood there nkly. Is this why? He finally understood what Zaha said then. I will change my mind when you find out the false charges are cleared and your position is handed over. That was why he said to go once. To prove his innocence through failure. If he thought about it, this made sense. Seol Young looked down at the uniform that was given to him. How long had he been desperate for this? Since he started these difficult tasks, he wanted to clear himself of the charges, so he felt deeply moved. Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol were looking at him with mixed emotions. But Seol Young who touched it, put the uniform down. Not yet. What? Everyone looked puzzled. And he continued, It is true that I started it to clear my name, but it isnt over just because my name is cleared. I mean, nothing has been solved yet. Even if everyone says I did my job, I cannot agree to that. I will return proudly after finishing what I started. And silence fell. There was no one who didnt know how desperately Seol Young wanted to go back to the White Tiger Troops. Even so, they thought he would return only after solving the problem at hand. And in a way, they knew it had to do more with himself. Did you hear that? Zaha sighed. Seol Young-rang firmly believes that no one can solve this problem unless he does it. Who can stop his stubborn attitude? And he looked at Baek Song Wol. You know what your youngest said after opening his eyes? Well, I will look into the Memory Projection of the God of Cataclysm Seol Young was shocked. He was telling his hyungs? The three brothers were startled. Uh? What? Of the God of Cataclysm? Hyo Wol and Song Ok shouted loudly and Baek Eon One moment. After politely asking for understanding from everyone who was there, he gave the orders with a grim face. Catch him. Yes! Song Ok and Hyo Wol approached Seol Young like lightning and caught his arms. Chapter 205: Mita (7) Chapter 205: Mita (7) Sorry for the way we are doing this. Since Seol Young hasnt recovered his mind and body, we will leave without disturbing this room any longer. Baek Eon bowed to all of them in the room, and Zaha said, Right, he is drunk on the medicines right now, so you better bring him out quickly. Yes, I understand. Baek Song Wol tried to drag him out, and Seol Young stood there as if he were a child in trouble. He was only more confused. Can this happen? Knowing he couldnt disobey the orders of his hyungs. Well, it didnt have to be like that. Can this happen? He was about to send a protesting look, but Zaha was facing him. If he jumped out of their grasp, it would be like he was running away. The fact that he had been in bed for the past three days suddenly hit Seol Young. This isnt right. Of course, he wanted to get out of the pce with his hyungs. He wanted to talk to them to his hearts content and probably lie down somewhere. But this was I have to do the Memory Projection. Then there was just one person he could trust. So he turned to Jin Rim. Everyone knows that I would quit right after the usations are cleared, but I am determined to put that off to resolve this issue at hand. Then shouldnt you be listening to what I have to say? Now that the announcement of the Pavilion Head was over, the injured could rest. Jin Rim was showing such a face, but when Seol Young spoke so earnestly, he couldnt do that any longer. And right then I dont think you are wrong. There was a heavy voice in the room. Lets listen to what you have to say. Actually, the ancestral ritual ended like that, so isnt the current situation quite troublesome? It was Mu Won who was talking. And he was someone who would rarely step forward during a meeting. Everyone couldnt help but be caught off guard. And in that gap, Seol Young asked, The training ground on the mountain looks like a mess as if it were a hallucination. What happened there? After tearing down and burning the building, we set up a barrier by burying the sacred objects of the Hwarang troops. Hwa Un said, But there is something odd there. The hallucinations and the deep echoes that can be felt from the ground As expected, it is clear that the God of Cataclysm will appear there. The same situation as eight years ago will happen again. We need to stop it right now. Seol Young said that with such thoughts. I know a lot of people are shocked at how I fainted. And I know that I was out for three days and wandered between life and death. But there is no need to dy this any longer. First, the training area for the Hwarangs is in danger. Silence fell. Everyone except Seol Young had experienced the God of Cataclysm. They didnt say anything, but they also must have felt something. Everyone will move again. I should have forced him and sent him out. In the end, even the Pavilion Head couldnt ovee the stubborn man and received a new revtion. Zahas voice broke the silence. Fine, Seol Young-rang. Then try persuading me. When he pointed with his chin, Song Ok and Hyo Wol let go of his arms. Seol Young bowed his head toward everyone and said, The reason why the sacrifice failed is that the God of Cataclysm hid another secret. I found out about it when I fainted, but there was one thing that we missed. The souls trapped in the skull wall showed everything. They looked at the records in the tomb. They confirmed with their eyes that she was the priestess and the King. Even after investigating everything, one secret remained hidden. There is only one way to find out the secret. By projecting through the skull ashes, I can directly look into the memory of the soul. Seol Youngs body had the smell of herbs, and his face was pale. However, without holding onto anything, he stood there and spoke. Right. That is good. Jin Rim said, But Seol Young-rang. Can you really do Memory Projection with that body? Doing Memory Projection isnt a simple task. Seol Young responded. I just need to open my spiritual eye and awaken the memory of the deceased left in those things through the right documents. That easy? Well, it is something I am familiar with. Of course, it is true thating into contact with an evil spirit is dangerous. But there are ways to block it, and the High Governor can help me. Everyone said yes and nodded, but Zaha was the only one who asked, What? with his eyes. But Seol Young didnt care. After thoroughly blocking the flow of evil energy in me, I will finish it by reading the memories in the fragment. Is there any other way? We cannot tell the world about her yet, and I am the only one willing to do it. I will just find out the secret and leave it to another Hwarang troop to handle after. I will rejoin you only after I have recovered. So, High Governor, please allow it. Seol Young looked at Zaha, who stared at him and said, Right, Seol Young-rang. I heard you very well ? But who told you to convince me? Uh? Convince your brothers. If they allow it, I am fine with it. Then he should have said it from the start! Seol Young turned his gaze and looked at them. Hyung I get what you mean. Baek Eon said calmly. But I guess we still have to take you. Guys, lets go. Yes. Song Ok and Hyo Wol held onto Seol Young again. Look at this guy making a fuss. After bowing his head and apologizing to everyone, Baek Eon winked at the two younger ones. Seol Young immediately dragged himself outside. As I thought, isnt it the same as earlier? He couldnt believe it. Hyungs Enough talking! Hyo Wol covered his mouth. Seol Young failed to resist them and was dragged away from that ce. Then they put the youngest into a pnquin to be sent to the wounded. Wait. My clothes Over here. Song Ok threw the bundle of uniforms into the pnquin. And then they put a nket on him. It barely worked, so they put another nket on him. Seol Young was carried away and buried like that. Eventually, they arrived at the infirmary. Respect! The trainees responded as if they had seen a dead persone to life. On the other hand, the door was locked, as if he were confined. Baek Song Wol dragged Seol Young to the plum tree grove. Then he put the nket on the bed andid him down. Wait. Seol Young jumped up. Great-rang! As I said before, I understand where your intention ising from. I also understand that it is a situation where you have to do it. Baek Eon spoke with a stern face. But not until you have recovered your strength. After saying that, he pointed to the wall. There was a picture of a tiger roaming in the snow. If you are not happy with our treatment, try carving the image of a plum blossom with your spiritual qi on the wall. Seol Young was at a loss for words. If he were healthy, he would have done that. But it was different now. He didnt have the confidence to use his aura without difficulty. It seemed like he wouldnt be able to draw the five petals perfectly. And if they saw that, they would be sad. Seol Young lifted his hands. Then what do you want to do? Song Ok opened his eyes. There is no way you can do anything now. Hyo Wol hit Seol Young on the head, and he couldnt even protest. They were right. Looking into the dead needed one to be normal. I understand. So Seol Youngid on the bed, and the three of them smiled. Then let us request some porridge. I will bring the medicine. And a change of clothes too. Seol Young was being nursed by his hyungs. Enough. You can leave. But they refused to listen and only went out when it was necessary. Because I am not running away. However, no one listened to him. Medicine, food, and snacks appeared in front of his eyes. And he justid there, unable to lift a finger. I just quickly followed Seo Geom-rang as he rushed here. The second and third saw me running and followed We thought themotion would have been known at the Buddhist meeting, but it seemed like Zaun-rang appeared to distract them. The Queen told Zaun-rang not to attend the ritual because her body was heavy, but she still came inte Was it Hwa Un rang who noticed the injuries? I dont remember a thing. After hearing that, I came to my senses and tried to take a closer look, but you suddenly told everyone to leave Anyway, you have no idea how surprised everyone was. I was standing there with a confused heart, but Seo Geom-rang spoke first. He thought you werent an evil spirit. I was also thinking about it, but I couldnt respond. Starting with him, everyone said their opinions to the Governor, and they all went to the pavilion. While Seol Youngid down, his hyungs told him stories. How is Seol Young-rang? Zaha strode in. Seeing that Seol Young was trapped in the bed and unable to move, he smiled. You look nice! Seol Young ignored him, but then Zaha said something unexpected. Everyone, go out for a while. I prepared a special treatment. Uh? Ah, yes. And the three went out as he pulled something out of his robe. The moment he saw it, Seol Young felt anger rise. The thing he just took out was an alcohol bottle. This man is so fucking irritating. As he looked at him with a sad face, Zaha smiled. You wont drink? No. Seol Young reached out and took a ss. It was a drink that looked transparent. After taking a sip, he felt his head clear up, and the pain slowly subsided. Can we do this? Isnt it against the rule for Hwarangs who are sick to drink? Of course, we shouldnt. Zaha said so shamelessly. Do not worry. If caught, I will be punished. I have no choice but to give it up. What do you mean? How does this even make sense? You dont remember Seol Young-rang. You made a bet with me three days ago. If you wake up, I will give you the hundred-year-old blue ice crystal alcohol from my house. Seol Young almost spit it out. Is this the blue ice crystal alcohol? The famous one among the Hwarangs that was known to cost a pavilion for one bottle? Right. I lost the bet, so I have to do it. Pouring the expensive alcohol, he also wanted to drink it. And then he remembered what his hyungs said, Still, we need to stick by your side. We didnt know when you would wake up or if you would wake up. It was so silent inside that we felt anxious. And whenever the High Governor closes his eyes for a second, he would get up to check if you were breathing In other words, Zaha watched over him without sleeping. Then, what was the High Governor thinking in those days? He was curious, but then To make a bet when I dont even remember After a long time, he fell asleep with the smell of alcohol. And the next night, Zaha returned again with another bottle of alcohol. They didnt talk about the evil spirit and just yed GO. During the day, he was cared for by his brothers, and at night, he enjoyed the alcohol from Zaha. And they talked about poetry or stories. He didnt think about anything else. He knew with his eyes that something was happening at the peak. But he had to focus on recovering his body now. After only four days, his spiritual qi began to flow again. Seol Young called his hyungs. He raised his spiritual qi in his hand and moved it to the wall. A clear blue flower was engraved on the painting. I did it. Then Seol Young lowered his hand. Ick stamina now, but I dont have any difficulty using spiritual qi. He turned his head to his hyungs and said, I can now do Memory Projection on the God of Cataclysm. Chapter 206: Mita (8) Chapter 206: Mita (8) As soon as he recovered, he brought up the topic again. The youngest in any family cannot be stopped. His three hyungs clicked their tongues. But when they looked at Seol Young, his cheeks were pale, yet his eyes were burning with mes. Maybe it was because they were older than him that they still considered it a gentle look. And it felt nice to see him standing near the painting. He is all grown up. All three of them felt the same. Even at the age of twenty, the youngest would be forever the youngest. However, maybe it was because they didnt see the guy so often that he looked so trustworthy now. Right. Baek Eon said with a stern face. Do as you see fit. He gave him permission, so the other two couldnt say much. Song Ok smiled, Lets go and tell the High Governor. To say we gave the permission. Yes. Finally, he was given permission, and Seol Young quickly left that ce. They said they were going to test if he was cursed, so many came. He kept his mouth shut because he thought talking would get him caught, and as soon as the door opened, it turned bright. All the boys stared at the wall. Seol Youngs spiritual power was there, and the silvery plum blossom was clear. Sa-rang! You are amazing! Seol Young looked at the trainees. As always, everyone looked bright and lively. But among them, Myung Kyung was calm, and the children were quick to notice it. The resurrection of the God of Cataclysm was known only to the Hwarangs. However, the trainees could feel it through Seol Youngs injuries, the reactions of Baek-Song-Wol, and the fact that he wasnt back to being a Hwarang despite the usations being cleared. That a crisis was still lurking. Then, we will bravely ovee it. Such determination could be seen in the trainees eyes, and Baek Eon smiled at them. Yeon Hong, Chang Hae, Mun Hu, Ju Yu, and Dong Pyung. Lets go with these five. Yes! Together with the ones in the lead, they all rode on horses and set off. The ce that Baek-Song-Wol led them to was the training grounds of the Hwarangs. It was clearly visible in the light. It was a cold day, and the sky was blue with pirs of light rising from the mountainside. This was proof that they were well contained to prevent any abnormalities from happening, and that meant that so much strength was being poured into it. When they arrived at the site, everything was tightly contained. First of all, the fence was made of ck wood and acted as a barrier that blocked the way. So one by one, each of them broke the seal with their spiritual power and entered the barrier. This way! Pull! gs were nted everywhere, and they were all tilted at an angle for some reason, while several Hwarangs were tying ropes to make them stand upright. In addition to the main red clothes, they also saw the blue-robed Hwarangs. The Blue Dragon Troops are also here. Seol Young looked away. Among the Hwarangs moving in perfect order, there was one dressed in ck. With golden eyes sunken in his shaved face, he looked at him as if saying, You do your thing, and I will do my thing. Hwa Un and Seo Geom were earnestly talking on either side. That way, it wont be a problem. It has already been decided by the Vermillion Troops. Seol Geom was eager to be praised by Zaha, and Hwa Un seemed to disregard it. It needs to happen that way. Seol Young evaluated it as such. On the other hand, unlike his calm attitude, he was able to notice that the situation was more serious. The Vermillion Troops, who managed this ce, had requested help from the other troops. And it was the Blue Dragon Troops that weremanded by the most aggressive leader. Seol Young walked with his hyungs, feeling nervous. The other three also found them and stopped talking. High Governor. All of them bowed to Zaha first. Vermillion Troops leader. Blue Dragon Troops leader. Song Ok, Hyo Wol, and Seol Young greeted the leaders. Then Baek Eon opened his mouth and asked, Did all the spirit gs go downst night? Right. Zaha replied as if it wasnt so special. It is strange. Then the sound of someone speaking in the distance could be heard. Seol Young cut through that noise and said, Hurry. Zaha nced at him. Last night, the man brought alcohol and left after a long time. So what was this strange look? Seol Young nodded and spoke again, Baek Eon-rang, Song Ok-rang, and Hyo Wol-rang said it would be alright and agreed. So please allow it. Ah, right. Zaha nodded. Did you hear? Seol Young-rang said he couldnt do anything without me When did I? Hwa Un-rang and Seo Geom-rang will take care of this ce. Would it be fine if I leave? Sure. Do not worry. Seo Geom answered. Besides him, Baek Eon said, We will stay here too. While the High Governor is absent, I and the others will like to contribute. Seol Young looked at Baek Eon. Just looking at his eyes, what he was thinking about was clear. Since such a bad incident happened, he wants toe and watch over me. But then he decided that he is needed more here. He looked at his hyung, and told him not to worry. And Baek Eon nodded. Then, lets go. Zaha turned around, and Seol Young, along with Hyo Wol, followed him. But Seol Young, where are you going to do it? Hyo Wol asked. At the tomb of the God of Cataclysm. At Seol Youngs answer, Zaha turned around and said, Not there. Why? You must not know about it, but it is sealed off right now. Instead, I know a good ce. And where would that be? My house. Seol Young and Hyo Wol were a bit shocked. The High Governor will hand over his house? Are you actually saying that you dont mind using your ce to summon spirits? Even at Hyo Wols words, Zaha smiled. He didnt know why, but they just followed him for now. And then an unexpected sight greeted them. The entire house was crowded. For example, the couple couldnt be seen at all, and it was full of Hwarangs and trainees in gold clothes. Seol Young-rang! I am d you are up safe. Yen Jae-rang, who was there, spoke friendly. Seol Young asked in shock, What are the Golden Ring Troops doing here? At that time, a person walked out. It was Jin Rim. High Governor. You are here. He greeted Zaha and then turned to Seol Young. What you want to do now is very important, and we need to avoid any disaster that wille to the kingdom. Therefore, we decided to bring the best troops to support you in getting this done safely. Seol Young was surprised. The Golden Ring Troops, led by the Governor, were the center of the five troops, so they held a name to them. And unless it were a national event, these people wouldnt be mobilized. But to do this for a simple Memory Projection. It was surprising but also reassuring for him. I understand. Seol Young lowered his head without saying anything else. Then I will watch from here too. Hyo Wol settled down with the Golden Ring Troops. Seol Young-rang, what do we prepare? The trainees approached him and asked. So Seol Young told them what had to be done, and when they were done, they moved inside. Threerge shields of blue bamboo were hung in the room. Since the ashes of the God of Cataclysm werent normal items, they put up a triple barrier. Seol Young nted a powerful guardian at the feet of each of them, and Zaha added his demonic qi there, which made the guardians move and vibrate. This much should do. If needed, this is also here. Zaha put his hand between his cor and pulled out the Great Mother. But he was sad to see that only half of it was left. I apologize. And thank you. Seol Young stopped for a moment and then bowed. Right before the ritual failed, I vaguely thought that the appearance of the Great Mother was odd. After thinking about it, I realized that she would have been angry at the evil spirit too, but strangely, it was dazed. Now we get to find out why. Along with the reason why the spiritual talisman didnt work. And Zaha said, I hope so too. Seol Young raised one hand. First of all, he wrote the character YES, in the spirit g and sent it to the Great Mother so that Zaha could also see the Memory Projection. And then he asked, Take the fragment out. Zaha pulled out a small, sealed bag. And when he opened it, a paper wrap came out. It seemed like he sealed the ashes in his own talisman that had golden letters on it. And when he had taken a closer look, Seol Young said, You did it right. Thank God. The two took it and went over the barrier. Seol Young created a circle by using talismans around, and Zaha put the skull ashes in the middle, and they moved to their positions. Then. After taking a deep breath, Seol Young sent his spiritual qi beyond the barrier. Strong and clear energy pierced the threeyered protective wall and flew straight. It mmed right into the skull ashes of the God of Cataclysm. A thick ck mist rose, and the pain of death, anger, grudge All kinds of negative emotions rose up, and it was hard to believe they all came from this small piece of bone. As expected, it never disappoints. Zaha raised his demonic qi to subdue it, while Seol Young raised his spiritual qi to protect his body. Eventually, when he realized he could withstand the qi, he nodded at Zaha. He reached out and removed the barrier. The emotions flooded in. The same thing happened. Zaha raised his demonic qi to block it, and Seol Young defended himself. Good. When the signal fell, the second barrier was lifted. Nice. Eventually, the final one was lifted too. And in the middle of the circle, the spirits were spinning. The ashes of bone could be seen trying to distort the space. But they could handle it. Seol Youngs aura was in a stable state. It was strongly and clearly covering the remains. Let us start. Seol Young carefully ced his fingers on the ashes. The sorcery was activated, and a clear image appeared. They were the memories left within this fragment of Mita, who had been buried a hundred years ago. They passed by andscape. [Princess!] The attendants were handling her hair and putting earrings on her. [Lady mother is with.] A memory of her being dressed to be the priestess. [Follow me.] The spirit and excitement she felt while leading the troops of the Holy Kingdom. And The castle that was attacked and turned over. The corpses around her. [Even now, you can abandon the castle and get out of here. n for the future!] The moment she was surrounded by the enemies with her men around her in the passage [ACKK!] In the midst of the fallen, she resisted her death with a sword in hand. Seol Young and Zaha exchanged nces for a moment in the swirl of darkness. Was everything the same? It was then Wait. In the scene that unfolded, the two were looking at it, puzzled. Chapter 207: Mita (9) Chapter 207: Mita (9) Its the price for myte brothers life! The moment the arrow shot by the General of Si lodged into Mitas chest, her gaze turned to the ground. Under the trampled and torn cloth, something strange could be seen and Zaha asked, What is that? I dont know. It has to be some sorcery that was used Then did the sorcery work? It looks like it. Seol Young said, not taking his eyes off the strange characters. The Memory Projection was for reading the memories of the dead. Everything that was shown was from the point of view of the dead. Thanks to that, they could see this now. At the time, no one paid attention to it, and it was something that could only be seen from Mitas perspective. Zaha asked again, What is that? But instead of answering, Seol Young raised his spiritual qi. [I cannot die like this] Part of the broken thoughts could be heard, and then there was a ckout. Then she died. But. The Memory Projection didnt stop. The fog continued to spread. In the midst of this, Mita looked lifeless, and her body was dragged away, tied to a rope, hung high, and then dragged down, wrapped in mats, and buried in a shallow ce. They watched all of it happen, and she opened her eyes to the cold ground. Zahas voice broke the silence. What? She was surely dead. I dont know. Seol Young couldnt answer. Mita, who escaped from the tomb, wandered around. Wherever she appeared, people died. Seol Young asked, What happened? Did you not feel anything during the ritual? Nothing. Zaha shook his head. It was quiet. Nothing could be seen, heard, or felt. The dark fog vanished, and the Memory Projection finished. Seol Young infused more spiritual qi. We need to do it again. We have to find out what sorcery she used thest time. Nice. Zaha also brought out his demonic qi. When they did the Memory Projection the second time, her remains reacted strongly, and Seol Young tried to push more qi into it, but everything was deflected. Without saying a word, Zaha went and put his Dead yer sword in the circle. And when he summoned the spiritual qi of the Sun and Moon Troops, the demonic qi in his body rose like a thick cloud. Aha. Seol Young understood what was happening. The bone ashes and Zahas demonic qi were the same. So, in terms of superiority, Zaha would win because the other side was just the qi of the remains. The energy that rose from the bone ashes immediately lost its power in front of Zahas demonic qi. The bone went silent, and Seol Young quickly put his hand in the gap and infused his spiritual qi into the bone ashes. Then it brought out the memory of the dead again. A thick fog rose again. [Its the price for myte brothers life!] The moment the arrow of Sis General pierced Mitas chest, Seol Young focused his spiritual qi on his eyes. His spiritual eyes opened wide. The strange pattern on the floor reflected in his eyes, and after that, a blue spiritual qi opened. What is this? It was sorcery that Seol Young didnt know about. But as he stared at it, he felt it faintly. Even if he didnt know the words of the past nations, he could vaguely understand the meaning of their expressions and speech. He got a sense of what that incantation meant. To call. He interpreted it, and traces of demonic qi disappeared from Seol Youngs eyes. It is a summoning technique. While informing Zaha at the same time, he raised his spiritual qi to the limit and asked, What did you call? The blue spiritual qi glowed and surrounded the remains. Within it, a silvery glow shed a sharp reflection like a mirror. Respond. Seol Young responded. The secret memories from hundreds of years ago that were hidden within a small bone fragment opened up to him. [It is true that our army possesses a stronger military power now, but there are only just one hundred of us] [How long will we be able to stand up to a great nation like Si?] They could see Mitas hand rummaging through the bundles oas she listened to the worried voices across the wall. Then, as if she had found what she was looking for, she hurriedly opened it up. It was the record of the sorcery. He could barely see the letters there. Initial stage Locking [Where is the Great King?] At the sudden voice, the hand in front of his eyes immediately closed the records. Before anyone came in, she threw it into the furnace. [ACK!] And on the underground path. [Run!] [Please survive!] Sis troops advanced while stepping on the corpses of dead men. In an instant, the King of the ruined kingdom was surrounded. Was it over? The moment she foresaw her dead, something suddenly popped into her head. It was the forbidden sorcery that she had stumbled into by chance. It suddenly came to her mind. It was something she wouldnt ever do. But was she going to die like this? Or would she take onest revenge? The castle turned to ashes, and the miserable deaths of the people appeared before her eyes. Mita raised her sword. Spiritual qi rose, and the patterns engraved on the swords body began to glow. [That demon is using sorcery! Hurry up and kill her!] An arrow came flying and lodged in her chest. [Its the price for myte brothers life!] At that moment, the spell was activated. It may have seemed like a failure in other peoples eyes, but it was a sess. It started on the ground she stepped onto and moved towards her body. A spell was engraved on her every bone. At the same time, a door that existed somewhere opened up. Come over. Responding to the call, someone began to move. Mitas remaining consciousness felt it. At that moment, she expanded her senses. She tried to ept what she couldnt handle, and then it turned white. Seol Youngs vision turned white. What was this? What was this called? The answer came from elsewhere. Do not call. It was a presence that could be felt but not seen. It was beyond the human senses. They were things that should nevere into this world. A genius sorcerer named Mita summoned it. She gave up her ce, her body, and her name too And she gave up her soul. Her boundaries copsed. Things that shouldnt have changed had changed. Everything that defined her was robbed and rearranged in a different way. Change of soul. Seol Young also experienced it through the memory of Mita, who was a priestess. This is A thought popped into his head. Disfigured Spirit? Right. It was very simr to that. What was here now wasnt Mita. Which was why the talisman didnt work. What could be appeased through the ritual was just part of it. Something greater was beyond it. [Its Mita!] [The demon has been revived!] Wherever she stepped, disaster rose, and people died for no reason. Or they would go mad and kill each other. Animals were getting sick, and nts withered. [Her grudge to destroy the kingdom of God has pierced through her bones! Her body has to be dug up and dismembered so that it can never resurrect again! After that,y the King to rest and have a proper burial! Only then can we prevent the resurgence of that woman!] Someone said. So the people dug up Mitas grave and dismembered her remains. ording to the orders, it was to be transported between the world and the next, and the tomb was sealed with the bones of her people. And then Mita, or the mysterious being called Mita, watched the entire process. And then she rose from the tomb. There was no force in the world that could stop her. She came out, and the burial items broke. The iron troops that were guarding the tomb and the people buried all turned to dust, and disaster struck again. Why? Seol Young thought. Why are you doing this? The darkness began to move. And when the God of Cataclysm came, everyone said it was an evil spirit. It was to be expected. However, in the God of Cataclysm, which Seol Young finally looked into, there was no evil. No anger, hatred, or grudge. Nor was there joy in killing. Not even madness. None of them were there. Then, was it nothing? No. It just existed. When it moved, there was a reaction in the world, and the dead came to life. And silence turned into screams, and screams into silence. Changes happened each time she passed, and she watched them all. That was all. There was no more reason for it to exist. Was this the identity of the God of Cataclysm? Seol Young was in shock. All the spirits in the world had a reason for their existence, so if one uncovered it, they could subdue them What do I do now? When there is no reason? He couldnt think of anything. Sensing a sharp pain in his hand, Seol Young opened his eyes. It was a part of the bone that was touching his fingers. There was demonic qi rising from there. In an instant, his right hand turned ck. He just looked into something he shouldnt have, and he had to pay the price. Bang! There was a knock on the door outside. High Governor! Are you right? Seol Young-rang! Jin Rim shouted. Seol Youngs face was pale. If demonic qi permeates ones body, they would lose their right to be a Hwarang. He thought so even in the middle of that. I am fine. I am fine. Zaha quickly reached his hand out from the fog, raised his demonic qi, and sucked everything from Seol Youngs hand. Seol Young was shocked. If you absorb any more of the demonic qi, it will cause conflict within your body and the Great Mother is now just half. Is that so important now? Zaha frowned. His right hand, which had been ck, was now normal. At that moment, Jin Rim broke the door open. Are you alright? Chapter 208: Mita (10) Chapter 208: Mita (10) If Jin Rim hade a little earlier, he would have witnessed a shocking scene. The scene where the demonic qi remaining in the bone was naturally absorbed into the High Governors body. The sky would have fallen down, and so would the Hwarang troops. Fortunately, that didnt happen. High Governor? Seol Young-rang? Jin Rim first checked to see if both of them were safe. Is there a problem? There was a loud noise, so I thought something wrong happened. Behind him, Hyo Wol and the Golden Ring Troops peered inside. It just fell. Zaha pointed at the bamboo sheets that fell down. It was nothing. We were just surprised at the sudden fall. What if the Memory Projection was still in progress? Ah, then, are you done? Right. Jin Rim and Hyo Wol looked relieved now. Because they were so surprised at the ritualst time. Seol Young sent an apologetic look to them. It was a feeling of confusion and shock after looking into something they shouldnt have looked into. The feeling of being in another world. After escaping all those feelings, their sense of reality returned. So, the result? Everyone was asking with their eyes. Zaha held Mitas ashes, and Seol Young was lost in thought. Result, huh He wasnt sure how to answer him. It seemed that they had to handle this situation carefully. So the two of them cleaned it up so that there would be no more odd feelings left. After that, they and Jin Rim moved to the main hall. Jin Rim asked as he closed the door, Was it sessful? Seol Young nodded. Yes, Governor. Then why did the ritual stop so abruptly? That Seol Young hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to start talking. We figured out why, but it was something we didnt expect. Zaha agreed with him and continued. Didnt you check it through your dreams, too? The identity of the God of Cataclysm that was once the king of a nation, the supporting troops of Gaya, and the rebellion. Was that wrong? The Governor asked. No. Its content was right. Zaha shook his head and continued. The only problem is that that wasnt all there was. Right before she died, she changed into something else, as she was going through death slowly. And she summoned a being to which she gave herself up. What? Jin Rm asked with a shocked face. Zaha exined every detail of what he had seen. About Mita. What happened before she stopped breathing, and the existence that stepped into this world, and then silence fell. Jin Rim was also confused. It seemed he wasnt sure what to say. How can that We understand your emotions. Seol Young carefully opened his mouth. High Governor and Governor. Could it be that we were being yed? I wont deny that another world might be there somewhere, but is it possible to bring a God or a spirit from there to here? Jin Rim tried to speak, but he just went silent, and Seol Young continued. I also met the spirits of ancient maidens and encountered age-old spirits, but I had never heard of such a story. No matter how much of a genius Mita is, is it possible to suddenly summon an unknown being from another world? Neither of them could answer. After the silence was broken. As far as the possibilities go, it might work. Jin Rim said. And Seol Young looked at him in shock. Jin Rim was a Hwarang with an orthodox education. He built a wall with things like sorcery and was one who didnt have a broad imagination. So he thought it would be the hardest for Jin Rim to understand that, but he was quick to ept it? Zaha also seemed surprised. On what basis is that? It isnt what you think, is what I was told. And the answer was even more vague. Zaha asked with a stiff face, Who said that? Woo Hyun. Uh? Seol Young asked in a loud voice. If it were Woo Hyun, was it Zaunste husband? You heard that in your dream? Jin Rim answered. My memory of that time was slowly being erased, but it suddenly came to my mind after hearing Seol Young-rangs story. And then he spoke to the two of them. In that odd dream, the High Governor gave me an order. You asked me to take the strange iron powder from the tomb and head out to find Lord Woo Hyun. To ask what kind of iron it was. Zaha nodded his head. And Seol Young remembered it too. After that, they found out that Jung Myung had to pay the price for helping them both, so they had to get out of that world. So without even hearing what Woo Hyun said, they moved. Zaha asked, So you mean to say that you went to see him before the dream ended? Yes. I did. And what did he say? He also said that he wasnt that aware of it, but Zaun-rang and I looked up old records that spoke a lot about it. Jin Rim said that while going through his memory. I dont know for sure since there is no data left, but. It is said that among the special metals found in Gaya and its small nations, there were ones with mysterious powers. People said they were things not of thisnd. Curious, Seol Young asked, If it isnt something from thisnd, are you saying its from the sky? No. It is said that there is a legend among the people of Gaya. Those metals were carried on a mysterious ship that Empress Heo came across to Gaya on. Empress Heo? Seol Young was surprised by the name. Empress Heo, or Heo Hwang Ok, was the queen of King Sura, the founder of Gaya. Jung Myung had talked about her. -Empress Heo was said to havee from a distant kingdom called Ayuta, but ording to the schrs, at that time, a kingdom with that name never existed, and she was said to havee from another world. Ayuta. Suddenly, something shed in his mind. Among the numerous memories he saw, there was a scene where a bamboo strip with a spell written on it said forbidden. And he had seen the letters. Initial Seal. Maybe it wasnt really initial seal, but Ayuta 1 It was a name that he remembered, so wouldnt it have caught his eye then? It is said that the ce where the materials came from was Higan. Jin Rim exined. Higan was a Buddhist term that meant the Hill over there. It was another world that was different from the one they lived in. It was the world of nirvana, where one could go after realizing the truth. What if people and things really crossed over from the other side, just like what the legends say? What if a passage existed? Jin Rim was presenting a theory. Then, isnt it possible that what you saw is possible? It could be that thest one summoned by her was a powerful being from the other world. Seol Young and Zaha silently thought to themselves. Since one hundred years had passed, it had been difficult for them to know the truth, having only vague clues. And they couldnt force it to make sense. In other words, it is not that impossible for her to gain knowledge about it. Because it is the same. At Seol Youngs words, Jin Rim nodded. Right. Which is why I said earlier that in terms of chances, there could really be a chance. Seol Young was silent. He wasnt trying to show himself. It was because he felt it. Several clues indicated it. I shouldnt continue like this. I need to find out about the world on the other side. Jin Rim bid Zaha goodbye and left. And then silence fell again. After thinking for a while, Zaha opened his mouth. And so this happened. He nodded. Right. If we tried everything and were stuck because there was no other way If that is the case, we might be able to use thest resort that no one else could think of. And then he added, Wasnt there an identical case before us? And if possible, there is no reason why someone else hadnt tried it. Seol Young was at a loss for words. This was a source of pain for many. It was a simr choice to Zahas Die Together. The lives of the two were simr, but there was something inmon with theirst choice. And they couldnt deny it. But Seol Young shook his head. It is different, though. Your choice was to destroy both yourself and the enemy, but Mitas choice was to destroy the entire world. That is why it reached the situation where no one can control her. Having said that, it felt embarrassing. Even Jeok Ryun-rang, who was the most out-of-grasp soul I have ever seen, had emotions. She expressed her thoughts even in the form of madness, and even though it was dangerous, we were able to find out what her feelings were. But this goes beyond everything. . I believed that the world of ghosts was more reasonable than our human world and that they held logic, even if they seemed wild. It was believed that there was a reason for their existence, and when the reason came up, they would cease to exist. But for the first time, that thought has been shattered. What now? How am I supposed to deal with this? Seol Young finally let out the words he was fearing. Isnt there any other way to do this? Zaha looked at Seol Young. You didnt think this would be easy to solve from the start. But I didnt think it would be like this. Still, I felt convinced. He said, Which is why it hasnt worked out until now. Because it is a being that doesnt belong to this world. Because it is an existence that ispletely outside of our thoughts. I am relieved that I at least know this. And then he shrugged. Well, there has to be a way. At Zahas confident words, Seol Young asked back, You really think so? It has been like that ever since. When was it ever easy? We kept getting stuck at a dead end, and no matter how hopeless it seemed, we were able to find something. It was like that each time. Which is why we were able toe this far. Zaha smiled. We can do it. At those words, Seol Young hesitated. Wasnt that what he said? -We can do it. In the dark room, the scent of aloe rose, and in his memory, the situation of his life felt clear. And that wasnt all. The firm faith that he could do it. Of course, the situation now is far worse than one could imagine, but Zaha was right. It is really like that. When he thought about it, he couldnt help but agree. He believed that he could do it, and he had been able to do it because he could. More than anything, Zahas presence was proof of that. The man who was like a ruin back then was now a better guide for him. He received words of hope and courage from him. And above all, wasnt he the strongest? Right. I cannot be shaken now. Seol Young redirected his confused mind. There has to be a way. Let us think. Lets His mind, which stopped working after the Memory Projection, began to work again. And then a thought shed through him, Nice. Seol Young said. Then we will head there first.
  1. TL/N: The characters of the words initial and seal are A and Ta.
Chapter 209: Mita (11) Chapter 209: Mita (11) Where is that? Zahas eyes shone. Are you a child Seol Young-rang? You keep asking to go somewhere. He teased him at first and then smiled as he added, But it is fun. I was going to ask you to move somewhere. Then is the High Governor a child too? After saying that, Seol Young asked, And where is that? It cannot be the market, right? No matter how much I love the market, why would I ask to go there in this situation? Seol Young-rang, you misunderstand me. Yes Then Seol Young shared a thought that popped into his head, While we may have misunderstood the identity of the God of Cataclysm, one thing still remains unchanged. It means that the Tree God had to exert great power against it. Right. That fact doesnt change. I thought it was just about punishing the evil, but when I found out the truth, that wasnt the case. The God of Cataclysm shouldnt exist on thisnd, so they tried to drive it out with the local Gods. Seol Young said that as he recalled the ghost mask and the Great Mother, who helped them. The Tree Gods, who have been protecting the order of the world since ancient times, are the nemesis of the evil spirits who break the order of the world and cross into another. That is why they can exert such strong power. Therefore, we need to gather all the remaining power of the Tree Gods. After saying that, he nced at Zaha. Even though the one we worked so hard to acquire turned out like that. Even if it isnt something like the two previous godly items that we got, there must be other things that hold the power of the Gods, and we need to find them. Right. Zaha agreed coldly. That was what I thought. So where did you want to go? The ck and White Go Rooms. I will go back there and ask the one who helped us find the Great Mother. What about the High Governor? To the temple. The temple was built by a group of Duduri who worshiped the Tree Gods overnight, so there will be something there. Their conclusions were different, but their thoughts were the same. Duduris were what the tree goblins were called. They were the group led by Jung Myung from another world. We can do both. Hurry back before it gets dark. Wait. Seol Young didnt get up, and he looked at him. What? Is there a problem? I am wondering if its really fine. You have just managed to stabilize the demonic qi, and you just absorbed more again, so the bnce must have been broken. Right. Zaha frowned as if he had just remembered it. You speak so innocently. I had no choice but to do that since we didnt find anything It is a huge thing. I couldnt make it through the night. Seol Youngs face went stiff when he heard that. His mouth seems alright, though. He looked carefully to see if it were a lie, but it didnt seem like it. The one who should have sensed anything abnormal was quiet. I think the training to control the demonic qi did a good thing. But if you absorb more, it will be a problem. Are you worried about me? Actually, I Zaha pulled his hand from his robe and brought out the bone ashes. If you really care, take this. However, the moment the bone ashes touched Seol Youngs hand, the demonic qi shone again. It seemed that because Seol Young was the one who constantly tampered with it, it didnt like him touching it. Enough. Id rather hold it for the time being. And Zaha put them back in his robe. Let us head out now. Yes. Then the two went out of the study. Some of the Hwarangs followed the Governor, and some were preparing to clean up the yard. Seol Young looked around with his eyes. Hyo Wol-rang? After seeing that we were alright inside, he left for the peak. He said it was better to inform them that the Memory Projection ended safely now. Yeon Jae informed them. He did well. Zaha said. Well, we cannot go to the peak right now. Before that, there is a ce we need to visit. Send someone to let them know. Yes, I understand. Seol Young and Zaha parted ways with them, then they went to Zahas home to find the right clothes and headed for their destination. Immediately, they headed to the ck and White GO ce in the capital, moved to the highest level, and found the guy sitting there. But The number of victories recorded on the badge changed. Last time, it was a new record that couldnt be counted, but now it was a couple hundred. ? He was unsure and looked again, and the hand of the guy from beyond the veil changed too. It wasnt sharp or had ws, which he was familiar with, but it was an ordinary one. Seol Young grabbed the coins and asked, Did the man in charge here change? Yes. It seems like you came back after a long time. We changedst month. Then where did thest one move to? He is gone. He left this ce? Where did he go? It is our policy never to give out the whereabouts of our people. Zaha, who had been listening from behind, handed him a piece of gold, and the man lowered his voice. The demon had kept his position here for a long time, but now he can no longere back. He has died. Died? Zaha asked, surprised. Yes. He was fine until the day before, but he didnte to work, so I went to visit him, and I saw his dead body with some ck foxes. It looked like a bloody battle had happened. They were speechless. It wasnt umon for demons like Yokais to die fighting one another, but why? Seol Young looked around, feeling lost. The new guy probably knew nothing, so he went around the hall and picked non-humans, but no one knew anything about the Great Mother. It cannot be helped. Lets head to the next ce. Zaha took the lead, and they headed for the temple. And there, he revealed his identity, and they were immediately taken to the chief priest. Are there any things left about the Mokrang group who built the temple? Their things, records or The old abbot put his hands together, feeling bad. I dont know why you are looking for them, but currently, there is nothing left of them. Maybe they didnt know it, so they apologized and looked around, but they couldnt find anything. In the end, Seol Young and Zaha came out empty-handed. Then to thest ce. . Even without asking, Seol Young could guess where it was. The two headed for the forest. It was the forest where goblins used to roam in the past. It was different from the world that Jung Myung guarded. The sacred giant tree wasnt even there, and there was no energy from the Tree God. Even when they brought out the ne and waited, they didnt feel anything respond. The entire flow was cut down, and they realized that fact again. It cannot be helped if it happens like this. Zaha put the ne back on his neck. I thought it would be solved easily with the power of the God. But we cannot be that lucky. We have to find a new way. It looks like it. Seol Young responded calmly. The things he had expected only brought disappointments, but they werent too discouraged since Zaha had something else. Where do we investigate now? For today, lets end it here. I need to meet the Governor and the leaders. And after saying that, Zaha added, Seol Young-rang must have also used up a lot of spiritual qi during the Memory Projection, so skip work tonight. No. I will Seol Young wanted to be stubborn, but stopped. No matter how fine he looked, it bothered him that Zaha had absorbed more demonic qi. Wouldnt it be a big deal if, like in the middle of the night, a crisis struck and, with just half of the Great Mother, he wouldnt be able to do much? It felt like he should go to his home and use his hands to make sure Zaha was safe. So he changed his words. I understand. Let us part ways here. Good. Lets meet tomorrow. Zaha nodded his head and walked the other way. After his form disappeared, Seol Young headed to Zahas home. And all the Hwarangs were no longer there, and he met the couple. Seol Young-rang! Where did you go for you toe back alone and not with the master? Shhh. Seol Young went in and took out a bundle of talismans. I will ce some of these and leave here. They arent anything strange. They are just for good luck. The two of them cooperated with him right then, and the three of them went to attach the talismans to every corner of the house. And when they heard a sound from outside, the couple went to look at it. It was a thick voice that everyone was familiar with. It was Jin Rim. So Seol Young and the couple immediately left to greet him. Governor. You are here? Hmm? When did youe? Where is the High Governor? He said he was going to meet you, so we went our separate ways. Is that so? Jin Rim turned around, ready to leave, but the couple quickly noticed the exhaustion on his face. Our master isnt here, but please quench your thirst first before you leave. And so the two went out to make tea, while Seol Young was entrusted with keeping himpany. Seol Young poured him tea and asked, Did you find anything more about the world beyond? It was nothing special. Jin Rim shook his head. No matter how much I searched, everything that Lord Woo Hyun told me in my dream only came up. I guess we need toe up with a way to counter things with what little information we have. After saying that, he looked at Seol Young. I heard you went out to check some things with the High Governor, what was the result? Nothing. Silence fell. Tomorrow, the leaders will have a meeting, and you should be there too. Yes. Jin Rim got up and left after drinking the tea. His honest appearance quickly disappeared into the darkness. If a lot of peoplee together, some kind of breakthrough might happen. Seol Young went back to the couple and continued to put talismans around the house. After finishing everything and infusing his spiritual qi into them, he felt his spiritual qi drop like being at the bottom of a well. And the couple said, If our master sees such a side of you, he would never be mean to Seol Young-rang again You are wee. But I think we had done more than was needed. I was in a hurry that your master would be back home, but he hasnt returned yet. Seol Young urged them not to talk about his visit. And the couple agreed. When he went back to his ce, the bundle of clothes was ced there. I need to hurry up and head back to White Tiger Spirit Troops. That was what it meant. Seol Young sat on the ground and held the clothes in his arms. Even though they were just clothes, they felt warm to him, and peace spread in his heart. Master, parents, please give me one clue about the being from a different world. It is something far beyond our understanding. How do we protect this world As he tried to let his fatigue go, his mind wandered. And Seol Young fell asleep. How long had he lost consciousness in the darkness that he felt so rxed now? But suddenly, he saw something. In front of his eyes, people were coughing blood and copsing. Everyone looked scared. [God of Cataclysm!] Seol Young was confused. What was this? What was he looking at? And then it struck him. This was her memory. The Memory Projection ended with the birth of the new being, but that wasnt all. The God of Cataclysm had been alive several times. Then, following the incantation on the bone ashes, it must have left memories each time. Seol Young infused spiritual qi into the bone twice today. Because of that, the memories piled up. What he was seeing now was the story after its birth. Many things passed before his eyes. Then it stopped at familiar figures. Hwarangs. The God of Cataclysm was watching them. The ones drawing their swords to confront her, those who were dying, those who were raging, and the wailing ones She watched them all quietly, and at some point, there was this powerful calling. The God of Cataclysm was heading somewhere. It was a tomb deep in the mountains. The moment the God of Cataclysm entered that ce, the incantations around the ce glowed in gold. Die together. The moment he saw that scene, Seol Young opened his eyes wide and concentrated without even realizing it. Chapter 210: Mita (12) Chapter 210: Mita (12) There were brilliantly shining gold patterns on the pitch-ck ground. It seemed like someone had done them with extreme care. As the God of Cataclysm looked at it, Seol Young was also looking at this. It was the first time he had seen such an incantation be made. Was that why? As if the incantation had life, it was moving on its own. In the darkness, it began to stretch out, and then it suddenly exerted a powerful binding force and grabbed the God of Cataclysm. How did this happen? He was about to figure out what itthis was through this vision. Then the qi from the sorcery turned into a golden mand. It meshed perfectly with the dark mand of theGod of Cataclysm. Seol Young analyzed the form of the technique. Cloning? Imitation? Or is it both? That was the secret. One couldnt go beyond oneself. And the same went for Mita. The technique would surely subdue the target, so no matter how strong the target was, they would be bound. If the soul is sacrificed, then it would surely work. Once it was captured like this, the God of Cataclysm must have felt a huge blow. She was dragged right into the coffin. The two energies collided, and the space distorted. And in this chaos, the God of Cataclysm found golden eyes staring at her. And the next moment, the opponent grabbed her. It wasnt in her nature to be trapped or confined to a ce, so she incessantly tried to move. And she tried to get out again. However, she had already been trapped in the body of someone else, and she tried to tear the body apart and leave, but the chains of the spell tightly bound her. The existence went back to being normal and bound to a body. So Seol Young was able to get a sense of how she changed after this. First of all, the terrible pain of being bound to someone. For a foreign being like it, the pain must be nothing. But the feeling of dying must be new. And it didnt seem to like this feeling very much. It was a situation that made it feel something. It tried to get out, but nothing worked. And the body that imprisoned it reached out, and the lid of the coffin was closed. Next, it was just pitch-ck. In the darkness, certain sensations became more vivid. Soon, the feelings of the body that it had been confined to halted. It was awful. Dont like it! Seol Young hurriedly got out of there and opened his eyes. He broke out in a cold sweat all over his body. His heart thumped as if it woulde out. I just saw the Die Together circle. He couldnt believe it, but it was true. At one time, he thought it was a forbidden thing. However, Zaha also said that after using it once, he couldnt use it again. Among the high-level incantations, there were such things. Because it was a secret and forbidden one, once used, the caster could never do it again. He wanted to study it and read the book about it, but Zaha said he burned that too. He said that such a secret art shouldnt fall into the hands of others. So he couldnt see it again, but unexpectedly, he was able to see how the technique was implemented through the memories left in the soul of the God of Cataclysm. It stayed in its mind from start to end. Then did it happen? Seol Young tried to draw the same technique he had seen with his finger. Even before he ended it, he could already feel a strong vibration around his fingertips. The lines stretched out in the air as if they came to life. It works! Seol Young stopped his hands in surprise. The flow of energy that was about to form in the air was quickly stirred and scattered. I finally obtained the method to do it. His heart pounded again. It was a very powerful sorcery spell, yet simple at the same time. It didnt need spiritual qi or knowledge. All it needed was a soul. And there was no need to use qi because it lived on its own. I can simply use it. He couldnt stop thinking about it. As Zaha said, it was unlikely that the God of Cataclysm would fall under the same thing twice, but they had her remains. They could use the bone ashes to summon her, and after that, they could use the Great Mother to stop her from leaving and use this technique too. And then he suddenly realized it, What is this? Seol Young shook his head. It is close to death. I cannot do that. He had neither the will nor the stubbornness to do it. Above all, considering how shocked the people would be after they realized that, he could never make that decision. It wasnt just one persons sacrifice, but everyones. He believed in the right path. I should find a way instead of taking up this crazy idea. Seol Young picked up the bundle of talismans that had fallen and put them away. He tried to calm his mind and forget what he had seen earlierthe writings on the wall and the golden eyes that shone. But then the silence was broken. Seol Young-rang! Seol Young-rang? There was a muffled call for him beyond the door, and they were the trainees. Seol Young got up. What could it be? He hasnt recovered yet, so they wouldnt be calling him for no reason. When he opened the door, there were two trainees of the ck Tortoises there, and both of them were gasping for air. And Seol Young asked, What is it? We are in trouble! He asked you toe! Who? High Governor! Since the boys were trainees, they themselves looked confused as they talked about it, and Seol Young followed them without asking any further questions. They arrived at a nearby ce, at one of the temples in the area. There were several people gathered outside. A loud sound could be heard, and there were shes of spiritual qi. What was this? Seol Young ran through the crowd, reached the yard, and saw the scene that had been hidden because of the towers. *Thud! Thud!* One of the statues of the four Heavenly Kings guarding the temple was moving on its own. It was moving as it held two middle-aged nuns in its hands. And its body was already surrounded by aura. On one side, Mu Won and several Hwarangs were trying to tie its upper body with spiritual qi. If the Heavenly King put a little more strength in its hands, the two nuns would die. Therefore, all of the ck Tortoise Troops tried not to let it move its fingers. Meanwhile, on the other side, Zaha created a Burning Ring formation to block its retreat. Seol Young moved carefully so he wouldnt interrupt the momentum and the work of the others. What is this? Mu Chun, the ninth member, answered. We came out to train with the trainees at night and found this. We couldnt get rid of it by ourselves, so we called our leader, but the High Governor came before that. We heard he was looking around just in case Just in case? Eight years ago, the very same incident happened, so he must have thought about it. At that time, several senior Hwarangs passed away. What? Seol Young turned to the statue in shock. They managed to suppress it at the peak, but there was another thing happening here? Were all the disturbances eight years ago going to happen again? Amitabha! The middle-aged nuns who were held hostage were clenching their hands and praying with looks of death on their faces. Seol Young approached Zaha and asked, What can I do? Do not step ahead first. Zaha said so. Can you summon a mighty warrior bigger than that? Using that, press down on that thing from behind to subdue it. Just like when Seo Jun-rang went out of control. And then he continued, This is a trap. Just as Buddhist chants are ced in the belly of a Buddha statue as a relic, a forbidden book holding evil power is hidden in the Four Heavenly Kings stomach. Which is why it is running amok here. If we attack it with a spiritual sword, the book inside will start to work, and the statue will explode with the two nuns in hand. And then everyone here will die. Seol Young understood the situation. That was why they wanted to subdue it and not attack it. I understand. He immediately used a summoning technique. It was one that was several times greater than the usual one. And when Vajrapani Great Strength appeared, the Four Heavenly Kings looked small. *Kuaaaa!* The Four Heavenly Kings shouted and showed hostility. But the Vajrapani Buddha turned back without difficulty and pressed on its wrists. And the hostages, who were being smothered, began to feel the pressure subside. Zaha ordered. Now, Mu Won-rang. Quickly destroy the stomach of that thing. Do not use your spirit sword. ? Mu Won was doubtful, and Seol Young, too. He knew that he shouldnt use his spirit sword, but he wanted him to destroy a statues stomach without anything? At that moment, Mu Won turned to the hostages and then firmly decided, Yes. Mu Won went to his Hwarangs and ordered them. Everyone seemed shocked. But they immediately put away their swords and raised spiritual qi on their hands. The next moment Now! With Mu Wons orders, a round ray of light shone from the hands of the Hwarangs, making Seol Young shocked. Isnt that the Fallen Thunderbolt? It was the technique of the ck Tortoise Troops that had been discarded after being brought down by the Ghost Demon King. The same technique shone in purple and hit the stomach of the statue. There was a roar as the trees broke down. And the statue was split from the stomach. Its eyes shone brightly, and its body stiffened. The spiritual energy of the ck Tortoises wrapped around the fragments of the trees so it wouldnt bounce around. And at the same time, two Hwarangs moved to rescue the hostages andnd them safely. Behind them, the statue split into two, and copsed on the ground. Monk Hae Won! Monk Hae Jong! The members of the temple went running. Thank you! Thank you! The sound of crying and greeting filled the ce, but Seol Young didnt care about all of that. Did they just use the Fallen Thunderbolt? That easily? Judging from how they looked surprised at the order, they must have abandoned the technique, but they still used it to save the hostages. Because what mattered most was saving their lives. Then Zaha turned around, showing a mischievous smile to Mu Won. Ah, I need to find it. He dug through the broken trees and found a ck cloth. And without opening it, he set it on fire. Seol Young turned his head away from the ck smoke. But then. Inside therge palm of the Four Heavenly Kings that had fallen to the ground, he saw something shiny. He went there and picked it up. It was a small drop engraved with the shape of the moon. It was bruised and clotted with blood. Moon Bell. What? Seol Young stared at it, but Zaha went and took it away before he even realized his presence, and after seeing what it was, his face changed. He had to know this. The Moon Bell was the same as the one that Zaha had taken out and shown him. It was a righteous weapon. Why was it in the hands of this statue? It must be because the senior who tried to save the hostages eight years ago belonged to the Sun and Moon Troops. One of the tools that were used at that time must have been lost through an inexplicable process, and has only reappeared now. Like an evil gift. The more the opponent did this, the clearer Seol Youngs mind became. Was it aware that it would cause confusion? Give that here. Seol Young took it back from Zaha. But at that moment, a thought crossed his head. Wait I am sure. This reminded him of something. The words that Zaha had said. Right. Right. How the hell did I forget that? At the end of the path, it seemed like dawn had finally shone. Chapter 211: Mita (13) Chapter 211: Mita (13) Dont care. Seol Young-rang has been having a bit of a brain freeze these days. Hearing Zahas voice, Seol Young returned to reality. It seemed like the trainees and the Hwarangs were confused when he just stood expressionless. Then Seol Young quickly changed his expression. What? I was just thinking. In this ce? Listen to me first. Seol Young led him to a corner and said, When I saw this righteous weapon, something suddenly came to mind. You said this to me, When the God of Cataclysm struck first eight years ago, the first ones who were in were the Sun and Moon Troops because they were in charge of most of the tasks among the Hwarangs and it seemed to have a great sense of who had to be eliminated first. Right. And what were those things? I dont know. Zaha shook his head. I guessed that because they were killed first, as if they were chosen first, and it kept trying to damage the boxes holding their research materials. So the ess there was sealed, and despite examining it several times, no clues could be found. Of course. Its because no one knew about this evil spirit eight years ago. But it is different now. We found out more about it than before, so we can revisit the history of our seniors. Maybe something will stand out to us. It wasnt so wrong. A serious expression crossed Zahas face. Then the two of them made their way out through the crowd. I need to go first because of work, so the ck Tortoise Troops should handle this. Reassure the people not to get too worked up on this. Mu Won responded to Zahas orders with courtesy. I understand. Meanwhile, in one corner, Mu Chun and the trainees were retesting the Fallen Thunderbolt technique they had just used. The two of them moved to the castle and headed for the Sun and Moon Troops basement office. A moon symbol was hung on the wall, and the room was full of books. As they stepped inside, their eyes shone. It was because of Oni. Senior Oni? It sounded like he wanted to be brought out, so Seol Young activated the ring, and the baby dragon jumped out. It first jumped to Seol Young and then sniffed Zaha. Sorry. There hadnt been any time for you to y. Leaving Oni to do what it wanted, Zaha opened the secret space inside the shelf. It was engraved with the four Godsthe blue dragon, the white tiger, the vermillion bird, and the ck tortoise. Its been a while since I saw this. Zaha said as he broke the seal and opened the lid. It was full of papers. They didnt organize it. No one knew what it was, so they had to ce it like this. They looked at the research materials that were there. They were the records of their tests in making righteous weapons using ancient documents. There were also materials about music, Sword Spirits, defense techniques, and more. The two flipped through all of them. Yokai, monsters found in Korea, monsters of other nations I think this is about an unknown nt or animal. And the disaster And then Seol Youngs hand stopped. He was looking at a certain record. Wait. This What? Zaha looked at it, and at that moment, he also went stiff. There, it was written: Ghost Bridge. The bridge that connected their world to the next. They already knew about it, but they recently heard of it again from the mouth of Jung Myung, the shaman. Seol Young said, Didnt they say the Empress Heo of Ayuta came to Gaya through this? Crossing the Ghost Bridge made sense. A passageway connecting this world to the dead world. Beyond that, another world existed. The world where it, Mita, existed. Zahas face changed. Among the materials here, there was something rted to the God of Cataclysm. And the two moved to a desk and opened the records. ording to the records, the troops conducted an experiment on opening the Ghost Bridge about a hundred years ago. And the two of them read what the record said. History says that Empress Heo was on board a ship that carried a mysterious pagoda. It was the stone pagoda of Pasa that had a mysterious power to calm the storms. And the Empress crossed over Gaya from Ayuta under the guidance of this pagoda. The stone pagoda wasnt from thisnd. Even after her death, it still held such strong powers, so the sailors split the pagoda stone secretly and stole it. After that, the Sun and Moon Troops bought a genuine Pasa stone from sailors and studied it. And it was discovered that a mysterious path opens when these stones are arranged in their original form. And that was the Ghost Bridge. ording to the records, the Hwarangs at the time experimented by putting the Pasa stone pagoda on the top of Danseok mountain, which was the highest in the city. Danseok Mountain was one of the training grounds for the Hwarangs. And there was a rock on the summit that had been cut with a single hit, and even Seol Young frequently visited it. Until then, he only thought it was a normal stone pagoda on the mountain. But the Pasa stone was inside? The more he read it, the more shocked he was. If we can use the stone pagoda and open the Ghost Bridge. Seol Young felt his heart pound. If we can do that, is it possible for us to send Mita back to the other side? They said that if the path is open, the ghosts will step into our world. But Zaha looked at the records. It doesnt just happen like that. It takes time to pass through this ce. If the path is closed before that, no one cane over. It already happened in the past. We dont have anything to confirm it with, so we must do it quickly. Open the Ghost Bridge, throw the bone ashes, and immediately close it by blocking it with the Great Mother. It should be all over before we could count to five. Seol Young quicklypleted his calction. Opening the Ghost Bridge that is connecting this world and the next is forbidden because it disturbs the order of the world. But what we are trying to do is undo things. We are returning an existence that shouldnt havee over. The more they talked about it, the more it made sense. Still, they looked through the rest of the materials but couldnt find anything special. I guess this is the answer. It seems like she killed them first so that they wouldnt talk about this to the other troops. Seol Young said, Of course, it could or couldnt be Mitas intention. But it made more sense that way. Hmm Zaha was thinking. It is something the two of us cant do alone. It is much better to make a decision after asking everyone for their opinion. He picked up the records and said, Right. Now that we have figured out the identity of the God of Cataclysm, we can look at these materials againter. Was it nice? A faint smile crossed Seol Youngs face. At that moment, he saw something else. Zahas face was looking at Mita in the darkness. Hatred? Anger? Grudge? Resentment? Sadness? Those eyes, which couldnt be expressed using words in this world, wouldnt leave his eyes. Seol Young tried to push the memory away. When were we wrong? We were right all the time. He got up after saying that, and Oni, who was there alone, clung to his leg. Hmm? Right. Seol Young hugged Oni tofort him, and Zaha looked at it. Does he know what we are trying to do? He must be thinking about doing his part as a member of the troops, right? It isnt that, but it must have been that he was disappointed that we didnte here that often, even when we said we would. I should take him home and y. Seol Young wore the ring on his finger and put Oni on it. And then he sealed the materials he wanted and hid them. We have a way now, but now it just depends on what the Governor will say. A decision will be made tomorrow. There was nothing more to say, so the two left after closing the door.
On the next day. All the leaders gathered. The Governor already knew the results of the Memory Projection, but the leaders didnt know about them yet. After receiving orders from the High Governor and the Governor, Seol Young told them about it, and everyone knew about the uproar caused by the statue of one of the Four Heavenly Kings. They guessed that the situation was going in an unfavorable direction, but it was far beyond what they had expected. All the leaders were shocked. Eventually, Hwa Un asked, Then what do we do? What are we to do with a being we cannot understand? We have a way. Zaha replied. It is opening the Ghost Bridge and sending it back to where it came from. At the sound of peoples breaths stopping at the word Ghost Bridge, Jin Rim asked, breaking the silence, Open the Ghost Bridge? Is that even possible? It isnt impossible. Seol Young exined what they found in the recordsst night, and then Zaha took over. If this n seeds, we canpletely end the chaos thend has been experiencing. He looked around. But I cannot say that it isnt dangerous. If something unexpected happens, everyone will have to risk their lives and stop the misfortune that will fall on us. After announcing the dangers of this n, they needed to make a decision. After taking some time to think, they began to vote. Then let us all express our opinions. When Zahas words came, everyone put their wooden nk with their decisions in front of them. All of them said Agree. At this unexpected result, Seol Youn checked the wooden nks again. He didnt expect such unanimity, though. Zaha asked again, Everyone agrees? Yes. Everyone nodded their heads. We all know what happenedst night. Maybe that is just the start. At this rate, the disaster will continue. Jin Rim said, Someone has to step in to stop that, and that will be our Hwarangs. When the nation faces a crisis, arent the Hwarangs the ones who sacrifice their lives first? If we drag out the time, we may not even be able to use this method as well. Everyone is prepared for everything. Indeed, no one seemed to disagree with it. Zaha looked around at each of them and opened his mouth, Fine. Then let us proceed. In the end, a decision was made. A determined expression appeared on everyones faces. We dont have time, so lets move on quickly. First, we need to decide on how to prepare this Ghost Bridge. Zaha turned to Seol Young. Seol Young-rang hasnt returned to the White Tiger Troops yet, so there is nothing more for you to do, so head home. Yes. Seol Young bowed his head and turned around. It was strange. The moment the decision was made, his mind feltplicated. All he could think of was Baek Eon, who sat there dejected. Is he fine? He couldnt help thinking about it. What if this doesnt work either? Then the secret sorcery came to his mind. Was this how Zaha felt eight years ago? I cannot do that. But then another voice asked him. What if that is the only way? His feet stopped, and he just stood there for a long time. Then, the trainees appeared from the side, and he came back to his senses. Seol Young-rang, are you fine? Yes. Seol Young hurriedly left the pce. What are you thinking? Sending him early meant rest. He didnt mean to think about anything else. He didnt go anywhere else and just went back to his room. He began to sweep and clean the room to get rid of the thoughts in his mind. But then the ring on his hand began to tremble. Ah, Senior Oni? What? Feeling bored? It was nice to feel the presence of Oni after thinking all day, so Seol Young activated the righteous qi. But Oni was acting strange. He looked like he would puke, and then something fell. Seol Youngs eyes widened. The bone ashes of the God of Cataclysm. Why is this When did you steal this? After asking, he remembered. When they entered the headquarters, Oni sniffed Zaha. It had to be because of that. Sensing this evil energy, he secretly stole it and swallowed it. Thanks to this, the demonic qi didnt leak out, either. And the bone seemed to be in deep slumber again. What? Was it acting nice? Oni looked at Seol Young with innocent eyes. The baby dragon didnt know what this was. It just seemed dangerous, so it gave it back after purifying it. Thanks to that, Seol Young can hold it now. The only thing that can summon the God of Cataclysm came to the only person who knows how to do it. Thinking like that made him feel odd. Of course I cant. But if that is the case What do I do? Seol Young looked at it. I dont know. He put it into a sleeping pouch, and into his pocket. Chapter 212: Mita (14) Chapter 212: Mita (14) What is that? Isnt that a goblin? ACKKK! Dozens ofrge goblin heads began to fly over the snowy white street. Get out! Move away! Hwarangs dressed in red pursued them. They focused on chasing after the heads while looking around. There! Someone pointed to the roof of a house. Suddenly, a white thing appeared and fluttered. It was wearing a white robe and had long hair. A ghost! The people screamed in shock. However, in reality, he was a Hwarang with a blue spiritual sword. A group of goblins rushed to him, possessed. Everyone, this way! Seol Young jumped off the roof and ran. He lured a group of goblins and guided them into a nearby hall. Bang! Zaha who had been waiting inside, mmed the door to the hall shut. The empty hall was polished with bronze mirrors, but there was only one goblin in the mirror. The real one. Golden aura shot from Zahas sword and struck it. When a Hwarang, Hwa Un, attacked, the fakes rushed to block them with their sharp teeth shing. Seol Young quickly cast an incantation spell. Then wind rose around the goblins body. All the goblins that were controlled by the main body bounced back. The Vermillion Bird Troops noticed Seol Youngs n and quickly went there. Their spirit swords radiated a red aura and spun around it. Then the goblins body was cut to pieces in an instant. They had this sword dance called the Phoenix Dance that had been handed down to them. It was like a bird leaning on the wind and spreading its wings. The key was to use strong wind to unfold its action. And the wind that was caused by Seol Young gave them the leeway. Puak! Hwa Uns sword pierced the center. The goblins body couldnt stand it any longer and fell off. The rest of the heads quickly lost their strength and faded. Nice. Very well done. They nced at Seol Young, who had cut down the goblin. But how did Seol Young-rang know that the Vermillion Bird Troops were here? For a moment, there was awkwardness. Then Zaha tilted his head, as if he remembered something btedly, Ah, right! The time you were the Ghost Demon King? I forgot. He had a grin on his face, and Seol Young just red at him. I need to act ignorant now and move on, right? Seol Young knew that this situation was funny. Because he struggled to survive against the Hwarang troops during his time as the Ghost Demon King, he learned about all the troops. His knowledge from that time was of great help in bringing down these things and working with them. After this situation happened so many times, everything felt normal. . Hwa Un opened his fan and hit the goblins, while Seol Young worked next to him. Eight years ago, a group of goblins suddenly appeared and harmed innocent people. The Hwarangs cleaned up the site and went out before people gathered. Hwa Un told the Hwarangs, You people should head back to patrolling. Yes. At the order of their leader, they all left. Seol Young, Zaha, and Hwa Un walked out, and there were monks and soldiers everywhere. When their eyes met, they nodded. They were the ones who were secretly monitoring the situation. People were assigned to every ce where strange incidents happened eight years ago and were instructed to contact the Hwarangs if something came up. In that way, the disasters could be handled a little earlier. But As Jin Rim also said, the n wasnt perfect. Seol Youngs gaze lingered on the other side of the street. A Hwarang was running. He was injured and was clenching his other arm. No matter how much he defended himself, he couldnt avoid getting injured. Even if they already knew what would happen, such things would still happen. So how long would this war continue? Thinking about that, it was fortunate that they had made thorough preparations quickly. Zaha mumbled, We will be thest. I know. The three of them crossed the snow covered street. They saw Mt. Danseok in the darkness. When they reached the top, the first thing that caught Seol Youngs eye was the famous rock. The rock that was cut in half by just one sh of a sword. When Seol Young, Zaha and Hwa Un arrived there, several shadows moved around the rock. They were Jin Rim, Baek Eon, Seo Geom, and Mu Won. High Governor? You arete. After a brief exchange, they went straight for the target. It was the natural stone pagoda that looked as if it were made of the same rock. Withered by wind and rain, it seemed ordinary. Nine out of ten people who reached this summit would probably forget about seeing this. But inside this stone pagoda, a very important thing was cleverly hidden. Then, lets reveal it. Jin Rim injected something into the groove of the stone pagoda. Rustle. There was this rustling sound of the stone moving. The crack in the middle of the stone pagoda moved. Inside, the appearance of the Pasa stone pagoda was revealed. Seven stones were piled up inyers, and it looked very strange from a distance. Each stone holds power in them. Regardless of their sizes, if they are stacked in the right order, we can make it work. Jin Rim exined. When the tower is activated, the stones stick together and create powerful waves of energy. That is how we will open the Ghost Bridge. The stones are what keeps the bridge and door open. When the bridge opens, I will quickly summon the God of Cataclysm, push it inside and then close it. The n sounds simple, but it isnt really like that. Everyone nodded at Zahas words. Which is why the old Hwarangs used the stones color as a marker. When an ident happens, the bottom of the stone changes color, and the door must be closed before the stone changes color entirely. Unidentified beings couldnt be summoned to thisnd. In order to thoroughly prevent that from happening, they prepared another thing. A barrier. It was divided into five. From the top to the bottom of the mountain and was marked with gs. If anything out of ordinary happened, they were prepared to block it. Looking down from the top, it was clear at a nce. On each side, the gs of the Hwarangs were put up, the circle was installed and prayers had been ced. So strange. Jin Rim finished the report for Zaha and their discussion ended like that. Before taking up their roles, Seol Young went to Baek Eon. I will see you on the afternoon patrol. Even though they were trying to match their schedules due to the rushed situation, it wasforting to see them once a day. Right. Be careful. Ah, and Baek Eon was about to say something, but he just smiled and went down. What? He was curious but he couldnt follow him now. Zaha was already looking at the schedule by his side. Lets stick to the schedule. Yes. And it was now dawn. The sky was dark, but people were still moving. The sound of temple bells rang around the mountain. When one passed by the temple that was at the foot of the mountain and looked, people were bringing in sacks and opening them. And the sound of grain being poured could be heard. Seol Young realized something at that moment. Aha Zaha asked him, What? I realized what Baek Eon-rang was about to say earlier. I dont know what else it could be. Since I dont like red bean porridge, I usually try to eat rice cakes with red beans You hate red beans? What are you? A ghost? Thinking of the youngest eating red bean rice cake because I cant eat porridge, he may not have been able to stop himself from chuckling even in this serious situation. Of course, we brothers talk about it amongst ourselves. Regardless of what Zaha said, Seol Young continued. On the winter solstice, people would eat red bean porridge and bury pine branches. That was because there was a legend that ghosts hated red bean porridge. ording to the legend, ghosts could be driven away like that. Come to think of it, we are opening the Ghost Bridge. Seol Young realized it only then. The winter solstice had the longest nights of the year. From the next day on, the days would start to get longer, which meant that the sun would be stronger. Since ancient times, winter solstice has been a time to exorcise ghosts, but it turned out like that for us I am not kidding. Do you really not know? Zaha was about to throw in another joke, but he stopped himself. No, this isnt the time. Come to think of it, Ipletely forgot. The Empress Dowager called. Why? I was told that she couldnt attend the banquet because of the training on the night of the winter solstice, so she asked me to get a calendar in advance. Zaha grumbled. Is theder so important? In a situation where tomorrow and the safety of thend is unsure. We need to go. Didnt we decide to act normal as if nothing happened? Seol Young was right. However, Zaha didnt seem to like the fact that he had to meet the Empress Dowager and listen to her nagging. We dont have time Lets just end it quickly. Seol Young brought him to the Moon Pce and sent him to the Empress Dowager. Was it the wrong decision? Even after one hour, Zaha didnte out. And he couldnt just go in and check We should be moving soon. Seol Young turned around. However, when he was moving out, he saw a familiar person. It was Zaun. He recognized her at once. She seemed to be waiting for time to pass by wandering in front of her carriage. And she wasnt that careful, despite being pregnant. It was clear she was waiting for someone. Maybe me. After Seol Young looked into her dead husbands ring, Zaun never looked hostile toward him again. But since she was such a high ranking person, the fact that she was waiting for him didnt seem right. So Seol Young asked, What business do you have with me, Lady? Zaun raised her thin eyebrows. You are so quick witted. She gestured for Seol Young to enter the carriage, but he refused. I have to do a mission. It is only to avoid the eyes of people. Or should I say it here? You will regret it. Having said that, he couldnt refuse any longer. After he went in, Zaun closed the door and got straight to the point. Do you know Monk Do Cheol? Seol Young was confused. How do you know Monk Do Cheol? As soon as he asked, he realized it. Zaun went to the ritual at the Old Pce and she must have met him. Right. It was that day. She said, as if she had read Seol Youngs thoughts. Since the monk insisted on greeting you and waited for you, I was curious as you seemed to know each other. I coaxed him by saying that I was your good friend, and he told me a lot of interesting things. Seol Young didnt like this. What are you trying to say? Instead of answering, she pulled out a golden box under her seat, and when she opened the lid, it was empty. Do you know what was actually inside this? How can I know? It contained a family heirloom. A divine chain that can bind dragons and serpents. Zaun continued while looking down at the empty box. I didnt even know the chain was gone, but the monk said the High Governor Hwarang had it? And it had shattered to pieces. In other words, it was used somewhere She looked into his eyes. Where and what was my brother up to for thest eight years? Seol Young was dumbfounded. Chapter 213: Mita (15) Chapter 213: Mita (15) Why are you asking me that? I know nothing. Nothing? Seol Youngs answer made her smile. Then I will change the question. Seol Young-rang, was there a time you met the Great Heavenly Pavilion Head in front of the Hwarangs office and received a bag of red silk? Seol Young was silent again. At that time, he did meet the woman who tried to hand him the pouch that held information about Zaha and wanted him to throw Zaha under the bus. Zaun wasnt present then. But there were always eyes and ears for her in the pce, and one of them must have witnessed that and reported it to her. Even though she knew it, she stayed silent until now. Why did the Pavilion Head give you the pouch? What was in it? What did you two talk about? Seol Young didnt answer. Why are you not speaking? Zaun continued to pressure him again. As the silence continued, her face began to turn pale, and her voice trembled. What happened 8 years ago? Why are you unable to answer me? Did the High Governormit a sin? Is it a bad one? No. Then why are you not speaking? Seol Young looked into her eyes and said, Because I am not the one who should talk about it. It isnt a crime or a dishonor, but the person involved doesnt want to talk about it to the world? What is this? Zaun looked distraught. Her arrogant mask of pushing Seol Young to the corner broke. I am not doing this for nothing. She spoke with a weeping voice. Even since Seol Young-rang showed me the ring, Ive been seeing my ex-husband in my dreams from time to time. They were images that remained in my memory for a long time, but now they appear to me in my dreams. Standing near the bedroom, and looking down earnestly at his brother-inw, who is asleep. Even though I cannot say it, there was this clear feeling of regret . What is it? I dont know what it is, but he must have gone somewhere far away and done something unimaginable. So what is it? Zaun mumbled. She had an idea, but she still needed more information to confirm it. If Seol Young-rang doesnt answer, I will head to the Pavilion Head. What conversation you had then, and what was inside the pouch My Lady. Seol Young quietly opened his mouth. It isnt something one can casually talk about, but I want you to know one thing. Digging into it now is not a good idea. And I am being honest with you. His tone was blunt, but he had the most sincere expression, and Zauns face changed. Seol Young got up and greeted her as he went out, and then he went back into the pce, trying to leave through another gate. But after a while, he stopped walking. Die together circle isnt one which humans should do. Lost in those thoughts, he stood there and found a familiar figure in a crowd. Zaha was walking his way. The Crown Prince and Princesses were on either side. He wondered why he waste, but it seemed like he hadpany. And the voice of the Prince could be heard clearly. .the reason why the Crown Prince cannot be a Hwarang is because we are a group loyal to the King. You cant swear allegiance to yourself. Isnt that right, High Governor? So smart. Zaha was lightly moving the calendar that the Empress Dowager had given and responding to the words of the Prince. Seol Young looked at him. In the snowy winter, his golden eyes stood out more. The Empress Dowager gave him a robe with fur, but Zaha just hung it over his shoulder. Everyone passed by and looked back at Zaha, at least once. Even if he was a noble, one wouldnt shine the way Zaha did. However, Zaha did a great job as the Governor in the past. And now the royal kids were following him. Everyone envied him. But Seol Young couldnt look at Zaha the same way as others. To him, he was a dead man. People say the dead dont talk, but actually, they have something to say. And Seol Young was one who listened to them. On the other hand, Zaha listened to his words. At that time, he wasnt a dead person, but he was simr to Seol Young. The dead and those who seek to appease him. The summoner and divine calling. Either way, this wasnt a normal rtionship in this world. It could be said that their rtionship in the Spirit World was above rank, age, status, and gender. Thinking of all the situations they had been through, he couldnt help thinking so. Seol Young-rang! The voices of Princess Ara and Ajin brought him out of his thoughts. I greet the Crown Prince and the Princesses. After expressing his respect, he raised his head. The thick gold nes hung from the childrens necks. And there was a five-color glow on them. We got it reciting the prayers during the ceremony! Princess Ara shouted proudly. But Princess Ajin carefully raised a question. The nanny said that if we hold the ceremony, the flute that has been stained will be normal again I heard it isnt normal yet. Is it still true, even after we prayed so well? The Prince also had doubts. We all did good. We did well. Zaha smiled as he looked at them, and he sent them back, saying they had to leave now. As soon as the kids vanished, the Golden Ring Troops Hwarangs appeared. High Governor, here. They brought a cart with calendars. And on the day of the winter solstice, the King gave them to each Hwarangs too. Take this to my home as it is. Yes. He ced his own, wrapped in silk, into the cart. And took off his robe, too. Seol Young-rang this. Uh? Seol Young tilted his head. Didnt the Empress Dowager give that to you? This isnt my style. If you dont like it, you can sell it. You must not have rice at hom Ah, look at me, you dont even own a house. Everyone there looked at Seol Young with sad faces. It is true, but Seol Young couldnt stand their pitiful gazes and took it. I will be grateful and buy some rice. The people around looked moved by the heartwarming story, and Seol Young felt bitter. It might end up as a famous saying in 200 years. Like taking the robe off for the sake of a poor subordinate. He rolled it up and held it in his arms. After leaving the pce with Zaha, without any further dy, Seol Young spoke, There is something I am curious about Looking at the calendar, he thought of something. He never asked until now, but now he wanted to. If we seed in sending Mita back to her time, what will you do? Will you continue as the High Governor? Well. Zaha shrugged his shoulders. You never thought about it? Do I have to think about it? You see, I dont have to be tied down to anything anymore. Because he was dead. Although he couldnt openly say it, Zaha was speaking of such thoughts. I still feel unfamiliar with myself 8 years ago. I managed to imitate myself, but I have already changed so much that I cant go back to it anymore. Sometimes, I am out of controlit would be wrong for the world to assume such a person as their guide. He spoke without another thought. It was like he was clear about it. If what we try seeds, the next yeares, and the year after that. Then? Then I will live on my own. To live how you want to? Just stay at home and y Go? Dont get excited. Because what I said is real. After seeing how my appearance didnt change, I need to get as far as I can before people doubt me. How far? A nation where no one knows me. Maybe India? That sounds fun. Zaha said with a smile, but Seol Young was silent. As I thought, it is something humans wouldnt do. He stopped walking and thought about the meeting with Zaun. And Zaha stopped, too. What? What more do you want to ask again? I have something to show you. Seol Young checked around and then took out a small sealing bag. Do you know what this is? What is it? And he showed its contents. Bone fragment? Zaha immediately rummaged through his pockets and was surprised. You stole that without me knowing? How can you? I didnt do it. Senior Oni did. Seol Young showed the ring. I was surprised, too. When we went around the office, Oni must have sneaked into your pocket and taken it out. And he purified it and gave it back to me. But I didnt even know. Zaha looked at the ring as if it were absurd. Who told you to take things out from the High Governor? The ring didnt answer. Is it really purified? Give it here. Even if taken, Seol Young-rang shouldnt have it. Dont worry about it. Seol Young hid it in his pocket, so Zaha couldnt get it. Since the bone has calmed down, I will take care of it. You originally had it, but I am the one who summons it, though. I can do it. Even so, you cannot make it work like I do. This time, we do it perfectly. Seol Young put the pouch back. Lets start by moving fast. Zaa followed him, looking confused, and snow began to fall. White light shed from the pavilion, which could be seen through the ce. They ran and saw that Seo Geom and the Blue Dragon Troops were running their way. High Governor! Seol Young-rang! Seo Geom spoke. Its done here. We dealt with it ourselves. Behind the Hwarang troops, there was a Korean zither that had no strings and fell down. Seol Young recognized what it was. The invisible zither. The monster that killed many people 8 years ago. Although he didnt see it, he did hear about it, and Zaha looked surprised. You handled it? Yes. Didnt the High Governor tell us to defend against music with ice? Seo Geom smiled. Everyone was doing their best, yet Seol Young was stuck in one thought. In the end, the ones facing that monster will be the two of us. The snow continued to fall, and the night of the winter solstice arrived. People predict whether the next years farming wouldl be poor or nice. At the temple, red bean porridge was cooked and was being given out. A banquet was held in the pce. The Hwarangs gathered in the Hwarangs hall. It was now time to leave for the Danseok mountain. Chapter 214: Mita (16) Chapter 214: Mita (16) gs were fluttering on the snow-coverednd with torches burning. It was a long nights adventure. The Hwarangs and trainees each lined up ording to their troops. And their bloody robes fluttered in the snowy wind. The leaders went around and checked the number of people present. They checked who was wounded and what their condition was. They could see a lot of things behind them. The chest of gold given by the King to the Hwarangs, the alcohol sent to survive the cold, dried rice, and many more Since they were all kids of wealthy families, even their families sent a heap of items. It was a scene at every nights training. Its done. The White Tiger Troops, which had the least number, finished first. Everyone stood waiting while the Golden Ring Troops, who had the most numbers, were leftst to finish. Soon, they were done. Jin Rim went up to the podium and looked around. As everyone knows, another disaster is about to happen to our kingdom. Its something that cannot be exined by humans, but we did our best to stop it. Tonight will be a moment of testing. No matter what happens, we must prevent tribtion from happening in the world. These are the words of the High Governor. Yes! Everyone answered loudly. Then, ording to custom, the leaders moved among the members. The Hwarangs and trainees took out a piece of paper, tied it with a string on their arms, and handed it over to their leaders. It was a will that they left for their family and friends. The leaders gathered all of them and put them into a sealed box. Seol Young, who was standing on the side, watched that and then went to put his own. Jin Rim looked at Zaha. High Governor? I will put it first. Ah, yes. The seal was locked. With this, the preparations wereplete. After looking back at the troops for thest time, Jin Rim said, Lets go! Yes. A loud reply rang out. With beating drums and the gs of each troop being waved, everyone left the pce and set off for Danseok Mountain. Far away, the lights shone brightly in a pavilion where the banquet was being held. They would be watching the procession there. The Hwarangs began to travel. The ghosts knew how to hide themselves. Even the goblins didnt y around during the day. Only the strong ones remained. The ones not afraid of the Hwarang troops. Fortunately, it isnt that difficult to manipte the tower Follow the system Zaha and Jin Rim checked the n as they walked. Seol Young followed them and slowed down his pace. He passed by all the troops and met the White Tiger Spirit Troops. Second-rang, are your injuries alright now? Everything is fine. Song Ok smiled and patted him. While subduing the ghost, he got injured protecting a trainee. A branch that was like a de struck him on the waist, tearing the skin on it. Did youe here on purpose because you were worried? No, the High Governor and the Governor were talking about something, so I came here. Seol Young nced back at the group of trainees behind them. He was very curious about his Hyungs and the kids who came, risking their lives. But of course, he didnt want a bad situation to happen to them. Seol Young turned his head and looked at Baek Eon. Great-rang, I can be cautious and do well, right? All we have to do is open the Ghost Bridge and send it back. No matter how smart Baek Eon was, how could he answer this question? Seol Young knew it, too. He just wanted to hear yes from him. Right, right. You will do well. As always, Baek Eon knew what Seol Young wanted and gave him the answer. Dont worry, Seol Young. Hyo Wol, who was beside him, said, They say that the hardships that people face are usually determined long before. That is why even if one has bad luck the first year, the second one can be better. Seol Young, you suffered enough by meeting the second Hyung, who has a bad temper Ack! Hyo Wol had to stop talking because the bad-tempered Hyung pinched him. And Song Ok said, Havent you already gone through your own share of ordeals before? You lost your parents and came to us? But then you were used of something. You have suffered so much for youring three lives. Nothing will happen now. Right. Nothing will happen. Baek Eon repeated Song Oks words. If anything happens today, dont worry. The Hyungs will make sure you dont get hurt. Seol Young felt his nose go cold. That isnt what I want. Neither the Hyungs or the kids should get hurt. I want no one in the world to get hurt even a bit. Baek Eon smiled and held Seol Youngs cold hand under the wind. Warmth spread, and firm faith came through his hands. No matter what his decision was, it felt like his Hyungs would always understand. Seol Young looked at them and went back to his ce. Zaha and Jin Rim were done with their talks and were walking silently. And seeing Seol Young return, Zaha clicked his tongue. Seol Young-rang. I thought you were smarter than this and would escaped I wanted to do it too, but I couldnt. Seol Young just walked away, and the snow-covered yard was full of people watching the procession. Please dont worry about next year. There were a lot of people who prayed for the sky. Did he recall the legend of the Maitreya Bodhisattva who saved all the living things? As if he thought of something while looking at them, Zaha said, Ah, I am busy, so I ended up forgetting it. Why is the Great Heavenly Pavilion this quiet? Seol Young flinched at that. Zaun was what rushed to his mind at the word. The Heavenly Pavilion Head has recently been staying outside the shrine doors and has been asking for revtions several times. Jin Rim answered. Is that so? Then, there had been no revtions until now? Zaha said, In the end, its all up to us. Yes, right. Jin Rim mumbled as he pursed his lips. The three of them looked ahead again, and the procession quickly crossed the capital. After walking for a while past Mt. Seondo, where the White Tiger Troops were originally located, they arrived at Danseok Mountain after 2 hours. They are here! All the vigers at the foot of the mountain said. The Danseok Mountain was a training ground for the Hwarangs, so it wasnt just once or twice, but it was a sight that widened their eyes every time. Jin Rim told the vigers, There might be some noise and strange lights, but dont be too shocked. Yes, yes, I understand. They just hoped that people wouldnt be too surprised. Everyone climbed Mt. Danseok under the eyes of the vigers. How far did they climb through the snow? Finally, the first point appeared. Team 5 forward. Yes! At the call of the Governor, the Hwarangs and the trainees of Team 5 moved ahead. They were equally assigned from each five troops. You remember my warning? How do we respond in cases of emergencies? Yes, Governor. Jin Rim pointed to the pirs nted on the border. In the worst case, the entire area must be sealed off by splitting it with a Sword Spirit and breaking the seal, understand? Yes! All the little ones answered. If the space was blocked, no one could get out alive, and in the worst case, everyone would die here. Team 4. Yes! ording to the order, each team went where they were supposed to and spread out. The Hwarangs took over the entire mountain. Arranging them one by one, they went up to the very top. Seol Young, Zaha, Jin Rim, and the leaders all climbed up the mountain, walking ahead. The rocks and stone pagoda were covered in stone. Everyone stopped right in front of the barrier. The time hade to end this. The ce where the God of Cataclysm first made an appearance eight years ago and the training ground of the Hwarangs This was their final attempt to take it down. The beginning and the end are the same. Seol Young thought, looking around the summit. Zaha stepped ahead in the snow. Everyone already knows, but He reminded them of the n for thest time. Opening the Ghost Bridge is something we have to be careful about. And swiftly do, too. We need to decide in a short time. And he gestured for the Governor and Seol Young to step forward. The Governor will open the stone pagoda while Seol Young-rang will summon the God of Cataclysm while the Ghost Bridge is open. And he will send it to the other side as soon as it appears. I am here to prevent it froming back. Then, the Governor will close it again. In the meantime, the leaders will be defending them so that nothing happens. Yes. Everyone answered. Then, go to the 2nd position. Zaha ordered. The Hwarangs, who had arrived, surrounded the barrier, and among them were Song Ok, Jung Pung, the second member of the ck Tortoise. Seol Young-rang. The Hwarangs of the Golden Ring went up and handed them bows and arrows. They would use it to send Mita to the other side. Seol Young took it and entered the barrier. Then Zaha, Jin Rim, and the leaders followed. In the dark, they could see the lights from the kingdom below. Right now, this ce seems three thousand worlds away. Is everyone ready? Zaha looked around and asked. Then, his gaze stopped at Seo Geom. Seo Geom-rang always ruins the n to help us, and Im not sure if he will do it this time, too. Hehe Seo Geom stroked the back of his head and let out a shyugh. Seo Geom aloneughed. Baek Eon and Mu Won were silent, and Hwa Un bit his lip. If something happens, I will end everything without leaving this area. Dont do that Zaha sighed and said, If thats the case, we will move by ourselves. Why did we bring everyone? Make sure to work with the thought, I need to live. We have made the necessary preparations so you can respond from below. Yes Seol Young looked at them and hesitated for a moment before saying, I wont fail this time. There was silence for a moment. All they could hear was the wind. Because they say there are 1000 people behind a sessful work. Jin Rims words broke the silence. He had done enough. Perhaps because of that thought, his expression looked relieved. He stepped ahead and stood in front of the old stone pagoda, Then, lets start. Nice. When Zahas words came, Jin Rim pushed the Yin-Yang que into the pagoda. The stone pagoda moved. The pasa stone pagoda, which was inside, was revealed. And Jin Rim knelt down as he sat there. And then, he put his hand inside until the bottom to activate it. Seven stones, which were floating at intervals, stuck together. At that moment, there was a thumping vibration. A beam of light shone from the top of the pagoda and went straight for the sky. Then, from where the light reached, a round halo spread out. Was that the Ghost Bridge? Everyone watched, not knowing the answer. And Zaha turned to Seol Young. Start. Yes. Seol Young took out the sealed pouch he had in his arms. And the remains of the God of Cataclysm were inside. At this moment, he prepared a string containing a binding spell. And he tied the bone to that. Now was the time to summon their enemy. When he infused spiritual qi into it, the bone fragments glowed blue. But the moment he was about to draw a magic spell for the ritual, What? Jin Rim frowned, looking at the sky. The cluster of lights that were spreading in the air had distorted. The light, which had been stable, was now shaking, and it was about to go wrong before the bridge even opened up. Is it reacting to the bone? Or are the heavens stopping us? Zaha pulled out his sword and stepped ahead. Whether it was the spiritual qi or sorcery, he wanted to show his will to stop the injustice pushed into the world. At that time, Bang! The sky rumbled, and some powerful pressure burst from behind. The power was immediately suppressed and subdued to stop any abnormalities. ? Everyone seemed surprised. The figure of someone appeared behind the Hwarangs surrounding the barrier. A person was climbing up the mountain with confident steps, wrapped in a robe of white fur. It was the Great Heavenly Pavilion Head. Holding a sacred object with a bell, she shouted loudly, Goddess of Heaven and Land, please protect us! Protect us! The heavenly officials who followed her shouted. And the halo of light regained its form and color. Uh? Seol Young and Zaha both looked at them, not even hiding their surprise. Chapter 215: Mita (17) Chapter 215: Mita (17) The Hwarangs, such as Jin Rim, the leaders, Song Ok, and those outside, were all shocked. Why was this woman here? It was strange that she chose to be here when the banquet was happening, and even more strange that she helped. Was she really here to help? While everyone looked at each other in doubt, she calmly walked and stood outside the barrier. Then, they looked at the pirs installed. This method isnt wrong. But there is something you didnt consider. Because of one thing, the situation now is different from 100 years ago when the experiment was done. And that is? When Jin Rim asked, she pointed to herself. The fact that 50 years ago, a genius in divine reading joined the Moon Pce. The genius went through training to be the head and has been in charge of stabilizing the heavens. And doing such a thing without my permission is bound to be difficult. Which is why I came to grant the permission of the sky, even if a bitte. But why Instead of answering, she turned to Zaha, and her eyes lookedplicated. Seol Young could guess why. She knows it. She had also found out what the High Governor did eight years ago, maybe through Zauns words and actions. . Zaha looked at her. In the wind mixed with snow powder, the two looked at each other. And it was the same when they first met after 8 years in the pce. But for Seol Young, his feelings right now are different. It wasnt hostile anymore. . The Pavilion Head looked at them. Her eyes scanned around and stopped at Seol Young. She nced at the arrow in his hand and then turned her head. Crowns of heaven stood around the pirs. Even the youngest ones were waiting for hermand without a hint of fear. . Right, fine. And she turned to Zaha again. Then, we will stabilize the heavens, and you continue your thing. I understand. Zaha said, When the sky felt stable, the light from the stone pagoda changed. Instead of being a line, it turned into a ne of light and spread. Mutations began to ur before everyones eyes. A transparent space appeared in the air, and waves were moving from the rocks. It was like there was a rippling effect in the air. A brilliant and ominous light emerged from beyond. It came through the shimmering surface, casting strange colors on the ground. It was andscape that wasnt of this world. A wave of death seemed to spread around. The Ghost Bridge? While everyone looked at it as if they were possessed, a white shadow came and stood ahead. Then, lets continue with the summoning, which was interrupted. Then Seol Young summoned spiritual qi in one hand. Unlike the White Tigers spiritual qi, it was silver and blue. Guys, watch the surroundings. Yes. At Zahas words, Baek Eon, Seo Geom, Mu Won, and Hwa Un each raised their spiritual swords high and defended themselves. In the midst of it, Seol Young drew a huge summoning spell on the ground. As soon as he began to make shapes, his mind wandered, and soon, his thoughts vanished. It had been like that since he was young. On the top of the mountain, a white snow wind continued to blow. And the white robes fluttered with silvery blue qi. Everyone held their breath, even though Seol Youngs white clothes were supposed to be a sign of humiliation. However, since Seol Young solved a lot of the supernatural cmities, it has now turned into a symbol of honor. Just do what you always do. Seol Youngpleted the summoning and calmly moved his hand without any mistakes. Finally, he put his Blue Rainbow sword in the middle. And then he turned to Zaha. Please lend me your strength, too. Zaha came across the snow and inserted the Dead yer sword there. Golden qi rose in the shape of a talisman and shone in a bright blue light. Then, powerful energy arose terrifyingly, like a tidal wave, at every spot. The entire mountain lit up as if it were in mes. The Governor, the Pavilion Head, and the hwarangs were all seeing this for the first time. And they finally saw it. Because he used such a powerful summoning technique Seol Young was able to summon Mita. Although they werent familiar with sorcery, they could feel how strong it was. Call it. Zaha ordered. And as if obeying his order, the light shone in the talisman. And Seol Young held the arrow in his hand. Then, the energy of the summoning spell was sucked into the bone fragments tied to the arrow. At that moment, the bone turned into a medium to call the soul. The power of the summoning spell was connected. Come. Seol Young sent a powerful thought to it. And in the dazzling light, his consciousness felt out of ce. In the deep, pitch darkness. The God of Cataclysm could be clearly seen. Where the new cataclysm would happen and where it would happen in the future. Along the cracks of the world, the darkness spread everywhere, trying to be one with this world. Come out. Seol Young ordered again. Lets end it now. The darkness turned into mes. It went close to him as if it wanted to burn his eyes. And at the same time, he felt like his body was being subdued. Seol Young opened his eyes. He felt the sensation in his hand Ba-dump. The bone fragments tied to the arrow in his hand were pulsating. She had arrived. Before Seol Young could even say that, everyone had already felt it. The night sky lit up like it was on fire. Soon, darkness came over like a flood. Its the God of Cataclysm! Baek Eon, Seo Geom, Mu Won, and Hwa Un raised their spiritual qi, ready. And their spiritual qi surrounded the summoning area and rose like a pir, creating a defensive wall. Zaha took out his ne and looked at Seol Young. Can you do it? Seol Young nodded instead of answering. The space began to change at the tip of the arrow. The snowy wind stopped, and then it raged like a gale. And it appeared, making everyone shudder. It was an invisible existence, but everyone could feel it this time. Jin Rim, the leaders, and everyone saw it. The one that reappeared after eight years. A being born from bloodshed. A being called as God, its true name unknown. It was part of the bone fragments. And it felt like the hands holding the bone would be crushed. But all of this is an illusion. Seol Young wasnt fooled. The weight of this existence wasnt received by his body but epted by his heart. Keeping that fact in mind, he tried to drive away the darkness that covered his heart. And he concentrated all his spiritual qi into his two hands. Ghosts cannot beat people. The voice he mumbled sounded so far away. The arrow, which felt as heavy as a mountain, finally moved. Did it. Seol Young aimed the arrow at the Ghost Bridge. But the Ghost Bridge couldnt be seen. It was cracking the space, which covered his vision. Then Zaha shouted at Jin Rim, Can you open it a little more? Yes! Jin Rim quickly checked the records he had memorized and infused spiritual qi into the pagoda. The wave, which was spreading from the pagoda, turned stronger, and the Ghost Bridge opened up a little more. A dazzling light shone, and Seol Young, unable to stand it, closed his eyes. Right. You can do that. Zahas voice could be heard clearly through the hum. Lets believe in that now. Seol Young took a deep breath. If he hesitates, he will fail. He couldnt do that now. As soon as he thought so, all the confusion vanished. It felt like he found peace, and in that state, he let go of the string. There was a sharp sound. The cold wind hit his cheek again. Seol Young opened his eyes. He could see the back of the arrow flying through the snow, and it went straight through the Ghost Bridge. At that moment, a powerful collision urred. As if an avnche had urred, the heavens andnd shook, and waves of energy burst out from the Ghost Bridge. A huge me was created around the arrow. The image of the God of Cataclysm was clear. Everyone, back off now! Zaha threw the ne of the Tree God. Against the dazzling light from the pagoda, the half ne was clear. Zaha looked at it for a while. Following that, his sword drew an arc. The sharp de split its wooden body at once. A loud shout shook the mountain. The light shone brighter, and a huge face was shining in gold. The ancient God had been brought into thend again. Tree God? The Pavilion Head seemed shocked. However, the sound was drained by the noise. Great Mother was shouting with all her might. At themand of the divine being who had been protecting thend for ages, the image of the God of Cataclysm began to get pushed away. Eventually, the barrier was breached. The God of Cataclysm began to sink into the space slowly. The n wasnt going wrong. The bridge was opened, clearly taking in the God of Cataclysm. But Darkness rose. It was unfair that not everything was perfect, but it wasnt easy to do things. I need to hurry. Seol Young raised his spiritual qi and gave strength to the Great Mother. Dae-rang! Seo Geom-rang! I get it! Baek Eon, Seo Geom, Mu Won, and Hae Wun all helped. Their spiritual qi and the tree spirits didnt mingle. But it was better than doing nothing. Go back to where you came from! Everyone poured their energy at Seol Youngsmand. The rest of the spiritual qi was raised to the limit, and Mitas image was clearly pushed more than half way. Then it started elerating gradually. But then. Seol Young caught something at the corner of his vision. In the fast changing situation happening on the ground, certain shapes began to appear one by one. They seemed to be people. People were standing on the twilight zone where everything was gone. What is that? Zahas face changed. Could they be beings from the other side? No. It hasnt been that long since we opened it. Nothing can cross over. Jin Rim answered back. Then they suddenly disappeared. ? Seol Young looked around, not able to understand what had happened. It was as if all of his senses didnt work. When he came to his senses, he found himself on the ground. Avoid it! Baek Eon shouted. He could tell he pushed him in order to protect him. From what, though? The next moment, Baek Eons body was pushed back. No. Seol Young felt dazed. Some kind of pressure erupted from Baek Eons body, and his limbs jerked. His neatly tied hair unraveled, and then both of his eyes shed. At the same time, his Yin-Yang que fell and Baek Eons Sword Spirit was smashed. No. In Seol Youngs head, everything turned white NO! Chapter 216: Mita (18) Chapter 216: Mita (18) In this world, there had been a case where a person who was fine a moment ago could turn into a monster. Red hair, shining eyes, and oddly bent limbs. In the light, Baek Eons form was clear. The whites of his eyes turned ck, and his temple was cracked. Everyone looked shocked outside the barrier. Baek Eon-rang was a monster? Seol Young couldnt see anything else. He forgot what he was doing. No! Great-rang! He ran and caught him, but before he realized it, Zaha moved. Seol Young-rang, wait. No! Dont kill him! He isnt just my Hyung! Im not killing him! He grabbed Seol Young, who was screaming, and turned. Look again. The blue light shone all over Baek Eons body and was pushed back into his own. The flinching stopped. Baek Eon touched his arms, took out something like a pill, and swallowed it. When he began to use spiritual qi, something happened. His hair, which was red, was now normal. And his eyes returned to normal, too. Dont be shocked, people! I am fine! High Governor! Baek Eon shouted. Although his left eye seemed a bit numb, he was speaking correctly. Only then did Seol Younge to his senses. Great-rang! Are you fine? Yes. Its not a big deal. Donte into contact with any strange things. We might never know, but the others might not resist it! The strange shadows were what made Baek Eon act like that, and they were spreading all over the ce. Seol Youngs eyes went dark again. We need more time. From the face of the half ne, which was burning in golden light, the broken pieces of the Tree God jumped out. The image of the God of Cataclysm was sucked into it more. They still needed more time. However, strange shadows began to appear at the boundaries. They moved toward the Hwarangs on the other side. It was a crisis that could destroy anything. I cannot help it. At that moment. The opinions of the seven people inside the barrier changed. They pushed on the enemy, as they couldnt give up now. And werent their members behind? Jin Rim stopped the operation of the pagoda, threw his body, and broke the pir behind him. Each of the five leaders did so. The pirs served as an axis to support this summoning, and when it was broken, the circle of defense failed. An opaque barrier appeared there. The barrier began at the boundary and copsed inside. High Governor! Governor! Seol Young! Great-rang! They shouted from the outside. The people called from there, as their entry was now blocked. As the barrier copsed, the storm shook the ground. Everyone gather here! Zaha lowered his sword, and his swords tip was shining gold, and it stuck somewhere. The barrier rose again. Baek Eon-rang! Seo Geom and Mu Won picked Baek Eon, and pushed him inside. Seol Young grabbed Jin Rim, who was running slowly, and rushed there. Hwa Un waited for all of them to arrive, and Seol Young asked the moment he stepped into the barrier, Great-rang, are you alright? Yes. Baek Eon replied in his usual voice. Even though I havent recovered at all, Im fine. How did you do it? What pill was it? Seol Young grabbed him and looked at him. He thought he would die from watching Baek Eon suffer like that, but he couldnt help but be grateful for how he got spared from death. Thats just our White Tiger Spirit Pill. After saying that, he reported to Zaha and Jin Rim. The moment that thing attacked me, my body felt strange. When I used the flow of spiritual qi to stop it, I felt that the qi was draining out, so I had to take out the pill, so I was able to stop it. Thank God. Everyone had the same reaction. What if Baek Eon really turned into a monster? Just imagining it made the future seem dark. But After turning off the me, a question arose. Seol Young asked cautiously, We are really fortunate, but does a disfigured spirits change stop just like that? No. Zaha answered. Once it starts, thats all. One cannot stay sane like Baek Eon did or stop it. Then how Because this isnt real. Hwa Un said, You might not believe my words, but that is the truth. If it was a real disfigured spirit, it wouldnt stop. Since it stopped, it means that treatment is possible. If Baek Eon-rang heads back and takes treatment for it, he will recover fully. Only then did Seol Young feel relieved, and he turned to Baek Eon. You will be taken back soon. Right. He cast his gaze over the barrier and then to Zaha. For now, we have sessfully pushed her away from our world. Right now, the barrier is perfectly safe, and her power cant reach us. How much did they wish to be able to expel her? Everyone thought the same thing. Now, we reopen the Ghost Bridge by activating the pagoda, which got stopped in the middle, and block it off. Then, she will be dragged to the other side. I am almost ready. After that, we can close the Ghost Bridge, and the space will gain stability. Then we can head out. Yes. Everyone nodded at Zahas words. It might be confusing because the space is distorting, but since I touched the pagoda, it is tough to know where my qi is. Jin Rim shot his aura over the barrier. Beyond the strange glow and wind, the stone pagoda shone like a lighthouse. Fortunately, only three stones were shining at the bottom, which meant that they had time until they went off. Lets go! Yes! Zaha stepped out first. Following them, they made their way out of the barrier. But when they wanted to go far, the space began to distort. Dark shadows came over. Their eyes shone, and the body of the Governor and the others bent back Great-rang! Seol Young grabbed Baek Eon. Right next to him, Seo Geom fell. Seo Geom-rang! After holding them together, Zaha looked at him. High Governor, what do we do? Zaha frowned and lowered his sword. But when the barrier tried to rise agan, it copsed. Head back there! The leaders barely suppressed their change and went back. Great-rang! Baek Eon didnt seem to be in good condition. In an instant, his face was covered in cracks, and his entire body flinched. It was something he had gone through twice. Seol Young hurriedly rummaged through his chest and took out the pill. He crushed it into his hand and poured it into his mouth, Finally, his breathing stabilized. The otheralso , did it on their own. After a while, all of them suppressed their changes and were back to normal. What happened? They ask,ed unable to understand. When thG governor usehis e spiritual qi, nothing happened th,en why now? As if something wants us to changeoo. Was there a reason for that? Seol Young thought and said, Mita is an existence brought through pain, and the soul changed into something like a deformed spirit first. After that, the ghost turned stronger. Then is she Their faces went pale Trying to do the same as then? Since we are sending her to the other side, she is trying to make a perfect vessel for her toe? Everyone went speechless at Zahas guess. Seems right. she aimed for Seol Young-rnag, but failed and then decided to look for another. To take the soul of one of us. Jin Rim bit his lip. How many pills do we have? Little. It is more for restoration than curing, so I didnt bother bringing any. Baek Eon turnd his pockets overs and showd them. So did the other. I have littlebut Seol Young took out the pouch Baek Eon gave him long back. There were around 10 or so pills. And it would end with 2 usages. Then what now? The face of Jin Rim changed ? Everyone looked where he was looking and beyond the barrier. Now the fourth one was also shining. Because we moved? Zaha frowned. What happens if it touches the 7th one? The pagoda will stop working. Then it wont respond to my internal aura. At Jin Rims cal, silence fell. Then if they got out without a n, things will end. Before that, they had to find a way. but they couldnt find a single thing to do NO other means is all I. Mu Won said, There is a way for someone to be a vessel. That way, we can through ourself to the other side. And then the rest will survive. He spoke so calmly. Well, I left all the work behind to our second in charge whening over What are you saying? Seo Geom frowned. if you put it that way, there is our troops too. I prepared everything too! Seo Jun-rang had simr situation so it makes no sense for you do go through this. You want your uncle to be depressed all his life? Baek Eon asked ck Tortoise, Blue Dragon, Vermillion Bird cannot do a thing without their leaders but our White Tiger Cannot be the same with Baek Eon-rang right? I wont let Seol Young-yang go through that. Hwa Un said, I assure you, none of these people have arranged a care for the next. Governor, let me do this. Enough! Jin Rim spoke loudly. Everyone is so wrong. I exist to do such things. I will go. No. Zaha said, Everyone is wrong. Uh? No, high governor! You need to care for the hwarangs. Dont worry. I have no idea of doing that. Think I am crazy? To do that sacrifice? Why are you thinking of dying when surviving at all costs is important? Zaha said like it was absurd. The start of the task itself is wrong. Did you think anything would be the same after? Instead of going there, she will kill everyone else and operate the tower there ande back here. He was right. An even greater disaster would strike them down. Getting the best of a hwarangs troops would let her run wild. She has to stopped. Then, we will stay until th pagoda stops to work. Baek Eon said, A look of peace appeared on their faces. If they died after taking her down, wouldnt that be a nice death? They thought so No. Seol Young shook his head If everyone died hre, what should the people left alive do? We dont have to die together. He closed his eyes. There is a way for one person to die and end this. The secret arts. What if someone here did that? There is nothing hard anymore. The space will be stable, the world back to normal. It is like that with it. Seol Young opened his eyes. What he thought he couldnt do. It was like that at first and even more so now. He saw it with his own eyes how terrifying it is. But. It couldnt be helped. It wasnt something to choose for himself. Just like Zaha did 8 years back. He remembered what he wrote in the note before leaving. What would he say to his loved ones if he were to die? Do not be sad. The fact that he wrote that one thing meant that he himself was prepared for this to an extent. A decision made before he stepped in, and had to be done before the pagoda stopped and someone gets taken in by the God of Cataclysm. Because he was the only one who knows about this art. Right. Seol Young made up his mind. Which is why I need to do it. When he decided that, he felt lighter. But there was just one problem. Seol Young looked away. Zaha was lost in thought, he frowned. And Seol Young didnt understand what was happening in those eyes. And he said High governor how about the two of us go over there and look at something? .? Zaha had a sullen expression. However, without another word, he followed Seol Young. Chapter 217: Mita (19) Chapter 217: Mita (19) As soon as he left the ce, Zaha said, Seol Young-rang is strange. Baek Eon-rang had just been through something like that, and you want to move casually? You dont know when he will have another incident. We need to stick by his side to not let him fall.. That was the problem. Zaha was too quick-witted. What if he found out Seol Youngs n? He would surely stop it. He would let Baek Eon and maybe everyone else know about it. Although he himself had be a victim of that technique, wasnt he the one with the character who wouldnt allow anyone else to try it? So he had to cheat and sneak up on the High Governor Can I really do it though? Looking back at the past until now, he knew it wouldnt be easy. Wasnt it Seol Young who got deceived by Zaha until now? Still, I need to do something. Seol Young went to the corner of the barrier. Its fine. Dae-rang can see well from here. The figures of people over there could be seen. Jin Rim and Hwa Un began to search for a new way. Beside him, Baek Eon, Seo Gem, and Mu Won gathered all their righteous weapons and belongings to see what would work. Everyone had traces of a disfigured spirit being infected in them, but they didnt seem much aware of it. Seol Young looked at them and said, Baek Eon-rang will be fine. Actually, I cant imagine hell die. Arent you feeling even a bit embarrassed to say all this? You are acting like a person without reasoning. Are you trying to ask me to save your Hyung, who is now a disfigured spirit? Seol Young-rang is arrogant enough to do things that no one else has dared to do till now. He either had to lower his head and apologize for his words or reply with, Even the High Governor cant pull out the sword, right? and just ept it. Normally, he would have said it. However, Seol Young raised his spiritual qi at the tip of his finger without saying anything. The air was crushed, and ck smoke rose from within. At the end, another beginning was born, and when it ended, another beginning was born, and it spread out in the shape of a mand. This was expected. The aura of the God of Cataclysm is spreading through this space. Seol Young observed the flow of the demonic qi. The mand spread thinly like ink in the air. And then, when he met the barrier created by Zaha, he was instantly sucked into it. This barrier also secretly hid Zahas demonic qi within the golden aura. It absorbed the energy of the God of Cataclysm and protected it. Seol Young lowered his hand. But even this barrier must have its limits, right? Did you call me out on purpose to ask that? Zaha looked around the barrier. Ill be fine until I die again, so lets quickly find a way before that. As always, we can surely find a way somehow. Yes, there is a way Seol Youngs gaze went back to the other side of the golden barrier. Red, green, orange, and dark blue. Lightning continued to hit the sky, mixed with colors. During that time, a huge tornado was rising and sweeping everything away. Still, it seems that the two of us are more resistant to the energy of the God of Cataclysm than the five Seol Young took out a talisman from his pocket. Can we make a guardian with the demonic qi of the High Governor? Just like how the talisman was done to take the spirit for the painting. I will try it once. On the paper he wanted to draw on, he drew strokes of his own ord and infused demonic energy. So shall we take this till the end? Yes. There is nothing wrong with trying. The two of them came out of the barrier and asked to borrow Jin Rims Yin-Yang que as Governor. He set out with the protection of the demonic qi, which was equal to the God of Cataclysm. However, after taking a couple of steps, ck cracks formed on his fingers. And it aimed at his heart. The sense of the boundaries of his ego was copsing, and the things that should be constant were now changing. The feeling that everything that defined him had been scattered and was starting to be arranged in apletely different manner. It was the same sensation as when Mitas existence was epted on the other side. Dangerous. Seol Young sent a signal to retreat. Zaha tried to create a temporary base by raising his qi. But this time, his own barrier copsed. Seol Young-rang, this way! The two hurriedly went into the original barrier shelter and realized that fighting against the darkness was breaking down their hearts. Zaha frowned. Why cant we put up barriers anywhere else than here? Whats in here? Seol Young knew something, but pretended not to know anything. I will try other methods. First, like the illusion in the case of Miss Dohwa and her dice, they created a new realm by using a spell with Zahas demonic qi. However, even that ce was quickly assimted into the chaos outside. Zaha suggested, Just like how the Governor used his spiritual qi to do it, how about we call a summoned beast with spiritual qi and then send it there to control it? It sounds good. After a while, a bird created bybining the spiritual and demonic qi of the two of them flew outside with the Yin-Yang que of the Governor around its neck. However, as soon as a seal was made to help it with directions and thoughts, the shape of the bird turned into smoke. The summoned beast immediately perished the moment it was given free thoughts. It was the same, no matter how many times they tried. However, if they didnt manage to infuse the thoughts into it, then the beast would never find the stone tower. Not this either. After taking back the Yin-Yang que, Zaha threw the Dead yer Sword away, and it bounced off and flew his way. Is there another way? Seol Young didnt answer him right then. But then a dazzling light burst out of the storm raging around them. And Jin Rim and the other leaders who noticed it stopped moving. Seo Geom frowned, holding his flute. What is that? It was somehow unusual. Seol Young and Zaha quickly returned to them. At that moment, a certain space opened up in wide light. Everyone doubted their eyes. That? At the top of Danseok Mountain, where the snowstorm raged, the outside of the barrier was visible. The Hwarangs, trainees, and the officials, who were left behind Everyone was covered in blood and crying out for help. An illusion. Seol Young tried to avoid Song Oks face and said, Its a ploy to get us out of here. We must never head there. It did seem that way. Their familiar faces were crying out in fear, but they all turned their eyes away. The hallucination soon vanished. But that wasnt the end. What is that again? Jin Rim pointed in one direction. And a huge shadow appeared on the horizon. It was a figure of a woman with a crown on her head and her robe fluttering. The God of Cataclysm. At that moment, the bodies of Jin Rim and Mu Won, who were on the outermost side, bent violently. Both of them were being dragged outside like puppets with strings. Governor! Mu Won-rang! The others hastily moved to grab them. But was it because of the effect that was simr to a disfigured spirit? Jin Rim and Mu Won lost their reasoning and rebelled against those helping them. Governor! Calm down! Zaha grabbed Jin Rim and pressed him down, and Seol Young hurriedly wrote something onto a talisman. On the other hand, Seo Geom quickly went around and cast Asura Arts to block Mu Won. Stop! If you dont, you will die! Baek Eon and Hwa Un went to the side to avoid the powerful martial arts that Mu Won had unknowingly unfolded. Mu Won was hit hard by Hwa Uns fan, and soon after, Baek Eons physical tackling technique caught both of his legs. They managed to barely suppress it. However, the symptoms of suffocation and losing themselves, which they had suppressed for so long, spread to the left half of their bodies. Jin Rim and Mu Won had changed from their faces to their waists. Baek Eon had changed until his chest, while Seo Geom and Hwa Un had changed until the nape of their necks. Governor and the four leaders took another pill and cultivated its flow to calm their bodies. Eventually, Mu Won let out a long sigh and opened his mouth. I will be a vessel to the God of Cataclysm and throw myself to the other side. There is no reason to say such things. He nced at Seol Young and said, 7 years ago too, I said that the Ghost Demon King would end right away with our skills. At that moment, everyones face went stiff. However, Mu Won himself didnt seem to care. Why? I said it as a joke. Joke? Yes, Governor. When people die, others change. The thought of dying makes me want to say things. Mu Won-rang, you are talking a lot today. Mu Won ignored Seo Geoms words and turned to Seol Young. Im sorry. If I think about it, it wasnt just a big deal, and I was being nave. Seol Youngs eyes widened. Although he apologized first, he didnt expect that Mu Won would alsoe ahead and apologize to him. Right. Seo Geom let out a big sigh. Mu Won-rang is right. It wasnt such a big deal, and misunderstandings continued to build up, which created a bad rtionship. I am sorry. Seol Young-rang. At that time, I received an apology, but I couldnt answer back. But actually, I thought it was us who were at fault. Why is everyone being like this? Hwa Un tapped the fan with a slightly nervous look. Right. Well, to be honest, after Seol Young-rang went to our southern residence, I somehow didnt get as angry as I used to. Then, I should ept the apology, and Seol Young-rang, I am sorry too. No. Seol Young bowed his head to everyone. I was being narrow-minded. Then silence fell again. In the midst of it, the light of the stone pagoda shone in the distance and went up to five levels. I wanted to see this sight once before I die, and one of them hase true. Zaha smiled and said, What we mean by saying Hwa Un looked around at everyone, We were wrong. It was a situation where we had to ask each other to die, than offer ourselves first. If needed, I wouldnt mind dying to stop them froming out. Governor, High Governor, am I wrong? Actually, this isnt much different from the real disfigured spirit. Jin Rim spoke with a gloomy look. As the Governor said, I really have no face to show. If the same situation as before happens, I will cut my hands and die peacefully. I want to, but Seo Gem shrugged. If I lose my reasoning and go out as the God of Cataclysms new vessel, cut my hands before I use them. Understand? With the Asura mes? Mu Won said, I might break muscles and bones with martial arts, so you will have to take me down. And take care of Hwa Un-rang, too. Nice. Hwa Un-rang agreed. Instead, if I end up losing my sanity first, Mu Won-rang will handle me. I dont want to be covered in blood and die oddly, so just strangle me. He handed a string to Mu Won. Baek Eon stared nkly at this scene before opening his mouth. If there is at least one truth in this situation, and it happens to us, it is that the High Governor and Seol Young-rang will outlive us. I believe that if you continue to look for a way, you will surely find something. After talking like that, he turned to Seol Young. Sorry. I promised your Hyungs that I wouldnt let you get hurt. Baek Eon-rang, its still early to have such talks. Zaha said with a stiff face. Being prepared and giving up are two different things. You cannot give up till the end. Dont we still have time? Yes. Everyone nodded. Even though we met an enemy that would be difficult to defeat at this moment. We will protect the honor of the Hwarang troops till the end. We fight till the end. Seol Young looked down at his hands and listened to their words. He thought that this might be a hasty decision. But no. I already tried every method I could think of. He raised his head and looked at the five people who were really struggling with their bodies, and then he looked at Baek Eon. Of course, Dae-rang would be sad, but if he were in my position, wouldnt he have done the same thing without another thought? Seol Young clenched his fists. And said to everyone, Actually, there is onest option. What is that? Zaha asked, I didnt say anything because I would be called insane again Seol Young calmly said. Chapter 218: Mita (20) Chapter 218: Mita (20) Until now, we have tried various ways to exit this space and go to the stone pagoda. But the evil spirit continues to block us from doing that. So we might have to change the n. Hmm? No one understood Seol Youngs words. Change the n? Jin Rim asked with a serious face. Then you dont want to head to the pagoda but move further away from it? Yes, Governor. Lets head in the opposite direction. Opposite direction? Surely the space didnt copse when the Ghost Bridge was opened, right? One end of the bridge is blocked, and the other is left open. Its on the other side of the world. Seol Young began to exin by drawing in the air. Currently, the God of Cataclysm is blocking the way, so we cant go near the stone pagoda. So, lets change directions and head to the other side. Rather than sitting here and doing nothing, its better to search for a new way while avoiding her. His own voice felt so calm as he spoke about it, as if he were talking from the other side of a wall. How was he able to lie this well? It was useless to head to the other side. Perhaps the hallucinations they saw would ur again. A world of twilight where everything had ended, with shadows simply lingering around. Everything destroyed. Even if they seeded in crossing, there was nothing awaiting them on the other side. That was why the God of Cataclysm was struggling to never return there again. Because she wanted to exist here. Even if she wanted to morph into another soul and use it, she wanted it to happen right here in Si. You brought in something that is so horrible. Seol Young felt bitter again. The Ghost Bridge isnt the only way to connect the two worlds. Even when the High Governor and I suddenly went missing, we came back through that path. The God of Cataclysm is bound to the Ghost Bridge now, and we just have to get up and go through the other path. And then everything will be over. No one will die. Hmm. Everyone seemed to be in serious thought. No one had ever thought of going to the other side of the Ghost Bridge. Should they still try it? It was hard to be optimistic now, but there was hope that something was left to try. It seems like a crazy idea to go to the other side instead of the pagoda Seo Geom said, Everything Seol Young-rang has done until now has been insane by my standards. I also think its better to try something than sit around without doing anything. If things go well He couldnt continue. Suddenly, he heard a tapping sound from inside his body. The pupils of his eyes were turning red, and his fingernails were sticking out. ! Seo Geom quickly put his sword on the ground and brought up his aura. A bright aura shone over it like a me, and he managed to suppress the disfigurement of his soul. So cowardly! As soon as he calmed down, he burst into anger. As the head of the Hwarangs, I have been through so many crises, yet is it trying to stop me from saying even a few words now? Do not get too excited. Mu Won advised him. Right. The sooner you lose your cool, the worse it gets. This is why it is continuing to show us these hallucinations. It works on anyone, so just driving one of us insane is enough. Hwa Un also helped and looked at them as if saying, I think Seo Geom-rang will be the first to go here. Then he said, Come to think of it The reason why the God of Cataclysm is able to find us despite the barrier is because our qi stands out, right? If everyone seeps into deep meditation and hides their qi, then it might be hard for her to find us. We will also not be shaken so easily, right? That is worth trying, too. Jin Rim nodded and looked at Zaha. High governor, I will try it first, so please watch the flow of the qi. I understand. Zaha moved to them. Now. While they were discussing, Seol Young secretly focused. His consciousness began to gather at one point. [] And he felt a call. It was the same sound he heard in theke before. Although it had faded nowpared to then, he noticed it and moved. Within the golden barrier, there was a part that was covered in darkness. There it was. The shattered fragments of the Great Mother. It was as Seol Young had guessed. The reason why it was possible to build this barrier and was the only safe ce was because of thest remaining traces of the God. And if there are traces here And he was right again. The object Seol Young expected was also there. The arrow which rushed and broke at thest moment Seol Young retrieved the bone fragments of the God of Cataclysm tied to the arrow. It must have happened then. It must have been like this eight years ago when Zaha nned and executed the Die Together Circle. He must have prepared for it step by step in this way, without anyone knowing. The chains and the techniques were all being prepared one after another. He knew firsthand how it felt. shouldnt it be a feeling close to peace in meditation? Dont let your guard down. The discussion ended. The five of them, who had to fight for their souls, sat with a stiff posture, and Seol Young told them, Then I will look at the other side of the Ghost Bridge with the High Governor. I still have some medicine left Baek Eon raised his eyes and looked at him. Although this was a critical situation for him, the guy still smiled warmly. It seemed that he was proud that Seol Youn had finally resolved his ill rtionships with the other leaders and began to look for new ways. Right. Be careful. Seol Young didnt answer right away. He couldnt lie to Baek Eon, who didnt know anything. Sorry. But the White Tiger Troops taught us to never regret our lives and follow our thoughts His life would have ended in the hands of the Demon Lair Lord, so he had to repay the favor. Dont be too sad. Seol Young said while suppressing the choking sensation in his throat. Great-rang, take care of yourself too. Baek Eon nodded with his half-closed eyes, and the other leaders were already meditating with their eyes fixed on the pagoda. Zaha looked at them and then turned. Do we leave then? Yes. Seol Young turned around without looking back. When he came out of the golden barrier, he could see the scene outside. The sky was on fire, and the ground was cracking. The space itself turned into an absurd scene. You said lets go, but I dont know how far we can go in this ce. Zaha looked ahead. The sh of light in the sky made his face visible, and the golden light in his eyes was clearly burning bright. Certainly, I dont feel the resistance as strong as when we went into the pagoda He raised his hand and drew something in the air. The thick energy that spread around them began to copse like a thin mist. But should we be careful? yes. Seol Young replied that way. With only the two of them left, it seemed that even the slightest hint of being suspicious would be immediately discovered. The two quietly walked along the crack. When they changed direction, it felt so different. Even after leaving the barrier, the strange feeling that their nature would change didnte to them. Zaha drew his sword, ready for anything. I cant be careless. I have demonic qi within me and a strong resistance, so I should use your body as a measurement. Tell me the moment something feels off right away, so we can head back. Yes. Seol Young walked and looked ahead. Whirlwinds lined up along the horizon, which continued to throw winds at them. Between them, clouds of all kinds of colors rose like pirs. Can we head there? He calcted the approximate point while estimating the demonic qi that spread through the space. Was it because, unlike earlier, he was holding Mitas bone? He could feel the ck film hidden in the space quickly gather around him. When will it start? Seol Young raised his hand. Then lightning shed, and a thick sandstorm rose from the crack. One wrong move and we will miss the chance. I should at least keep talking so you dont move far. Zaha said as he continued to walk. Come to think of it, you asked what I would do for a living once everything ended, right? What will you do, Seol Young-rang? Me? Seol Young answered. I will return to the White Tiger Troops. Take on missions with my hyungs and solve them, as well as teach the trainees. You will be busy. You should be busy. Still, I am d that you dont have to fight with the other troops. I cant bear to hear the White Tiger Troops always saying, Seol Young-rang isnt friendly, but he isnt a bad person anymore. I know that you can hear me. If Seol Young-rang sneaks into my house and puts up talismans in a rushed manner, and if I get angry and throw them all away then your three hyungs wille and apologize instead. Right. Before he knew it, he began to feel odd things in his body. Seol Young pretended to touch his sword and looked at his left hand. I cant even get to that point. He thought as he hid his hand, and Zaha said, But we might die without getting anything out. Seol Young hesitated. right. His heart clenched. It seemed that a single mistake here would expose everything. If we die, what happens? Its a world where even the Buddha died. Zaha mumbled. Seol Young-rang, do you know what Buddha left behind in his death? I dont know. What is the will of Buddha? High Governor, you are trying to y with the wrong terms. Are you really thinking about that? But really, before Buddha passed away, there was a will he left to his disciple, Ananda. Would you like to listen? Yes. When Ananda learned that Buddha would soon pass away, Buddha called to him and said As he walked through the wilderness, he continued, Ananda, did I not tell you? Everything you love has no choice but to disappear, and no choice but to part and change. Everything that is born, grows, andes into existence is bound to crumble one day, so how could it not disappear even if told them not to? Why was he saying something like this? Like he knew something. Seol Young was in agony. However, he listened without saying that, and his heart slowly settled. So Ananda. Do not grieve or feel sad. Be an ind and find a haven within yourself. Those were thest words of Buddha. All the past events passed through his eyes, one after another. Right. Its not bad to end up like this. Seol Young closed his eyes and opened them again. The huge barrier from the rift was blocking the path. It was brilliant and overwhelming, as if it were announcing the end of the world. The two stopped in front of it and looked up at the wall. What do I do now? Are you going to find a way to break through? Zaha took a step ahead. When Seol Young didnt move, he turned around and asked, What is it? Seol Young raised his eyes and looked at him. Well. Now that this has happened, no matter what I say, I have no choice but to believe it. Even if I am led to hell, I have no choice but to follow. So, I guess this is where we finally arrive. .? And this cannot happen anymore. Seol Young held out his left hand, which he had been hiding. The darkness was already taking over his hand, and even as he was showing it, it was slowly spreading. It began to change. I think you know what this means His voice trembled, unable to continue. But he wanted to be strong until the end. But now, thinking that it was really over, he felt emotional. Chapter 219: Mita (21) Chapter 219: Mita (21) As expected, I cant. Only then did Seol Young say the words in his heart. Preparing on your own without anyone knowing, casuallyughing and talking until the end, saying goodbye to people who didnt know anything, and calmly leaving to die How did you do that? Even if it was eight years ago, and even if you were the Governor then, werent you just a year or two older than me then? Zaha just stood there and watched. He didnt even know what Seol Young was saying. Why did he have to bring Zaha this far away from everyone? Why didnt he say anything when his hand was being encroached, and why create such a situation? He couldnt understand a thing. Seol Young continued with a trembling voice. I saw it through the Memory Projection. The circle I was able to see everything that happened eight years ago through the eyes of the God of Cataclysm. And I learned it. The secret art that has now disappeared from the world. Zahas expression seemed to change. He didnt know if this was just a random spark in the forest. Of course, I didnt really think I would learn it because its something people shouldnt do. However, I wanted to use it if there was no other way. But aftering this far, the end result is still the same. That is the only sure way, so shouldnt someone do it? And that person is me. This time, it has to be me. Seol Youngs eyes turned to the back, where they left from. You want to save them too. You are desperately thinking of a way to not let even a single one of them die. We barely managed to hold the God of Cataclysm back in our world, and Im afraid that it will all turn into nothing. Seol Young turned his gaze back to his hand. The darkness had now reached his wrist. It started to change quickly and move swiftly. And it was a scary thing to have ones soul change into something else. But he had to do this. Otherwise, he was afraid of giving up halfway. He thought he would inform Zaha about the n and then ask him to head back. Eventually, all seven of them would be stranded here and die. Or someone would be the vessel of the evil spirit, and this would all be a waste. After that, they would regret itter. Thus, he opted to do this, since there was no other way. Even if we suppress the change happening, we had left all the pills back there Even if I head back, I will change halfway before we even reach that ce. I will be the new vessel for the God of Cataclysm to reside in. Then you know what will happen. No one will be able to stop me. The words that came from his own mouth sounded scary, but he had to say them. Before that, make the choice. First, kill me on the spot with your sword and find a new way if the situation doesnt improve. Second, let me use my body to use the circle, and the six of you will return safely. There is no reason to even think about it. Zaha looked at Seol Young without saying anything. The colors pouring from the rippling sky cast countless shadows, and a dark look appeared on Zahas face. However, there was no change in his eyes. He didnt even ask if Seol Young had lost it. He wasnt angry or surprised. And then his lips moved Its so like you until the end. There was this bittersweet feeling in his voice. And that shook Seol Youngs heart more than anything else. The feeling of regretting this. It seemed like he wanted to say something like he didnt want Seol Young to die or that he didnt want him to die in a horrible way. But he suppressed it. Then Seol Young spoke with an expressionless face. Im not asking for help. Just let me leave here. I will spread the circle, create a tomb, and walk by myself inside to finish everything. I fully understand what I am doing. There are the bone fragments to bind the evil spirit here, so we will never fail. . So just say that I did well. It would be a shameful death for Teacher, my hyungs, and the trainee kids. Pour me a ss of wine every year. Or tell me something. At least for me, to walk with a light heart to my grave No. Zaha cut him off. Seol Young-rang, you are out of your mind. No matter how much you beg and threaten me, do you think I will allow you to do that? Then? Seol Young asked, What will you do if you wont allow it? There are just two choices. So, will you kill me? The wind blew and scattered their hair, and then Zaha opened his mouth with a cold face. Remember what you said to me when the peace ritual failed and you copsed? No. Seol Young shook his head. What did I say? I told you that you needed to survive for sure. Me? He still didnt remember it. It was a simple memory of him saying something earnestly before losing consciousness. Right. Zaha smiled. Isnt it funny? How can someone who is already dead survive? You, who knew better than anyone else, were an idiot for saying such a thing. But Seol Young shook his head again. But isnt it true that you are alive and breathing? Even though you are dead, you got another life. I died then. Zaha cut off his words. The golden light shone thickly in his eyes. Didnt you feel it all through the memory you saw? My breathing stopped, my heart stopped slowly, and my whole body went cold. My presence vanished from the world. And I chose that. Then, should I getpensated, too? Seol Young didnt say anything. Zaha, feeling the wind, opened his mouth again. You know better than anyone else. There are billions of Buddhas in the billions of worlds, and even if all of them were summoned, the dead cant be brought back to life. The dead need to return to the underworld. But The only thing stopping me is regret. Zaha cut off his words. The people who died without a solution in front of my eyes, and the people I had to kill. As I watched them, I questioned it countless times. Why did I have to suffer like this? In some worlds, there are people who live without worries, so why are we the only ones to suffer like this? Of course, I have been thinking that there is some meaning to all of this. But no. They were all pure disasters. No one did anything wrong, but suddenly, thend cracked, the tsunami hit us, and lightning struck. They were natural disasters that humans couldnt prevent. . The two of us were trying to stop that, and in spite of all the difficult situations, we somehow found a way, and we tried to make the best choice in each moment. That is what happened. Zahas eyes turned to Seol Young, and there was a me burning in her eyes. I regret nothing about the things I couldnt do before I died or the things I never thought to do. It was because I met you and did everything. This time, I wasnt so lonely or helpless. Another dry wind blew in, and he spoke in the midst of it. You said one day, If there is death, there will be rebirth, and it means calming down the soul and putting it to sleep. . Do you understand it now, Seol Young-rang? It wasnt the God of Cataclysm for whom you had to do the ritual. Your nation is the evil one. And your ritual for peace was sessful. Seol Young was dumbfounded. What do you mean? Zaha spoke coldly. You move out. I will finish this. Seol Young asked in shock, How will you end it? The existence of the God of Cataclysm is something we dont understand. Havent we already tried out different methods? No matter what method I use, it doesnt work. Right. But what do you mean? The only way is that circle! He felt his chest tighten from the new nervousness he was feeling, like he was being suffocated. Out of desperation, Seol Young continued, I am the only one in this world who would know how to use that unique technique. No one else can use it. Just because you have done it once doesnt mean you can do it again, and after using that technique once, the process disappears from the mind. Right. Then what can the High Governor do? Well. Zaha mumbled with a careless expression. It will work out somehow? And then he turned. Wait! Seol Young reached out and tried to grab him. However, his hand, which was infected with darkness, didnt move like he wanted it to. Zaha lightly stepped back. The ck cloth with a golden design slipped past his fingers. I will finish properly what I couldnt eight years ago. He said so with a smile. You can trust me this time. ck smoke came out. The moment the smoke hit him, all of a sudden, all the strength went out of his body. Seol Young sat down, and copsed onto the ground, like his entire body was paralyzed. Demonic qi? He thought so, but no. The demonic qi was just a trick, and the true cause was spiritual qi. The qi hadpletely assimted into Seol Youngs body. Zaha had put restrictions on him and paralyzed his whole body. Since he was the head of the Sun and Moon Troops, he used their spiritual qi. Seol Youngs face turned blue. But I came all the way here It was all nned. But then he pretended not to know and lied. What can you even do?! Seol Young forcibly used his spiritual qi to relieve the paralysis. He didnt even think that it would ruin his body. Wait! Wait! High Governor! The moment the paralysis was lifted, he got up and ran. His immobile body fell and rolled several times, but he didnt feel any pain. WAAAIIIT! A ck barrier blocked his eyes, and he couldnt believe it. Heavenly Circle? How? The only thing Zaha learned was one summoning technique and a few misceneous spells. Then how did he use this? This was a lie. High Governor! High Governor! Lets talk! Wait a minute! And look at my face! He tried to walk past the barrier, but he couldnt do anything now. Seol Young raised his spiritual qi and knocked on the barrier recklessly. I was wrong! Do not do this! I wont say that I am going to do that again! No matter how much he pounded, hit, or tried to tear it, it didnt budge. Right, I just need to do it quickly. Seol Young put his hand in his pocket. But there was nothing there. The bone fragments of the evil spirit werent there. How? The moment his eyes looked at the barrier, someone summoned a great being from inside. Between the patterns that expanded everywhere, he could see familiar terms. Die Together Circle? Everything felt lost in Seol Youngs eyes. This cannot be. This was a different technique. Just because he used it once doesnt mean he can use it again. Lie. It was all a lie. But An explosion happened inside the ck barrier, which blocked his eyes. There was a collision of two opposing qis, and the end arose from the beginning and the beginning from the end, consuming each other. No. Seol Young mumbled nkly. In the dazzling light, he could see the darkness that had reached his upper arm slowly vanish. NO! An unfamiliar scream that he had never heard before erupted from his mouth. THIS HAS TO BE A LIEEEE!! Chapter 220: Mita (21) Chapter 220: Mita (21) There was a blurry shadow in Seol Youngs unfocused eyes. The energy of the God of Cataclysm dominated the entire space here, with the thick ck energy being sucked into the sky. It wasnt something they could resist. As if he realized that it was wrong after it moved, the ck energy tried to move out. However, a powerful binding force pulled it back. The Die Together technique was invoked using the soul as a material. And it must be the result of thebination of the binding power of the bone fragments that brought that being into thisnd. Then what about the dazzling glow from within? It was annihtion. It was a lesson from hisst failure, and Zaha stepped in with his sword to finish it perfectly this time. No. No. Seol Young erased the thoughts that were running through his head. He couldnt believe all this. How could a person do such a terrible thing twice? It couldnt be. Absolutely not. Stop! Stop! Seol Youngs hand, which was forcibly opening this barrier, was pushed back. Then he touched one of the 12 Guardian Spirits. It was a warming. However, when Seol Young didnt back down and tried to do it again, he was struck with a tremendous repulsive force. Puak! His vision went ck, and his body went numb. In that state, another explosion happened, and Seol Young was caught up in it without being able to avoid it. And when he barely came to his senses Everything in front of him was already entwined and disappearing as if there were an eclipse. Seol Young was dumbfounded. No? Through the cracks of this heavenly barrier, he could see the inside. There was nothing, there and he couldnt even sense anything. An unfamiliar scene entered his eyes. Suddenly, everything changed. The demonic qi that twisted this barrier was cut off from this world. The light pouring down from the sky felt like a blessing from the heavens, and the whirlwind around them made the restless light disappear. Only traces of the cracks remained. A world that stood still as if nothing existed anymore. And then a golden light shed. Seol Young looked back. High The words in his mouth stuttered. And then Jin Rim appeared. He was surprised to find Seol Young standing there. Thank God, I found you! As Jin Rim wielded his golden wheel, the righteous weapon, a spiritual qi burst out. Its light spread around in strokes of rays, correcting the entire space that was formless. And then came a flutes sound from Seo Geom. Over there! The leaders came running, and all five of them seemed to have returned to their normal ways. With no traces of redness on their bodies. Jin Rim shouted as the spiritual qi spread everywhere, Now! Since the God of Cataclysm has disappeared, we need to get away from here! Yes! The stone pagoda, which was found through the spiritual qi, had already gone to the 6th level.. Soon, the beings beyond the Ghost Bridge wille over! Before that, you need to close the Ghost Bridge! Yes! Baek Eon, Seo Geom, Mu Won, and Hwa Un quickly moved to support the pir. Seo Geom used the flute, and the others pulled out their righteous weapons. From the center, there was the spiritual energy of the White Tiger Troops, Blue Dragon Troops, ck Tortoise Troops, and Vermillion Bird Troops. All of them used their weapons to fill the distorted space in front of them. The barrier began to function again, and it looked like the sky andnd were back to normal. We did it! Jin Rim immediately applied spiritual qi to the stone tower. And the seven stones fell apart. At that moment, the opaque surface of the water-like substance opened up in the middle of the air and then vanished. its closed! Someone shouted outside the barrier. The Ghost Bridge is closed! There were loud voices with the cold wind, and the torches were all lit Everything was back to normal. Those left behind the barrier were worried and took countermeasures. And then, when everything was normal, they looked in surprise. You are back! What happened?! The God of Cataclysm! Amid the flurry of questions, Jin Rim shook his head. I dont know. During the fight, its presence vanished all of a sudden, and we hurriedly escaped from there, not missing our chance. Then is the evil spirit inside? Jin Rim looked back. There was nothing there, not even a trace of the bridge connecting the two worlds. Right. Everyone looked so relieved. They finally did it. No one had any idea just how worried they were that the nightmare from eight years ago would return again. We nearly did it. Everyone had the same expression this time. The very long night was over, with a deep purple light shining in the sky. It was a solemn atmosphere at the top of the mountain, where the wind and snow were blowing. But then Baek Eon, Seo Geom, Hwa Un, and Mu Won stepped forward. I dont see the High Governor. Hmm? Jin Rim didnt understand. Wasnt he with Seol Young-rang? After saying that, he realized that he didnt notice it, and then he thought he saw him with Seol Young. Jin Rims heart skipped a beat. Could it be that they are the only ones who escaped? But that didnt make sense. If the High Governor had been left behind, Seol Young would have said something. The two of them didnt move far away, so nothing wrong should have happened. Then, where was he? The other guardians? Did they move to look under the mountain? Everyone seemed to be busy, and Seol Young just stood there. Something wasnt normal. And the loud talks faded. Seol Young. Baek Eon asked, How did the God of Cataclysms power suddenly disappear? . Seol Young-rang, where is the High Governor? Seo Geom asked again, and Seol Young finally said, He useda technique. Technique? Whih one? But it makes no sense. It cant be done. Not a single bit of it makes sense. Seol Young shook his head. This surely has to be a joke. He must have used another technique to take down the God of Cataclysm and plotted to scare us. Its impossible to reuse that technique, which disappeared from his headpletely. I also just learned it from the Memory Projection. Regardless of who was listening, he spoke without holding his breath. He wasnt sure if this was what he wanted to say or hear. All lies from the start. How can the High Governor suddenly use such a sorcery defense circle? Not too long ago, he just learned to use talismans and summon. Even if he secretly learned it, werent we always with him? I was watching But his confused head realized something. He did have time. No. Seol Young shook his head. It makes no sense. He said that during the three days I was unconscious, he stayed with me. And my hyungs watched over me after that. Even when I recovered, the High Governor continued to train with the Blue Dragon and Vermilion Bird Troops Seeing Hwa Un and Seo Geoms expressions change, Seol Young knew something had happened. No. The High Governor only visited us for a short time and said he would be with you. At Hwa Uns words, Baek Eon was shocked. But he came to the infirmary only at night, though? He told us that he was with the two troops during the day. What was he doing from morning to evening? In the midst of the silence, even his breathing couldnt be heard because everyone held their breaths, and then a Hwarang stepped ahead. It was Seon Jong, the third Hwarang of the Golden Ring Troops. Jin Rim asked him, Seon Jeong-rang, do you know something? Yes, II dont know where the High Governor was or what he did, but he did inform me something. He told me where he was going and said that he would be there for four or so days, and in case there was an emergency, I should let him know. But now that his whereabouts are unclear, I feel like I should Right, tell me. Where is it? At Jin Rims order, Seon Jong bowed his head. The High Governor was in the tomb for four days. Everyone was shocked. Tomb? The tomb in Mount Toham, the God of Cataclysms Seol Young was shocked. Isnt that the ce that was sealed because its dangerous? Third-rang also listened to me at that time Right. Hyo Wool nodded. I also heard it when Seol Young-rang said he would go there and keep the remains of the spirit. The High Governor said the tomb has been sealed. Is that so? Im hearing this for the first time. I didnt know. Seon Jong nodded at Jim Rims puzzled words. Right. The tomb wasnt sealed. Then he lied? He told Seol Young that the tomb was sealed, but what did he do there for four days? Was there a story that sounded normal like this? Everything felt unreal. No Seol Young was making his way through the crowd, and people followed him from behind. And he saw a horse tied to the tree, which he pulled and immediately rode. He ran across the snow-covered path, and rushed to the tomb. The hole drilled by the ck Tortoise Troops was still there, and the ropedder was also still intact. Seol Young climbed down. Many things were ced in the dark. Why were you in here? After Seol Young Baek-Song-Wol, the other leaders and many more Hwarangs went down. They all looked at the tunnel in a careful manner. What is this? Human bones, worn-out clothes, swords, earrings, and rings. All of them were objects that somehow gave off a gloomy feeling. What was he doing in here? While everyone was looking around without knowing the reason Seol Youngs gaze stopped in one spot. ? Everyone looked at him with puzzled eyes, as there was nothing to see. But Seol Young could see it. The shadows in the dark, and this feeling that something bad happened. Why are you all here? The bodies of the five tomb spirits were all here. Why are you in here and not back at his house? He didnt know. The person who brought the tomb spirits here had prepared the jade box for them to dwell infortably. However, the ghosts didnt enter it. For some reason, they used up all their energy to stay outside. Did you wait? For me? Then they pointed to one corner of the tomb. Seol Young went there, and there was a book open. The book was wide open. It seemed like the corner was pressed with a stone as he looked into it for a long time. Could this be the Die Together Circle? And upon closer inspection he noticed that this wasnt a secret book, but one that anyone could obtain. What book is this? Baek Cheon asked, but he coudnt hear him. Seol Youngs gaze was nailed to the book and didnt even know when he would look away. Chapter 221: Mita (22) Chapter 221: Mita (22) The words written in the book came to his mind. It was a book that recorded the sorcery that was practiced among the sorcerers. And all the other books scattered next to those had the same content. For sorcery, and Seol Young raised his gaze and looked at the blurred shapes in front of him, The tomb ghosts taught me sorcery. Was that the reason why all of these things were here? He finally understood what Zaha secretly did for four days. he learned Memory Projection. It was as if he had been hit hard on the head. The bones, the clothes, the sword, and the jewelry all belonged to the dead. He looked at the books, and with the help of the tomb spirits, he learned and practiced it. But why? The reason for it immediately felt so apparent. -Even though the ritual for peace ended as such, there is no other way. There is only one way to find out the secret, and thats by using the bone fragments to look directly into its soul. And the words he said as soon as he woke up after being covered in blood for three days due to a failed spell, -Is there really no other way? I am the only one who can do Memory Projection. He said that in a situation where he hadnt even recovered, and after hearing that, Zaha seemed to have decided to try it. Since he had already learned a few sorcery spells, he had no reason to hold back. -Doing a Memory Projection isnt a tough job. All you have to do is keep your spiritual senses open, awaken the memory of the deceased left in the keepsake or remains through sorcery, and read it. Since Seol Young taught him that, he would have easily understood all of it. Besides, the bone fragments of the God of Cataclysm were in Zahas hands So, it was rather strange for Zaha not to attempt it after all of that. Why didnt I realize it? Why? Looking back now, he didnt even think of such an obvious thing at the time. Zaha didnt say or show anything. He must have thought of learning all this without anyone knowing. Its fine, Seol Young-rang. Because I already found out the identity of the God of Cataclysm through you. Even if you use the Memory Projection, I cant keep up with you. He must have thought to surprise him with such words. But When he saw all this, everything felt chaotic. Because the true identity of the God of Cataclysm was an existence beyond their thoughts. Seol Young, who had such experience, couldnt figure it out either. So, no matter how smart he was, Zaha was a beginner with sorcery. He couldnt read the story of the God of Cataclysm that easily. No matter how many times he tried, he would still fail. On top of that He would have tried to read other thingsanother memory of the God of Cataclysm. The fateful day from eight years ago. The scene that Seol Young had witnessed. The sorcery spell that was known to have disappeared from his memory and the book that had burned. But through Memory Projection, he could see it again. The secret art of Die Together Circle, which had disappeared from this world. It was as if he could see Zaha actually doing it. At that moment, he must have thought it was his destiny, like I did. When he once again managed to see the secret art in such a way, Zaha must have also made up his mind. If the worst happens, and if everything they have tried fails, then At that time, he would use the same technique as eight years ago. And end it forever. Learn the spell to catch evil spirits from the tomb spirits, practice summoning techniques through the bone fragments, and the other ones needed to bind the God of Cataclysm right. The slowly rising light shone on the items in the tomb. He couldnt deny it any longer. Everything that was here was revealing the truth. How could I not realize anything?! During the day, he made up his mind and made preparations in the tomb, all alone, and he talked with such a casual face. How could I not realize even a small thing? He felt dizzy again. The shadows in front of Seol Youngs eyes vanished one after another. It was time for them to leave. In the meantime, he continued to hold onto odd thoughts, but no matter what he did, nothing mattered. And someone whispered in his ear. Everything that has been born grows andes into existence and will crumble one day I asked him not to leave, so how could he? Everything felt white. Like the letters erased from a well-written book, all the thoughts in his head vanished. The voices of people moved away and then echoed. Seol Young! Someone called his name. Why are you doing this? What happened? Where is the High Governor? Was that Sam-rang? Whats in his hand now? Is everything alright? Did he decide to cast off the evil spirit ande back in another direction? Seol Young-rang. He did, right? There was another passage, right? Was that Seo Geom-rang? The words werent reaching his head. I see. Now I need to let everyone know about it. Because they should know it. In his dazed manner, his lips moved, and from there, the words came out, The High Governor is Even to him, nothing felt right. Time and ce were all jumbled up in his memory. Going back to the past, then skipping momentarily, the story continued to move along his consciousness. The tomb went quiet. Everyone looked at Seol Young, and shock spread across their faces. They couldnt believe it. They wanted to deny what Seol Young said. They couldnt ept that someone they had respected all their lives had made such a choice. The truth, which no one could ept, felt so burdensome. It was like time had stopped, and in the silence full of shock, someones voice came, Yes. Its true that when everyone came down from Mount Danseok A trainee, who was standing outside the tomb, spoke in confusion, and another voice came, Then, I should go there too! What if he is still in there?! It was Zaun. Her tone was firm and cold, but her pronunciation was shaking. It was the voice of someone who knew everything. My Lady, dont push yourself too much. Just think about your body That is something I can think of for myself! The Hwarangs and the trainee didnt try to stop her after a few words, and a new light shone. And those who were in the tomb only saw it then. There was another door other than the passage from the ceiling. It was the real entrance to the tomb. If this is nothing, then why the hell did everyone have toe in running? Whats in this ce? Zaun shook everyone and went inside. Her eyes were red, and her hair scattered. Her clothes had torn near her foot, as if she had stepped on it when running. As the eldest daughter of a reputable family, no one had ever seen her like this. But Zaun herself didnt seem to care. Her eyes trembled as she looked around the tomb. But she couldnt find what she was looking for. Where is he? Zaun asked in a raised voice. Where is your High Governor! If you are a Hwarang, you need to follow your leader, so where is your High Governor? You are always together, so why isnt he the only one here? No one could answer her question, and all they could do was grit their teeth. They just kept their heads down. And seeing this, Zauns body stumbled to the side. Zaun-rang! The Hwarangs and the trainees all surrounded her. A cry full of grief that couldnt be suppressed erupted in the middle of it and resonated throughout the tomb. Please dont be sad. Seol Young mumbled nkly. Everything I love has no choice but to disappear, no choice but to part, no choice but to change His mind thought of something else. Who was he asking this of? Seol Young shook his head. I am fine. Since the first time we met, I never thought of him as a living person He didnt even want to say anything or even think about it. He just wanted to walk to a ce with no sound and no light. Seol Young left the spot as if he were walking on air, and when someone tried to stop him, he just walked out like a ghost. When he got out, he couldnt hear anything else. Everything felt like snow and shadows. Seol Young continued to walk, not knowing where to go. He slipped and bumped into people as he aimlessly moved. Then, all of a sudden, he stopped. His gaze wandered to one spot. A small child was walking across the street. The boy, who was walking, found Seol Young in the middle of the forest path. The boy stopped walking and then ran happily to him. You are the Hwarang of that time, right? Remember me? Seol-yeongs gaze traced his frozen, red face wrapped in a tightly wrapped cloth. He was clearly someone he knew in the past. Ah, right. The boy put his hand in his pants, like he remembered something. Then he carefully pulled out a crumbled piece of paper from his manyyers of cloth. Do you remember now? On his frozen hands, there were traces of a jade que made with red ink. And Seol Young looked at it. We met in Apyang and you asked me for directions. Then you gave me this when we parted. You told me toe to the pce if I wanted to be a trainee. I was going toe in time for the winter solstice New Year, but ended upingte. The boy continued to talk, and then, Ah, right The childs gaze wandered around, like he was looking for someone else. And something snapped. Seol Young couldnt handle himself any longer and copsed on the spot. Chapter 222: Mita (23) Chapter 222: Mita (23) A distant voice came from somewhere. Seol Young-rang, let me go. In his blurred vision, he saw Zaha sitting. His hand was holding tightly to the hem of his clothes. You n to end it like this? You made it this far, and you just want to sit down here? Are you asking me to prepare a funeral right now? What? You dont want to hear the word funeral? Then open your eyes. . If that happens, Ill probably have to prepare for a funeral by tomorrow. If my words are right, I will use the Blue Ice Pavilion in my His voice broke. Seol Young opened his eyes, and the illusion vanished then he saw familiar people. Second-rang, third-rang. Are you alright? They went closer to him. His vision cleared up, and he saw two faces. Both with red swollen eyes, but they had mourning clothes on. This is the reality. . Seol Young looked at the faces of his two brothers in silence. After the ck barrier had blocked his vision and mind, he had been confused for so long. Everything that had happened while he was dazed passed through his mind. It waste, and his heart was pounding. Zaun-rang copsed. Dont worry. Right after that, she went intobor and gave birth to a third daughter earlier. The child? The one I met before fainting. That child is fine, too. He didnt know what to do, but he put a cloth on your head and calmly called out people. Right. Seol Young sighed. Sorry. I lost it and went into the tomb. It wasnt normal for me to do that Everyone mustve been surprised. No matter how surprised we were, you are the one in that situation, right? Song Oks eyes were red. The three brothers were at a loss for words. There was something they could understand without having to speak. It was the emotions and memories they shared. After a while, Hyo Wol spoke, All the Hwarangs know how shocked you are. Its not surprising, though. If you had gone through the same thing next to me, I wouldve lost it. You actually held yourself quite well. So do not think about anything and get some rest. No. Its time for me to get up. Seol Young asked to be raised from the bed and went down. He couldnt just sit here anymore. He thought the door would open up, and Zaha woulde inside with an alcohol bottle. Seol Young shook his head and brushed the illusion off. I mustve been unconscious for a day. Is Great-rang still in the Hwarangs Hall? Yes. When he came out, the sky looked blue, and the snow that had piled up everywhere shone in the winter sun. Seol Young-rang, are you awake? The trainees carrying firewood stopped walking and bowed their heads. The snow behind them was shining. In the ce where the curse that wandered for so long had vanished, only silence remained. In the same way as eight years ago, the supernatural cmities suddenly stopped. And so did the warning from the heavens. Everyone seemed to be back in ce. Among them, the High Governor of the Hwarangs dying and returning again to do the same thing was only known to a few people. He sensed that the evil spirit he had in was about toe back, so he returned from hiding to settle it once and for all. It was only known like that to the people, and Seol Young headed to the Moon Pce. Everyone was gathered there. In the meantime, an official ceremony was held to honor the High Governor. It had been a position he had held for eight years. Jin Rim and the other leaders looked awkward. That was how strong the role of the High Governor was. Jin Rims gaze wandered and then turned to Seol Young. Seol Young-rang is here? Yes. Seol Young greeted everyone and approached them Books, scrolls, and documents were all scattered on the desk. It was about various formalities and events. State funeral? At Seol Youngs question, Jin Rim nodded. An order from the King to hold a state funeral in a grand manner to honor his merits. Since he held a high position, it seems like the ceremony will happen with the Crown Prince present. And it had been decided to use that as an example and put up a shrine. But I wonder whats the use of all that. Right. Seo Geom held a miserable look. No matter how honorable the funeral is, what about the High Governor? What is the use of a funeral without a body? Their eyes were red. Everyone had cried or was holding back their tears. Guilt, sadness, regret, anger No one said anything out loud, but the emotions they felt were clear. Seol Young finally realized why he was here. Someone had to finish it, and that was him. Because Zaha, who came back from the grave and changed, was the only person who knew Seol Youngs true face. So, he had to convey Zahas will. His role was to be the bridge between the dead and the living. Seol Young looked around and asked Jin Rim, Was a will written? We left a lot before heading to the Ghost Bridge. Jin Rim frowned and shook his head. None. There is no will? Right. He said he put it in the box, but there was nothing there. It seems he lied about it. It cannot be Seol Youngs face darkened. A sudden farewell and nothing left behind? Like eight years ago, he prepared to leave alone this time, too. At least he had the time to prepare his mind. So I thought he left something behind. Seol Youngs eyes, which had been wandering aimlessly, stopped at the corner where books were piled up. It was the calendar and books that Zaha got from the King. And he recalled their conversation at that time. -If what we are going to do ends up sessful, next year and then the next year, and more wille Then I just want to live my life on my own terms. Seol Young slowly approached it as if possessed and picked one book. Baek Eon asked, What is it? Seol Young turned around and showed it to everyone. There is a name written in it. Name? Song Ok, who was standing in the back, stepped forward. That is me? He picked up the one that had his name and then stood still. What is it? Jin Rim asked. Instead of answering, Song Ok held the book. The High Governor left his will here. It was written clearly on the front page. Do not drink too much on an empty stomach. Take the pine tree in the garden, which you wanted to covet. Give it to your father and ask him to grow it for me. Beside him, Hyo Wol hurriedly opened his, Mine too. His was there, too. Hyo Wol-rang, it is painful if one is too popr, so do not smile too much. Everyone had odd expressions, and soon, they moved to find theirs. And then Baek Eon, Baek Eon is the most mature one of the leaders, but when I saw you eight yearster, you were smiling a lot because you had freedom. As a price to make you smile, I put in some pocket money along with the tea sent to Hyo Wol. Its fine to be thrifty kid, but some parts of your residence need to be fixed. And to Seo Geom, Your Hyung was a great Hwarang and one I was proud of. Whenever I see you y the flute he treasures, I remember him I engraved the characters of Jun and Eom with my own hands. And to Hwa Un, Your hatred wasnt due to ack of courage, so do not apologize for it and develop more of a benevolent nature. In that way, I am entrusting my Water and Moon Avalokiteshvara, which is in my study, to you. Cherish it all your life. And to Mu Won, If I had been there in the past, I would have fixed your leg. Each time I saw it, I felt bad that I couldnt do anything anymore. I made a pill and left it at your training center, so make sure to take it and get help from the people around you to get yourself back to normal. And he left this to Jin Rim, When I came back after eight years, I saw that you did an amazing task teaching the juniors. I think any of them will do well as the next Governor, so you can step down with peace of mind. Take all the books in my library that you want and have a good time. When he first vanished eight years ago, he left no message. As if he regretted that, he left a greeting. Did he do everything he wanted to because he died? Seol Young recalled what Zaha said, High Governor said that all of this is like a natural disaster. He said it couldnt be stopped at all, but he said that if he tried to stop it by force, he would fail. He failed once before, and he came back to try it again. A choice made to save many people. This wasnt one done to kill the enemy but an exchange for his life for those he cherished. The books held what he was telling all of them. Do not be sad and continue to live. It was the moment when the dead wasforting the living. Everyones eyes went wet again. Then Jin Rim got up and opened the door. All Hwarangse to the hall and ask them to honor the legacy that the High Governor has left behind. Yes. And then he picked up one more book and handed it to Seol Young. Seol Young-rang, here it is. Yes. Seol Young cherished the one with his name. Chapter 223: Mita (24) Chapter 223: Mita (24) Hyo Wol asked with red eyes. What does it say? I need to look. Seol Young opened the first page, but there was nothing. On the outside, it clearly held his name. But unlike the others, there was nothing left behind. It was just the same on every page. I think that the keepsake is the robe he gave me. And theres no will either Still, he wished something had been written. Perhaps the High Governor didnt have enough time to write to everyone individually. Seol Young looked down at the book and closed it. Various Hwarangs wereing in through the wide-open door, receiving the books and going through them. They were crying andughing as they looked through them. It seems like making fools of all of us for eight years wasnt enough. He had to make us cry like this. Jin Rim sighed for a long time. I dont know how to deal with this overwhelming feeling. It should have been something I had shouldered as the Governor but I was stupid and didnt even notice it. If we had known the truth, none of us would have stayed silent But perhaps he didnt want us to act like that, knowing us so well. And then he shook his head. Even though we want to honor the will of the High Governor, we just think that we dont know his heart and intentions. Still, at least Seol Young-rang is here. It would be nice if Seol Young-rang took care of matters not mentioned in the will. Yes. I will do that. Seol Young bowed his head and responded. Everyone was taking their respective books and reminiscing about the past. The absence left by the departed was too vast to handle yet, but they believed that by reminiscing, they would eventually reach a point where they could ept it. And there was nothing more to do for him. Seol Young left behind the people lost in memories. And he moved to the Sun and Moon Troops basement. He went in and took out the ring, which he kept in his pocket. As it was activated by magic, the small baby dragon appeared. Senior should also leave. But Oni looked strange. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids kept drooping. His head kept bowing down. He seemed overwhelmed by drowsiness and didnt know what to do. Senior, wake up. Seol Young put his hand on Onis head, and that was when he realized it. Oni was a being powered by the qi of the Sun and Moon Troops. When Zaha was around, he handled all of this, but Seol Youngcked proficiency in it, so Oni was falling into hibernation. This cannot happen. If left alone, Oni would disappear. Seol Young changed his mind and put the ring back on his finger. He wanted to make sure Oni would turn back to normal. Senior Oni will also allow this. After looking around once more, he went out and locked the door. There would probably be no reason toe here again. Seol Young left the Hwarangs Hall. Didnt I tell you not to wear that?! Take those clothes off! As he walked, he heard the sharp cries of children and turned around. In the distance, he could see the Queen, the two princesses, and the Great Heavenly Pavilion Head. Seeing the Hwarang in mourning clothes, the two princesses burst into tears. No one died! No one died! The Queen didnt try to calm her daughters, and put her hands together in the direction of Seol Young. Seol Young bowed his head to them and left the Moon Pce. The winter sun was blinding his eyes. Before entering the golden-roofed mansion, Seol Young looked at the gate. The view of this house riding high in the sky among the clouds. He didnt realize it until now, but it was a nice sight. The gate opened without a sound. Seol Young-rang! The couple rushed out, and he was speechless at this. Did no one tell them about what happened? How were they even able to speak? But then, he looked at the tears flowing down their eyes. We thought Seol Young-rang would never visit this ce again. Not at all. Why? Seol Young ushered them inside. The garden, the buildingeverything he saw was familiar, as if it were his own home. This reminded him how often he woulde here. Seol Young looked at the two and apologized to them. I apologize for not saying anything about the High Governors situation all this time and deceiving both of you. No. even if we knew, nothing would have changed. Rather, we would have made our master ufortable with cries and screams The couple wiped their tears and shook their heads. Actually, we were people who learned from the same teacher, but after living a life of sin by using sorcery, we settled down with the young master. He said that all we had to do was look after the house. We have been doing our best to serve him despite being unsure of the tasks, but now we dont know what to do. We cannot stop the tears from flowing. Seol Young-rang, what do we do? Seol Young looked at them for a moment and then moved to the main hall. There surely must be something left. I will look for it. He opened the door, which had been broken and repaired, and went in. The first thing he saw was an empty chair. He passed by it and stood at the desk. The papers were all scattered around as if saying, Touch them, and I will find out. When he lifted them up, there were two envelopes. One was a letter to the couple, and the other to Zaun. Seol Young handed the envelope to the couple. Read this. Oh my The couple read the letter with tears falling down. This house will be left for the Hwarnags, so he wants us to take care of it. It was a decisive decision. Soon, this ce would be bustling with activity, just like he had seen in the other world. He wasnt sure if it would be good, but the thought of the familiar surroundings disappearing made him feel strange. Seol Young got lost in thoughts for a moment before snapping out of it. Hand this over to thedy. He handed them the other letter and then entered the house through the door on the other side of the study. He walked alongside the corridor and stopped in front of a vase full of peonies. He reached out to it, and a piece of bamboo leaf, which was hidden in them, came out. Now, it was time to use sorcery and call back the energy used to protect the owner of this house. Otherwise, there could be a disaster. If the target of the spell disappeared, the flow of energy would lose its direction. Seol Young walked around the mansion and collected the talismans and bamboo leaves. The long and winding hallway. The table where everyone gathered to drink tea. The pond they brought out the water ghost He circled around them and finally climbed onto the roof. After removing the talisman hidden there, he paused for a moment and looked down. The streets of the city. Everyone seemed happy for theing new year. On the other side of the snow-covered streets, he could see women walking in long skirts and fur coats. The image of the God of Cataclysm, who had such simr outfit, shone over them and then vanished. A world where curses had disappeared. We achieved what we wanted to, but he cannot even look at it. Seol Young got down the roof and went back to the study. Another empty chair caught his eye. He turned his gaze to see the Go board on the desk. Are you happy? As he stared nkly, he heard footsteps running somewhere. And through the half-open door, he saw a Hwarang dressed in the Sun and Moon Troops uniform pass by. Did he just see the memories left in this house? Have you ever been happy? Tears ran down his cheeks, and once they started to flow, they didnt stop. As expected, I just cant do it. Even if everyone is having a hard time now, they will ept this one day, but not me. Seol Young mumbled. You wanted to live. I know you didnt want to die this time. So that is why I was trying to His voice was low in the empty room. You said you wanted to live by your own rules when everything was done? You said you wanted to live freely and y Go in your free time or wanted to travel to India. Why did you do that then? His eyes blurred, unable to see anything. Still, tears didnt stop. No matter how many times he saved and helped him, Seol Young never greeted him with a smile. I did wrong Tears fell down so much that his heart hurt. Then, suddenly, there was a sound of hands being pped. Seol Young-rang, calm down. A clear voice that made him jerk his head back in surprise. He wiped his tears and looked around, but there was no one there. The chair was still empty. The ce was empty. Even the painting there that shone brightly didnt even cast a shadow. Not a single person was around. But it was clear that someone was there. He heard the voice clearly. Even for a moment, the smell of wood incense passed through his nose. High Governor? Seol Young asked. Are you in here? The sound of running footsteps echoed around. He could hear someoneughing, so he looked back. But there was nothing other than the slightly open door. The moment he turned his head lightly, a light shed in front of his eyes. [I think I found the reason why the first time failed. The real reason.] A clear voice again. [You were right. One shouldnt hold hatred or anger within his heart. Otherwise, ws will inevitably arise. Then, they will sneak out unnoticed. Everything is essentially emptyno sense, no thought, no action, no remorse. Only in a state of no thought can we enter the world ofplete Nirvana. Even though I knew that, I couldnt practice it.] Seol Young finally realized what was happening. He was reading the clear thoughts left behind in this house. As if the house were being projected. [It is different this time. Complete Nirvana. The end. I will drag it into that and finish it with my sword.] Seol Young said, Then you too will be hit by the Dead yer Sword and perish forever. [Which is why I need to be careful and stab it.] The voice came back. [You said the goal is to live? If one dies, then it doesnt count as a win.] But is there a way not to die? [Of course, I will cease to exist. Because it is inevitable. But if I finally win, even if I fight thousands of times with the demonic qi which swallowed my body] Then? [Whether it is the middle scale, the three thousand worlds, or the lotus field world, Ill find my way back from anywhere.] Is that even possible? He could hearughter. It was only then that Seol Young knew what happened. The qi of the Sun and Moon Troops. The silver qi remaining in this space was headed toward one point. The Go board. Seol Young quickly approached and turned the board over, and he saw glittering letters there. Should we make a bet? Chapter 224: Mita (25) Chapter 224: Mita (25) Mount Seondo, guarding the west of the capital. Plum blossoms bloomed amidst the snow. Their subtle and serene fragrance, as if meant to be heard rather than smelled, seemed to reverberate all around. Seol Young continued to look at the tombstone of his teacher. I tried to fill the vacancy that Teacher left within me with my hyungs, but I dont know when I cane back if I leave now. This reminded him of what his teacher said once before. In this world, the right and wrong paths are not defined as if marked with ink. If you walk with the right mind, that path will be the right one. Seol Young prayed in front of the tombstone. Please take care of this disciple so that he can continue to keep faith no matter what path he takes. Hey like that for a while in the cool scent of plum blossoms. After a while, when he said goodbye, his hyungs were waiting. The three of them looked at the youngest without saying another word. They didnt want to send him off. Especially after what happened. But somehow, they thought Seol Young would leave this ce. If only the seniors had done better, this day wouldnt havee. If only I did better. This was a time that caused pain for everyone. But the pain he felt was nothingpared to those who were really hurt. The hyungs tried to calm themselves and smiled. There wasfort in the fact that they wouldnt be parting ways forever. Hyo Wol said to Seol Young, We will write a letter when we can. Then he will end up writing letters all the time. Ignoring Song Oks words, Hyo Wol held the cold hands of Seol Young. You make sure to reply to us. Please. Of course. Seol Young nodded. Second hyung doesnt like to write letters, so we need to meet in person. Since I wont be able toe here, you all have toe together. Of course! Baek-Song-Wol scrambled to answer. No matter where he would go or what he would do, they were all brothers. It was obvious that all three of them were thinking the same thing, so Seol Young felt his heart hurt. I will definitelye back. When he turned his gaze, he saw the trainees. Even the youngest one, Myung Kyung, looked all grown up now. Next to him was Seo Bi, who stood tall. Will everyone be alright without me? Yes! The loud response shook the winter air. When they meet again, they might not recognize one another, right? Make sure to follow the other three hyungs whening to meet me. That is an order. Seol Young looked at each one of them and then looked at his hyungs. I will leave now. I will leave like this without saying anything to the Governor or the others Right, right. One way or another, he quit his duties in the middle and left. Although he got permission from Jin Rim, he didnt have the face to greet them. I will leave now. While everyone was watching, Seol Young left the ce. He calmly turned and said goodbye to them and then walked out feeling his heart drop. if I had known it would turn out like this, I would have tried the clothes on. The white Tiger spirit troops uniform was still untouched. Why did he have to insist of wearing that only after dealing with the God of Cataclysm? He couldnt even solve the issue with his own hands. He could feel the sorrow seeping in when he felt a rustle. Seol Young stopped walking, and at that moment, several people appeared from the tree around him and surrounded him in an instant. They were Seo Geom, Hwa Un, and Mu Won. Where is this Hwarang going without paying respects to the High Governor? Seo Geom looked like he wanted to fight. Seol Youngs body reacted instinctively to the tone he hadnt heard in seven years. He stiffened his face and retorted. Wasnt it Seo Geom-rang who said there is no use of a funeral when the body isnt there? Did you see him? He is alive and fine. Seol Geom spoke like he got a look at the man, but his expression said otherwise. I do not like what happened, but dont pass by like a dog. Did I ask something wrong? Its not right to leave without attending, is it? Enough. It seems like Seo Geom-rang is sad that Seol Young-rang, whom he is close with, is leaving. Hwa Un intervened and made Seo Geom go silent, and immediately said, Seol Young-rang, do you really think it is possible? No. I didnt even think about it. Ha! Then, I guess it makes no sense. I knew so. But it wasnt me who said such nonsense, though. It was the High Governor. Seol Young sighed and said, Why did he make such a confident statement without any evidence? Even if someone fights thousands or tens of thousands of times and eventually wins, simply having the willpower wont bring them back to where they originally belonged. If thats the case, why bother going for something thats impossible? I cannot say for sure that it wouldnt work. Since thew of the ghosts got broken once, can it be that otherws of the world are broken, too? Well, it doesnt matter. The thoughts and intentions came because I wasnt able to properly do the peace ritual of the High Governor. I will take responsibility for it. Silence fell and Mu Won said, Good work. Thank you. Let us go. Even the White Tiger Troops must be cursing that there are intruders in their mountain. Seol Young couldnt say anything. Endure until the end Seo Geom grumbled and vanished. Such a strange one till the very end. Seol Young turned around. At one point, he thought that their unhealthy rtionship was solved. If they continued to meet like this, though, they would go back to their past nature. Such an unfortunate time. He went down the mountain, thinking of his hyungs and the trainees, but then he stopped again. Someone was approaching from the snow covered tree. The most unexpected person. Great Heavenly Pavilion Head Do you realize what you are trying to do?! The moment she came out, the woman yelled, and Seol Young responded in a blunt manner. Of course I know. Youll do it despite knowing it? Are you joking? No matter how crazy this world is, theres one thing that never changes. The dead Dead people are dead and cante back. You know that well, then why are you clinging to these things that go against heavens way? Seol Young-rang, that person is dead. I know. I know it all. Who said he isnt dead? The High Governor himself knew that very well. So, he went into that damned situation willingly. Seol Young continued to speak. When did I mention bringing a corpse back to life? His body is broken, and his body cannot be brought back. However, if the n seeded, then the Dead yer Sword would have narrowly missed the body of the High Governor, and since he was already more of a demon than a human Huh?! What?! What even am I listening to now? As long as his wish to live is strong, there is some way out there where his undestroyed self can be brought back. Just like the High Hovernors n, I might not be able to do it alone, but with help Haha! Well, I made my choice, and the rest is up to you. But why are youughing? She looked at Seol Young and then sighed. Do you think I dont know? ? Everyone says that my appearance has changed and that I possess more of the holy power, but actually, it isnt that. I paid a price. What do you mean? If someone tries to cross the line they shouldnt, they always end up paying a price, dont they? I made a big mistake when I was young. Well, in the end, I barely managed to turn back and hold my human form. She spoke, looking miserable. How do you try to gather the scattered and broken souls going against heaven? What if even Seol Young-rang changes into something else while doing such a thing? I would like to avoid it as much as possible, but if I cannot, then it means I am out of luck. At the blunt words, she felt enraged. I cant break that stubbornness of yours! Right! I lost! I lost! And she turned away, taking huge strikes and disappearing into the forest. Something was hanging from the branch where she had disappeared. It was a red silk pouch. This time, it didnt seem like it had an owner. And the pouch felt heavy. Seol Young opened it. A shiny metal was inside. The engraving on it was noticeable. A metal square of gold. The legendary item that was supposedly meant to save people. Unlike the item once used by Mita, called the Golden Square Maiden, which she used to seduce people, this was real. So, youre saying I should somehow avoid paying the price with this. Seol Young kept it in his pocket. I will use it well. He greeted the emptynd and turned. The snow felt hard to walk on. Now that there was no one left to block his path, he truly became alone. A hefty pile of snow fell from a bent pine branch. Now that there was no one left to block his path, he truly became alone. The road ahead wouldnt be easy. But as always, he didnt seek an easy path, and he didnt lose heart even in the face of adversity. This is the way. Seol Young set off confidently. Yes, indeed. Back then, I clearly heard such instructions from that nobleman, and I followed them, earning a significant amount of money. The old man finally found it after searching everywhere. He guided the mountain path with his staff. In this deep mountain, where no one knows, have a strong person build arge tomb and set these stones up there. Then,e back after seven days, cover the tomb, and seal it. you cannot speak to anyone about it But that person is my hyung. Yes, yes, I know, young master. As he followed the old man and looked around, he saw a familiar scene. The season looked different. And the sense of dj vu from therge rocks lined up too. It was very simr to the path in Zahas memory that he saw. Here. The old man pointed ahead. See, young master? Since we served our ancestors in such a good ce, generations of kids will follow you. The tomb is quite nice, too. The eyes of the old man looked at the disorganized tomb. He deliberately looked for a blind retired gravekeeper and made him build his own tomb. He seemed to think that was how the secret could be kept. Thank you. After paying tribute to the man, Seol Young sent him away and approached the ruins. The God of Cataclysm was imprisoned inside. If it got out, everything would be destroyed. Only four empty spots around the tomb remained, indicating that something had once stood there. Seol Young gazed at those spots for a while before turning away. Not far off, he spotted a few cabins. There seemed to be herb gatherers who had tried to settle here. But it wasnt an ideal ce to live, so they must have eventually left. Seol Young chose one of the cabins that appealed to him and entered. After clearing away cobwebs and dirt for a while, he managed to make it somewhat habitable. And there wasnt much to unpack. He hung the Golden Square given by the Pavilion Head on the ceiling, ced talismans on a small table, and put the ring beside them. And he took out the other things he needed. He found a ce where the qi was freely flowing and sat down. All set. Seol Young straightened his back and closed his eyes. He remembered the voice from his memories. -A person who can sing well can attract even a soul. If such a person writes poems, they will be someone who leaves a mark in the future, and if they sing, they will be one whose name will spread across the seas And -If they do summons, they can summon the spirits of the living and the ghosts, too. You dont need anything else. Just call it with all your heart. Seol Young recalled the words his teacher said. Then, he recalled the memory of gathering the shattered souls of the people whose souls were broken by the power of the spirit tablets in Mitas tomb. Light shone on his fingers. Seol Young looked at the light. Ill be using the summoning talisman, and life talisman for peace. A talisman that summons a soul. Gathering his focus, he moved his spiritual qi, and a dazzling figure appeared in the air. It was difficult at first, but soon, his hands moved smoothly through the air. Did you know? Seol Young mumbled. I never ever turned down an offer to bet. A talisman rose from his fingers. It was the first of countless talismans he was going to draw in the future. Chapter 225: End-Half Soul Chapter 225: End-Half Soul A sunny spring afternoon. Around the mossy rocks, boys dressed in the ck Tortoise Troops¡¯ robes were sitting together. Their gazes were directed in the same way. A small cabin hidden among plum trees. ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t an illusion. The picture on the left side of the wall cannot be erased¡­¡± The voice of their leader could be heard inside. The boys couldn¡¯t fathom who the person their leader was meeting could be. Their seniors called the person the Green Hut Man. The man dressed in white lived in a grass-roof hut. Some matters were addressed to him directly rather than being resolved in the Hwarang Troops. They heard such rumors, but it was their first time actually seeing him. And this felt both exciting and mysterious. ¡°Why is he alone in such a ce?¡± ¡°For medicine? Or training?¡± ¡°I heard about it. There was a time when he borrowed the tomb of someone and didn¡¯t return it, so he protects the tomb now.¡± Their mouths opened, and they began to talk one by one. ¡°Did you guys see it too? It had to be a spirit sword. At one time, he used to be a Hwarang.¡± ¡°From which troops?¡± ¡°The White Tiger Spirit Troops. They say that when someone from the White Tiger Spirit Troopse to visit, he goes out and greets them.¡± ¡°But did you all see that? What is that?¡± A boy asked in a curious tone, but no one answered. Inside that green hut, there was a shimmer, invisible to ordinary eyes. It was clear that it was a sorcery incantation. And a powerful one too. But they couldn¡¯t figure out what it meant. ¡°I need to get a closer look. It felt like I was being dragged into it.¡± ¡°But that ck puppy there seems fine.¡± ¡°Is that a puppy? Do puppies have horns?¡± ¡°Right. That cannot be a puppy.¡± The trainees talked for a long time. And then, when their Great-rang came, they went silent. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The trainees turned around. The sun started to set as they walked down the road. One of the boys, plucking a de of grass as he walked, absentmindedly hummed a tune. ¡°Are we going to the west now?¡± But when they turned around, the other kids were humming the same one. ¡°You too?¡± ¡°You too?¡± The boys all looked shocked. Why was everyoneing up with the same song? ¡°Put your hands together and pray. Holy¡­¡± The boys continued to walk down the path, reciting the song of rebirth. In the distance, the boys¡¯ singing could be heard. Seol Young listened to the song and read the words in front of his eyes. People from the capital always brought him letters. This time, in addition to his hyungs, there were letters from Zaun-rang and Do Cheol. After reading the letters carefully, he put them in the box next to the table and got up. A blue glow began to die in his eyes as he looked at the twilight. The aura, which constantly flowed out, went unseen. While awake, he devoted his entire being to maintaining this technique. No matter what he did, the string of consciousness was always connected to the sorcery. Of course, even when asleep, he didn¡¯t let go. In the dark and rough sea, this light was simr to a lighthouse. So he couldn¡¯t take this glow down, even for a second. Seol Young drew and painted the first talisman with spiritual qi. One day, two, three, seven, and more¡­ The seasons changed, and then the years, but there was no response. No one had told Seol Young to stop, and he himself didn¡¯t have ns to stop. But¡­ On nights when the roof was shaken violently by the storm, and it was so thick that it was impossible to see an inch ahead, the shadows on the wall seemed to whisper. Did it fail? Could it be that the Dead yer Sword pierced Zaha, too? Even if he avoided the sword himself? Couldn¡¯t it be that his soul had shattered into millions of pieces already? Could that even be reunited? Since he died on the other side of the Ghost Bridge, could he have been trapped further beyond? ¡®¡­No.¡¯ Seol Young shook his head. The reason why the Dead yer Sword disappeared was because someone destroyed it before it stabbed his body. Now that he has learned to deal with demonic qi, he could fight against them. As long as he maintained his ego, the scattered parts could be brought back. Even if it was beyond the Ghost Bridge, if there was a talisman, he could freely move through the space. He used all kinds of reasons to fight the voices in his head, but nothing mattered. No matter how impossible or destined to fail it seemed, if it was him, it somehow felt like he could seed. So he couldn¡¯t give up. If he stopped, and Zaha couldn¡¯t find the way back, then Seol Young could never forgive himself. Towards the wilderness, where chaos raged, he called for his soul again and again. The boundaries between time and space were gradually blurring. Although the sacred object was protecting him, even he wanted to cross the line of death. ¡®To bring back a dead soul is against thew of heaven¡­¡¯ The voice of the Pavilion Head told him. He had felt for some time now that his clock kept stopping. Even if he didn¡¯t sleep or eat anything, he didn¡¯t mind. Was this the price she said he had to pay? But he couldn¡¯t help it. To make it heard far away, he had to go far. ¡®Maybe this isn¡¯t enough.¡¯ And one day, he had this thought. ¡®I am not calling him to save him, but to make him live¡­¡¯ Maybe that was why he couldn¡¯t hear him. Like when he had desperately called, hoping someone would hear his voice ande, chained, surrounded by demons, facing only death. ¡®I am right here.¡¯ Darkness engulfed everything. The windows, facing outward, one by one closed. He just hoped everyone wouldn¡¯t worry too much. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll find my way back, so please wait.¡± It seemed like a very long time had passed, yet it felt like no time had passed at all Seol Young didn¡¯t call. He didn¡¯t feel the need to. Because calling had already be a part of him. He just existed there. Whether it was an eternal moment or a momentary eternity, he didn¡¯t know, just sitting quietly¡­. At some point, he realized. As the veil lifted, the peak of the lotus flower, supporting the world, unfolded like a bright golden light. Nothing changed. Colors that formed matter, numbers that made sense, images that formed persection, causes that formed actions, and consciousness that made up the mind. The elements that make a human. From the far edge of his senses, a bright golden light shone, and Seol Young¡¯s consciousness awoke. He opened his eyes without realizing it, and stood up without realizing it. He pushed the door, but it didn¡¯t move. When he pushed it hard, it opened with a creaking sound. Snow had piled up in front of the door. Seol Young broke through the thick barrier and went out. The whole world was covered with white snow. The moonlight shone brightly on the snowfield, like a mirror. Every tree had sparking snowkes. In the midst of it, he walked aimlessly as far as he could and then stopped. As white snowkes fell, someone appeared between the trees. It was a child. A child came across the forest like a small beast without leaving footprints. Then, noticing someone standing on the other side, the child stopped. ¡°¡­¡± The two looked at each other on the snowfield. In the darkness on the other side, golden eyes shone. For a moment, the world went still, and Seol Young looked at the child. His heart pounded loudly. ¡®He did it.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t surprised because he knew it, but this felt like a dream. In the end, he won. After oveing so many battles, he seeded in returning from the dark and rough sea. A dazzling light spread through his chest. He wanted to say something, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. As he stared nkly, the child narrowed his eyes as if trying to gauge him. ¡°What demon are you?¡± An arrogant and confident tone, but a look of curiosity too. Still, there was no answer, and the child lightly moved through the trees. He only had thin cloth as a top and nothing more. His cheeks were frozen red, and the child¡¯s face looked like he had starved for days. The child went close to the tomb, and began to dig through it. Only then did Seol Young said, ¡°Are you robbing it?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± The child spoke confidently. ¡°Ever since I was little, I have been robbing graves every day, but I have always been told that one has to make a promise before doing it.¡± ¡°A promise?¡± ¡°To pray for rebirth, and then the ghosts will give you good sleep and let you use their ce.¡± Wasn¡¯t that too much for a robber to say? The child added. ¡°My talisman isn¡¯t perfect yet, so there are many times when demons get angry and kick me out too.¡± And he looked down at his hands, covered in wounds. Seol Young looked at him, then reached out and took his hands. His golden eyes widened in surprise, and Seol Young smiled. His lips, which had been in a straight line for so long, curved into an awkward smile. ¡°You cannot do that anymore.¡± The child looked at him with a nk face. And then he smiled. A smile as bright as the sun in the snow. -End- Chapter 226: Epilogue (1) Chapter 226: Epilogue (1) Baek-Song-Wol-Young. In the training ground where the White Tiger¡¯s g fluttered. Trainees, dressed in white robes with ck patterns, stood upright, training in sword technique against straw puppets. ¡°sh! Stab the two!¡± Seol Young was at the very end of the row of these trainees. The trainee, who was a bit out of ce before, now fits in well, making him look like a formidable trainee of the White Tiger Spirit Troops. ¡°Yes. Yes.¡± Baek Eon, Son Ok and Hyo Wol looked at the youngest with delighted faces. Since Seol Young had been fighting ghosts since he was young, it seemed like this training, which involved repeating movements a hundred times against dolls, might be boring. But Seol Young never showed any signs of it. Today, too, sweat formed on his brows, and he worked hard till his cheeks were red. ¡°One! Two! One! Two!¡±The shouts of the trainees resounded endlessly. The scenery changed several times as clouds drifted by. Shadows shortened, and the scorching sun poured down relentlessly. The children¡¯s clothes were soaked with sweat, and it was hard to find a spot on their faces that wasn¡¯t red. ¡°Stop. Let us rest.¡± Baek Eon raised his hand and stopped their training. ¡°Break! Rest up, all!¡± Song Ok and Hyo Wol smiled and ran, holding arge basket. The inside was filled with cool peaches. It was brought from the vige under the mountain. ¡°Woah!¡± The trainees gathered and cheered. They were thirsty and hungry from being so immersed in their training, so everyone immediately ate the peaches. Seol Young was also handed arge one. Hyo Wol smiled and asked. ¡°How is it? Sweet?¡± ¡°Yes. Very sweet.¡± ¡°You need to eat a lot and gain weight. Let¡¯s see.¡± When Hyo Wol reached out and tried to pull his cheek, Seol Young dodged it with the speed of light. ¡°Third-rang, I am not a child.¡± Everyone burst intoughter at Seol Young¡¯s words. ¡°Ah, quite agile, aren¡¯t you?¡± Hyo Wol didn¡¯t care and stretched out his hand again. However, Seol Young evaded all the touches with the speed of light. Everyone was buzzing with apuse and cheering. At that time, ¡°What is so funny?¡± A thick voice echoed through the training ground. Everyone turned around, and their faces brightened. Arge warrior with a tiger-like face was striding ahead. ¡°Teacher!¡± Everyone ran to him. Seol Young was the fastest among them. He ran past everyone and clung to him, but in an instant, an unfamiliar smell wafted past his nose, and seeing Seol Young wrinkle his nose, Baek San burst intoughter. ¡°Brat, look at your nose.¡± ¡°What smell is this?¡± ¡°This is the smell of agarwood. Second-rang¡¯s father sent it.¡± ¡°What is agarwood?¡± ¡°Across the sea, far away, there is a tree called agarwood. When the sap flowing from the tree hardens, it bes agarwood, and it is more expensive than gold of the same weight. Pills made from that are the best.¡± It had to be of huge value. Seol Young and the young trainees widened their eyes in amazement and nodded. Beside him, Song Ok asked with a serious face. ¡°How is it, Teacher? Can you feel the effect?¡± ¡°Of course! It seems like I could fly today.¡± Baek San twirled his wooden sword with one hand and threw it at Seol Young. Seol Young quickly held it with both hands. Baek San smiled. ¡°Seol Young,e out to the middle and show the basic sword technique from the start to the end.¡± ¡°Yes, Teacher.¡± Seol Young practiced what he was told and he wasn¡¯t sure why he was asked to show it. Baek Eon recognized the intentions of his father and exchanged nces with Song Ok and Hyo Wol. While everyone was watching, Seol Young did it perfectly. Finally, he cut down the straw doll with one movement, and the doll fell down. Baek San, who watched with fierce eyes without missing a single movement, said, ¡°Enough.¡± At these words, the eyes of Baek-Song-Wol and the trainees shook. They looked at each other and exchanged nces. Seol Young looked puzzled. ¡°What is enough, Teacher?¡± ¡°Now you have mastered the basic sword technique of the White Tiger Spirit Troops. So the time hase.¡± Baek San looked at everyone and said, ¡°Stop training now. Everyone prepare to leave for the Gukhua Province.¡± ¡°What is happening?¡± Bae Eon asked in a nervous tone, and Baek San said, ¡°It is said that a bizarre ghost appeared in the vige around the mountain fortress and harassed the civilians. There was a request to solve this, so we were made to be in charge. All but the kids under 10 wille. Seol Young, this will be your first mission.¡± First mission? Seol Young¡¯s eyes widened. Watching Baek Eon, Song Ok, Hyo Wol, and the trainees leave to catch ghosts, he wondered if his day would evere. But it really came. He was happy to be recognized as a worthy member of the troops, but on the other hand, he felt nervous too. ¡®First mission, my first mission¡­¡¯ Looking at Seol Young¡¯s widened eyes and clenched mouth, Baek-Song-Wol turned nervous. His first mission was important. In a strict ce like the Blue Dragon Troops, if one was considered to be unskilled, they would be cut down without mercy. Although the White Tiger Troops usually guided them to use their skills well, there were kids who always suffered injuries on their first missions or those who left because they were exhausted. ¡®You have to do well! At all costs!¡¯ The eyes of Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol, looking at Seol Young, were burning with desire. ¡°Now, then, get ready!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Seeing that everyone was in good spirits, Baek San happily turnd around. But after a few steps, he stopped. ¡®Was I being too much?¡¯ His gaze turned to the alcohol bottle in the yard. ¡®Like that day.¡¯ Thinking of how the jars of chrysanthemum alcohol, which had been their tradition, weren¡¯t received by many, he felt anxious. Baek San looked back, and the children were already busy packing their bags. ¡°Arrows, whetstones, golden herbs, rope, extra clothes, first aid, and another first aid, in case we run out of one¡­¡± ¡°Great-rang, this is too much luggage.¡± ¡°It cannot be helped. The mission has to be perfect.¡± ¡°Well, there is no need to bring books, though, right? I¡¯ve memorized everything here.¡± ¡°Seol Young is right. But still, it is the first time you are staying overnight, so bring a nket too.¡± ¡°Then I will pack a hat too. Because getting drenched in rain from the first mission would be too harsh.¡± ¡°Right. Put them all in! Right! Let us just pack another bag, just in case one gets stolen.¡± The bag was growing like a mountain. Baek San couldn¡¯t believe it and squeezed in between them. ¡°Kids! Are you nning to pack the entire trainee ce?¡± ¡°No, Father¡­.¡± ¡°Just one sword should do! Stop putting more things!¡± ¡°Right! Teacher is right.¡± Song Ok said, ¡°Why bother carrying it all? You can just buy everything there.¡± He opened his pouch, and it was full of gold coins. ¡°Right! Right!¡± Hyo Wol also held up his thick pouch. ¡°¡­¡± Baek San shook his head without saying anything. Somehow, it seemed like this mission was showing signs of going awry from the start. Despite Baek San¡¯s concerns, the departure went smoothly. The weather was near perfect and the White Tiger Spirit Troops looked majestic. Everyone passing by turned to watch them. ¡°The parade of the young ones!¡± ¡°Among them, the trainee at the end is the most dignified.¡± ¡°Ah, right, Governor!¡± Baek-Song-Wol nced back at those words and smiled. They saw Seol Young walking with his eyes widened even more than usual without turning his gaze to the side. Seeing him march with legs and hands stiff like dolls, they couldn¡¯t hold back theirughter. ¡®Father needs to see this!¡¯ Seol Young was unaware that onlookers wereughing at his appearance. ¡®It¡¯s my first mission, I must do well. It must be perfect.¡¯ His mind was filled only with that thought. As they left the streets and entered the narrow mountain paths, Seol Young¡¯s alreadyrge eyes grew even wider. And someone shouted. ¡°Uh? Demon!¡± A mysterious shadow emerged from the thick greennds. At that moment, Seol Young quickly jumped away from the crowd and cut it down with a single hit. It was so fast that no one could react. ¡°Good work, Seol Young.¡± Baek Eon praised him, but Seol Young seemed unaffected by the praise, unlike usual. He went back to his position and continued to walk again, and after a while, he did the same again. ¡°Ugh? Another one? I didn¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see it either! He cut it down again?¡± ¡°What did he just cut?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It is scary.¡± The figure of Seol Young, who held the Blue Rainbow Sword high, looked fierce and intimidating. ¡®If anyone puts even the smallest obstacle in our trip, they will never be able to save their lives.¡¯ With such a face, Seol Young spread his killing intent, and despite his confident demeanor, it all disappeared when they went down the mountain road. ¡°¡­¡± In the midst of the busy street with people and carts bustling about, Seol Young started to move awkwardly. It was just before evening when the streets were most crowded. Seol Young¡¯s body flinched whenever he saw earthenware piled up. ¡®I cannot break them.¡¯ Only that one word echoed in his ears. There was one teaching in the troops he embedded in his mind, and that was if someone broke something, the Teacher would have to kneel and apologize. In normal times, he wouldn¡¯t care But he couldn¡¯t do it because they were on the road with a heavy mission, and were moving in a group. ¡°Get out of the way! Out!¡± At that time, arge cart wobbled from the other side. Everyone evaded to the side, but Seol Young wasn¡¯t sure how to react. ¡®Ah!¡¯ He managed to leap out of the way just in time to avoid the cart, but thenterns hanging from the roof of the cart came crashing down directly in front of him. ¡®NO!¡¯ Seol Young¡¯s heart sank. Chapter 227: Epilogue (2) Chapter 227: Epilogue (2) Seol Young used his footwork to change his direction in the air. However, as he was trying tond safely, he strayed a little and brushed past this mother and daughter walking from the other side. The candy the child was eating fell to the ground and shattered into pieces, and Seol Young¡¯s face went pale. ¡°Sorry! Sorry!¡± He fell t right there and apologized. The mother and child were both taken aback. ¡°Ah, no. You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Seol Young!¡± Baek-Song-Wol rushed over. After helping Seol Young stand up, they gave the child sweets, said goodbye and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everyone makes mistakes in life. Usually, things are resolved if you sincerely apologize andpensate for the damage.¡±¡°Yes, Third-rang.¡± Seol Young nodded with a red face. Although there were minor idents, they managed to reach the right ce while camping happily and caught demons along the way. The White Tiger Spirt Troops Hwarangs and trainees all went to the vige in Mount Song. The atmosphere was unusual. The roofs and walls of each house were densely fenced with thorns, and strong men with clubs red at each other. ¡°We heard rumors of demonic beings harassing poor people. What is happening?¡± To Baek Eon¡¯s question, the vigers answered with concerned faces. ¡°At night, the henchmen of the demone and take the women of the vige one by one. More than 10 people have been taken away and are being held in the fort on top of the mountain.¡± When they looked up at the top of the mountain, there was an iron fortress. All the surrounding trees were pulled, and the rocks were polished to make it look like a tower one couldn¡¯t climb. Even from this distance, the Yin-Yang que was trembling. ¡°¡­¡± The faces of everyone changed. They had thought they could simply deal with a single demon collectively, but the situation was more serious than they had anticipated. Baek Eon calmly said, ¡°Everyone must be angry at it, but never lose your reasoning and move carefully. A demon of that level would require us to be at our best.¡± ¡°Hwarang trainees. First, do not advance tonight and protect the vige.¡± At the earnest pleas of the vigers, the troops borrowed clothes to disguise themselves and blended in with the crowd. ¡®Try taking these people.¡¯ A girl from the vige cautiously asked Seol Young, who looked trustworthy. ¡°Trainee, my family doesn¡¯t have drinking water. Could you apany me to the well?¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Seol Young moved as an escort to the girl. And seeing how she was still shaken, he noticed her trembling hands drop the gourd into the well, and he quickly stepped ahead and said, ¡°Give it to me. I will do it.¡± As Seol Young was fetching water, suddenly, there was a pping sound in the air. Here theye. Seol Young immediately drew his sword and swung it. But the demon¡¯s henchman was so fast that it attacked before he could blink. Unexpectedly, the target was not the girl but Seol Young himself. It seemed to have misunderstood, seeing him fetching water. ¡®Is this one out of his mind?!¡¯ Seol Young was enraged and tried to stab it in the heart, but then, a thought came to his mind. ¡®This idiot, not knowing anything, is trying to capture me. It¡¯s actually better this way. It would be difficult to sneak into that fortress. I¡¯d rather stay captured and work from the inside.¡¯ Seol Young sent determined nces to the trembling girl, indicating to y along, and allowed himself to be captured. This winged demon flew in the night sky and then dropped Seol Young in the middle of the fortress, surrounded by rocks. ¡°Oh my! Someone else was caught!¡± ¡°Look who it is!¡± The women who had been captured earlier rushed over, crying. But upon realizing that this time it wasn¡¯t a young girl or a viger, they were surprised and stepped back. ¡°Who is it?¡± Seol Young silenced them with a gesture and pointed to his sword. The women immediately recognized him. ¡°Oh my! Miss! You got caught!¡± ¡°Come to unnie!¡± The women were smart enough to understand and changed their words as they covered Seol Young with a nket and took him to their living ce. ¡°You aren¡¯t even a kid from our vige, so how did you get caught?¡± ¡°I am a trainee of the White Tiger Spirit Troops.¡± Seol Young¡¯s answer surprised the women. They rubbed their eyes and looked at him again. It seemed strange that despite being captured, he remained calm. Even in the dim light, his handsome face seemed truly befitting of a Hwarang. ¡°So you are a trainee? ¡°Yes. Of the White Tiger Troops.¡± Seol Young made sure to emphasize it again. If it was a normal trainee, even if they seeded in infiltrating, they would have a hard time. To Seol Young, who had served as an elder back in the past, this ce was as clear as looking into the palm of his hand. After getting a familiar idea, he looked at the women, and they all had flowers in their hair and light straps on their shoulders. ¡°Is there a feast in here?¡± To Seol Young¡¯s question, they answered with fear-stricken faces. ¡°Not a feast, but something called To Heavens? It was said so.¡± ¡°The demon dares to imitate a ritual for sacrifice?¡± ¡°Yes, every day.¡± Seol Young secretly peeked at the demon. It was a huge creature, as if a few people werebined into one, with tough skin like steel and sharp iron pieces protruding from its armor. He couldn¡¯t figure out what it was, but it smelled like a wild boar. In the past, he might have prepared for a rough battle, but now the situation is different. ¡°My hyungs are right down there. When we get out of the fort, hide in the mountains and send a signal. They wille running. If my hyungse, then this all ends.¡± ¡°Yes, trainee.¡± At Seol Young¡¯s confident words, the women nodded. Seol Young took out a pill to subdue demons from his plum blossom patterned bottle, which every White Tiger Troop member had, and asked for a drink. ¡°Now, let us all be calm.¡± Everyone followed Seol Young¡¯s instructions and prepared the food calmly, as usual. Eventually, the henchmen of the demon came to hold the sacrifice. After drinking alcohol and eating meat, they began to fall one after another. Seol Young led the women, then. ¡°Enough now. Where is the passage you spoke of earlier?¡± ¡°This side!¡± The path through which the carts were loaded with offerings. It was the only exit. Seol Young and the women hurried there. ¡°Do not make a sound¡­¡± When everyone was moving slowly and were about to open the heavy gate¡­ Bang! Suddenly, there was a tremendous roar, and the gate shattered from ahead. Beyond the thick dust were three shadows. Seol Young was shocked. ¡°Hyungs?¡± ¡°Seol Young!¡¯ Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol rushed in and hugged Seol Young. ¡°Are you fine? Are you all right? Any injuries?¡± Seol Young asked with a puzzled look. ¡°Weren¡¯t you waiting at the bottom of the vige? Hyungs don¡¯t have wings, so how did¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! You got taken away, how can you even ask that now? Where is that demon?!¡± Seol Young waved his hands even more confused, and he blinked hard, unable to understand how his n of intentional capture didn¡¯t strike his hyungs. The demon and his henchmen were getting their senses back. Realizing what happened, they rushed in. Baek-Song-Wol came ahead as if waiting. ¡°Is it you who caught our youngest? How much suffering has the child endured at such a young age, yet you dared to kidnap him again!¡± In a fit of rage, the three pulled out their swords and attacked. -Never lose your reasoning, and move carefully. The Great-rang must have said something like that¡­ Seol Young frowned, but when he saw the demon¡¯s club flying towards Baek-Song-Wol, all thoughts vanished instantly. ¡°Hyungs!¡± He also drew his sword spirit and rushed ahead. The demon waspletely surrounded by the light of the swords pouring in from all four directions. It was like when they first met. When Seol Young led his hyungs to the swamp. The four of them misunderstood and confronted each other, but at some point, in front of a strong opponent, they always got together. Just like now. Puak! The body of the demon was simultaneously pierced by four swords. ¡°As expected!¡± A bright smile appeared on the face of Seol Young. ¡°What?¡± Baek San asked, unable to believe it. ¡°Did you climb a cliff-faced fortress, which was heavily carved out, without a foothold?¡± ¡°Yes. We relied on ropes.¡± Baek Eon said, showing the rope and how they reached such a height. ¡°Strange.¡± Beside Baek Eon, Song Ok and Hyo Wol swung their swords at the rock. But not even half of it broke. The two boys muttered in confusion. ¡°Weird. It worked then.¡± Baek San was shocked When Seol Young vanished, they must have rushed ahead using their full force, but they couldn¡¯t do it now. Even if they were told to do the same now, they couldn¡¯t. They had demonstrated superhuman abilities to rescue their youngest. ¡®They cannot be stopped.¡¯ Seeing Baek San shook his head, the four of them asked, ¡°Did we do something wrong?¡± ¡°No, no. You did well. You did well.¡± He nced behind them, and there was this cart with demon on it. This time, the White Tiger Troops cut off everything that could let the demon rise again. And his first mission, which the former ¡®Ghost Demon King¡¯ did, was done. Baek San looked proud. He proudly took the kids to the pce and reported about it. ¡°No, how can just four boys do that?¡± ¡°Did they use sorcery?¡± Baek-Song-Wol-Young heard what the people were talking about. The four of them were angry and turned their heads. ¡°What sorcery? It was done out of love.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know, stay out of it.¡± As they walked out of the pce side by side, the four brothers held hands as promised. Through their tightly held hands, a warm bond was conveyed. This feeling would never change. The four of them looked at each other and smiled warmly. Chapter 228: Epilogue (3) Chapter 228: Epilogue (3) Night Walk under the Moon. In the midst of the darkness, a blue light shed through the air. From the tip of the sword, which was shining brightly as if the moon had fallen on it, the de shone white, and a blue aura flowed down it. ¡®Perfect.¡¯ Seol Young lowered his sword. He had been busy since this morning. He checked the sword spirit in the backyard of his amodation. ¡®I need to head to bed early now.¡¯ He was about to leave the yard and enter his room, but then he saw the monks gathering and talking. Seol Young approached them and asked.¡°What is it? What is wrong?¡± ¡°Hwarang Seol Young? Did you hear aout it? Well, I-I heard the strange sound of a ghosting from thend in front of the Heavenly Emperor¡¯s Temple.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Oddly enough, even a small thing couldn¡¯t be passed lightly. Seol Young went out and passed the mountain as he arrived right in front of the temple. Sure enough, people were gathered there, murmuring and discussing the eerie cries of ¡°Eung! Eung! Euhh!¡± emanating from beneath the ground. Sensing an ominous sign, Seol Young tensed up. Then, upon hearing a cry from the ground, his expression changed. ¡®Wait, this is¡­¡¯ He borrowed a shovel from the temple and dug the ground. A white, round object was buried deep in the soil. ¡°What is that? An egg?¡± People rushed in to watch. And surprisingly, the egg had letters written on it. ¡°Snow? And Shadow?¡± Seol Young covered the egg with his hand, and it was then¡­ ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Two people appeared from behind and their attire was cleanly visible in the moonlight. They wore a Hwarang¡¯s uniform with a silver pattern on a blue background. Seol Young went stiff. ¡®The Blue Dragon Troops out of everyone?¡¯ The two Hwarangs didn¡¯t like seeing Seol Young. Their eyes trembled, looking at the object in his hand. ¡°What is that?¡± One of the onlookers said, ¡°We heard eerie criesing from the ground here, and that person dug up this strange egg. There were characters written on it, ¡®Shadow¡¯ and ¡®Snow¡¯.¡± ¡°No.¡± Seol Young denied it, and the faces of the two Hwarangs changed. ¡°Hearing cries from the ground is a bad omen to the nation, but the characters Snow (Seol) and Shadow (Young) were written on the egg? How can there be such a coincidence? Give that here.¡± ¡°I said it isn¡¯t like that.¡± Seol Young was sweating. He was still being framed in such situations. But this was just a misunderstanding. His tongue stiffened, rendering him unable to speak. At that moment¡­ ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± His eyes shed at the voice that came, and his clenched hand felt stiff. ¡°¡­?¡± He was surprised to see this noble dressed in ck, and what was interesting was that he had golden eyes. ¡®No, that person is¡­?¡¯ Seol Young reached for the egg, but Zaha pped his hand faster. Then the Blue Dragon Troops asked, ¡°High Governor, are his words true? Is his name really written on this egg?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Zaha looked at the egg, and the next moment, he said, ¡°What? Snow and Shadow? I read it as ¡®Lightning¡¯ and ¡®Tick Symbol¡¯?¡± He took the egg to a bright ce and showed it. The characters written weren¡¯t Seol Young¡¯s name. Seol Young was shocked. What just happened? He knew that the hands of this demon were swift, but they were swift enough to change characters? If he hadn¡¯t seen the characters beforehand, he would have been fooled. ¡°What? It isn¡¯t even his name, so what are you being suspicious about? This guy is always gloomy, and what do those characters even mean, High Governor?¡± ¡°Nothing. Someone must have yed a trivial trick. It looks like it is time for the egg to hatch, so I will put this in the pond. I will handle it myself.¡± ¡°Yes, High Governor.¡± The Hwarangs of the Blue Dragon Troops looked at Seol Young with displeasure before leaving. The onlookers, reassured that it was nothing serious, dispersed. Zaha said with a smile that only the two of them knew. ¡°Is this also something that happened during your Ghost Demon King days? You wrote your name and buried it in front of the temple to prevent the evil spirits from stealing it, but you forgot about it when the ban got lifted up recently and your spiritual qi returned, and it must have woken up as well, huh?¡± ¡°What does it matter?¡± Seol Young tried to snatch the egg back, but Zaha lifted it up and threw it in the pond. ¡°I cannot let such a morous egg grow with your energy, right?¡± ¡°Grow what? I was already nning to dispose of it. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t be of much importance to you, who fell into the demonic path, right?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like this. I mean, I cannot let something like this waste your precious spiritual qi, which is supposed to be mine.¡± Seol Young was stunned by Zaha¡¯s attitude, as if he were protecting him. ¡°Is this why you tailed me? To not let me waste my qi?¡± ¡°Tail you? Me?¡± Zaha looked shocked. ¡°I was the first toe to the temple. Seol Young-rang, you were the one who followed me here.¡± ¡°Why would I follow you?¡± ¡°You should know why. Well, it isn¡¯t a problem. If you are going to follow me around early in the morning, you might as well openly follow me, right?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tail you!¡± ¡°I am heading to the right, so don¡¯t follow me.¡± He said what he wanted to say and left. Now, he was being used. It was just one of his ways of harassing people, and his tactic was clear. He said he was going to the right, but he was actually moving to the left. If Seol Young decided to move to the left now, he would be caught in the trap. And when they would meet¡­ ¡®I told you not to follow me, but you still did it again!¡¯ He could already hear his shameless voice. ¡®Do you think I will fall for it?¡¯ Seol Young took the right without another thought, but it wasn¡¯t long before he heard a familiar voice. ¡°High Governor! Are you heading back now?¡± Seol Young¡¯s feet stopped there. Why did he hear this now? Besides, wasn¡¯t this Seo Geom-rang¡¯s voice? ¡°Is everything alright? I heard from the kids that you ran into Seol Young-rang in front of the temple. That rude Hwarang must have been arrogant to the High Governor again, right?¡± ¡°Shhh, be quiet. Seo Geom-rang. I don¡¯t know if it was Seol Young-rang or some other Hwarang, but I¡¯m sure he is tailing me right now.¡± ¡°Tailing you?¡± ¡°Right. He kept tailing me, which was so annoying, so I told him not to follow me, saying I would head to the right.¡± Zaha looked back. Seol Young was so shocked that he hid behind the trees. ¡®Why on earth did thatpulsive liar, who only opens his mouth to deceive others, actuallye down the right path?¡¯ Seol Young couldn¡¯t believe that he had indeede down the right path. Now that it turned out like this, who would believe him? It would be even worse to prove his point to someone like Seo Geom. Seol Young hid himself even more. ¡°It seems like he hasn¡¯t caught up to me yet since I don¡¯t see him. Then good, I can leave.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have a drink? While the High Governor was away, many nice ces opened up in the capital.¡± ¡°I need to leave early tomorrow morning, so I just want to head home.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, then. Goodbye.¡± Seo Geom and the Blue Dragon Troops stepped aside and opened the path. And after Zaha left, they whispered that it was unfortunate. Then Seol Young walked out from behind the tree and came out only after it was quiet. ¡®Phew, I lost 10 years.¡¯ Chapter 229: Epilogue (4) Chapter 229: Epilogue (4) Walking in the Moonlight. He just came to investigate if it were a cmity, but he ran into that demon, Seo Geom, and the Blue Dragon Troops. On such a nice night, he had to enjoy himself. ¡®Let¡¯s go back to the lodging quickly.¡¯ Zaha quickly wanted to head back to his home, so Seol Young avoided that direction. But¡­ As he passed through the bustling streets illuminated by moonlight, familiarughter reached his ears. What? Seol Young stopped with a puzzled look.On the other side, there was an outdoor drinking bar. Hwarangs were dressed in purple robes and sitting together. At first nce, there seemed to be a lot of them, even Mu Won-rang, who lost his leg because of Seol Young, was there. As for what they were doing¡­ ¡­it was insane. He was pouring tea for Zaha, who was sitting across from him. ¡®He said he was going home! Is this his home?¡¯ Seol Young hid back to a pir at the shop entrance. And he heard their conversation. ¡°If we had gone to the temple without knowing the situation hade to an end, we would have been told that the ck Tortoise Troops moved in vain.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t care about what they say.¡± ¡°Still, it matters. Great-rang. It is a shame that the High Governor had to return just to inform us. Only the High Governor cares for us like this. You must have been in a rush to return.¡± ¡°Ahh, no. I did say I was going home, but it was only because I wanted someone to overhear it, so I could evade the person tailing me.¡± ¡°Uh? Someone is tailing the High Governor? Who is that guy who is sick of their life?¡± ¡°Who can it be? A person who bothers and follows me, iming to catch my weakness.¡± ¡°No, the Ghost Demon¡­¡± ¡°Shh, quiet. I lied about heading home and got rid of him, but maybe he is following me again.¡± Saying so, he looked around. ¡®That demon is really¡­¡¯ Seol Young¡¯s body trembled in rage. However, he knew very well how difficult his position would be if he were caught. That is why he had no choice but to hold himself back. Would the hem of his robe flutter, or would his hair be seen? Seol Young went still, unable to move, and Zaha continued to walk. ¡®Please go. Please just.¡¯ At that time, the door to the ce he was hiding behind burst open. Seol Young was so surprised that he almost screamed. The old man who opened it was also shocked. But when he saw who it was, he looked happy. ¡°Hwarang, please help me!¡± ¡°Shhh. Lower your voice. What is it?¡± ¡°The ce across the street is the guesthouse of my son, but while it was left closed and vacant, a ghost entered it. Please kick it out.¡± Listening carefully, it seemed usible. If he could go and quietly catch the ghost, when he would returnter, the troops, along with Zaha, would have left as well. Besides, maybe that ghost was a clue to the cmities. ¡°I understand.¡± Just then, the ck Tortoise Troops suddenly stood up, and taking advantage of this, Seol Young went into the empty guesthouse. As soon as he stepped inside, he felt that there really was a ghost here, so he looked around. At that moment. The old man¡¯s voice came from across the street. ¡°Oh my! There are Hwarangs here too! There is a ghost hiding in the guesthouse of my son! Please get rid of it!¡± ¡°Ghost? Now is not the time for tea! Everyone, get up!¡± Seol Young, who was taking out a talisman, went stiff. ¡®No, that old man! He asked me so why is he calling someone else? If he was going to ask for help, he should have asked just one person!¡¯ He hurriedly tried to leave, but it was toote. ¡°In here?¡± Zaha, Mu Won and the others were entering. ¡®This isn¡¯t good.¡¯ Seol Young hid himself in the dark space on the stairway leading to the second floor of the guesthouse. It didn¡¯t seem like a good idea, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°It feels really eerie in here.¡± Zaha and the others wandered and looked around. ¡®Ah, this is bad¡­¡¯ Seol Young pushed himself deeper into the darkness. Then, to make matters worse, something white appeared in front of his eyes. A ghost with loose hair. It was standing right in front of him, and looking straight at Seol Young, who was hiding there. ¡®Go way!¡¯ Seol Young was threatening with his eyes, but the ghost continued to linger in front of Seol Young, as if it were enjoying it. Soon, one of the Hwarangs spotted the ghost. ¡°High Governor, Great-rang! There seems to be something over there!¡± Heuk¡­ Seol Young felt his hair stand on his body. At all costs, he had to avoid getting caught. With that thought, Seol Young hurriedly cast a powerful spell on the body of the ghost. Swish! Light shed, and the body of the ghost began to swell and rise to the ceiling. ¡°Get rid of it!¡± Zaha¡¯s sword, Mu Won¡¯s weapons, and all the Hwarangs pierced their swords. Then they stopped right in front of Seol Young¡¯s nose. Needless to say, the ghost vanished. ¡°It was a lot more dangerous than I thought, right? Old man, it has been resolved.¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± People came flocking, offering thanks and praise, then left in a hurry. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Seol Young came out and sat down. The evil night goblin in the corner of the guesthouse crawled out. ¡°Ehhh, don¡¯t kill ghosts. They are fun.¡± Seol Yong was so exhausted that he didn¡¯t care to talk and just sat. He wanted to go somewhere and be alone. ¡®Let¡¯s go back to my room quickly.¡¯ Seol Young managed to get himself up. But then he saw a small bottle of alcohol lying on the table in the guesthouse and a note tied to it. ¡°What is this now?¡± ¡°Ah, that?¡± The goblin asked. ¡°The man dressed in ck and had demonic qi left it there. He told us not to open it because there is some ritual character written on it to prevent the ghost froming back.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Just looking at it, it made no sense. Was the demon up to something odd? Seol Young grabbed the note and opened it. Then he went stiff. ¡®Seol Young-rang, stop ying and head to bed early.¡¯ That was written on the note. He did think it couldn¡¯t be the case, but it seemed right that the guy had deliberately led him here. Seol Young bit his lip in anger. ¡°Just wait and see¡­¡± ¡°Oh, the person who says ¡®just wait and see¡¯ usually isn¡¯t scary at all.¡± The goblin chuckled. Seol Young looked at it, and he wanted to snap its head. The next day, people in the capital found something strange. On the street in front of the guesthouse that was haunted, there was a goblin with its eyes closed and tied up. And a sign around its neck that said, ¡®I will not tease others again¡¯. People shook their heads and whispered. ¡°Just what happenedst night?¡± Chapter 230: Epilogue (5) Chapter 230: Epilogue (5) Above the Sky. Smoke rose from an incense burner engraved with a nice image of clouds reaching the sky. Eyes filled with golden light were watching this. The incense had no meaning, just an abstract form, but he stared at it, and it changed to the faces of people he once knew. The boundary between consciousness and unconsciousness. After sitting like that for a long time, neither sleeping nor fully awake, the golden eyes opened wide, and there was this fluttering sound. ¡°¡­?¡± Blurred forms swirled around. When he lowered his gaze, his sword was shining bright yellow. The guardian spirits must have intervened when the sword spirit¡¯s warning went unnoticed by its owner. Maybe they were worried about the demonic qi losing control. ¡°Sorry. Sorry.¡± Zaha reassured them, and the incense burned out. If he was a little careless, such things could happen. This eerie sensation, as if his consciousness were drifting away, was something he had never experienced before. Moments like these made him truly realize he wasn¡¯t a normal human. So what was he? Since he had demonic qi, he should be a demonic being. A demonic being. A monster. A word that he wasn¡¯t used to when it came to referring to himself. And he mumbled to himself. ¡°Well, so what? I have both literary and martial arts skills, and I am at the top of the Hwarangs. It¡¯s only natural to have such ws to make it easier for others to approach me, right?¡± ¡°Right, right. Everyone should have some ws.¡± The door opened, with the couple entering. The tomb ghosts in the study were startled and fled abruptly. ¡°Bibi, Chunchun, mind your steps as you go.¡± The coupleughed, emptied the incense burner, and wiped it clean. After staring at the ashes falling, he picked up a book. After returning to the capital, he searched Jin Rim¡¯s study and searched for all sorts of data, but he couldn¡¯t find any mention of what to call beings like himself. Well, there wouldn¡¯t be any, neither before nor after. He walked down the path no one had walked before. A sandy ce appeared before his eyes. There were footprints behind him, but nothing ahead. He might have to walk forever. Zaha mumbled. ¡°Should I head to India?¡± ¡°It is nice.¡± While cleaning the lid of the incense burner, the couple smiled in response. ¡°Riding a camel, watching the sunset, lighting a fire and drinking¡­¡± ¡°Right. They say that nothing can be read because of the sandstorm, which covers everything. How good can that be?¡± Zaha listened to the couple and flipped through the pages. ¡°Should we make some tea?¡± ¡°No.¡± It was an evening he didn¡¯t want to see anyone. However, he had a scheduled visit from an official who had connections with his family in the past. If he refused, Zaun would surelye. ¡°How much is this? I wanted to pay my respects, but in the Hwarang¡¯s Hall, it¡¯s impossible toe across you.¡± The official came and greeted him in a friendly manner and handed him a gift box. ¡°What¡¯s all this for?¡± Zaha opened the box, and there was this skull of an animal ced on red silk with a pattern on it. Thick, ominous smoke billowed from the empty eye sockets. His face stiffened. ¡°Do you not like it?¡± The official asked. This person knew nothing. He must have bought it without any thought, just considering it as a gift. ck smoke engulfed the entire study. It felt as though a ck sandstorm blew into his mind, erasing everything. From his memories, he barely managed to pull out an appropriate response. ¡°Since I¡¯ve obtained a horse¡¯s bone, I should hang it in front of the mansion immediately. Perhaps? Maybe within tomorrow, I¡¯ll acquire three horses.¡± ¡°Haha! It won¡¯t be just horses. Since we¡¯ve ovee even the most dreadful cmities, you can obtain anything you seek.¡± Long ago, a man named Nan Sei suggested a n to gather talented horses for the king, and the purpose was to collect horse bones. The rumors spread that he paid a hefty amount for them, and the number of dead horses began to pile up. The official, looking at the skull, was thinking of the past. He had no doubt that this was a good thing, and Zaha epted it. ¡°In the end, money is everything, be it now or the past. If you want to save things and be talented, give money. Isn¡¯t that what we already know?¡± ¡°Eh, what is this? It is said that where the money goes, so does the heart, so it is important to care for the right things. Since one returned with great determination, talents will follow as clouds.¡± Zaha¡¯s hand stopped at the official¡¯s words. Right. Rumors had it that a heavenly being descended and turned into a human. Because of that, many called him a heavenly being. This was a distant memory. Zaha smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t want people to know I am talented. I just want those who are there, to listen.¡± The old man exchanged a few words before leaving. In the quiet study again, he looked down at the box. The long head of the horse skull turned into a wolf¡¯s bone with a short muzzle. The heavenly being¡¯s bone. This was the bone of a ughtered wolf. The door to the opposite corridor opened silently. ¡°Noona! How did you manage to move that? Uh?¡± There was this boy holding a sword and running down the hallway of Zaha¡¯s house. A blushing girl turned back andughed. ¡°You aren¡¯t as light as me. If you hand over the colt bestowed to you, I will teach you¡­¡± ¡°Noona!¡± The shadows vanished and reappeared. ¡°Governor! Governor!¡± Jin Rim, dressed as a Hwarang, came running, and there were Seo Geom, Hwa Un, Baek Eon, and Mu Won chasing behind. They all looked very young. ¡°How did you fix it? I thought we were all going to be taken to the assessment office this time!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Does that make sense? The Hwarangs almost identally destroyed the shrine while catching that spirit. If there is really holy power from the sky there, shouldn¡¯t we have used our powers to block it before destroying it?¡± ¡°Oh my! Will you really say that in front of the Great Heavenly Pavilion?¡± ¡°I want to, but¡­¡± Zaha, who had a boyish look, smiled roundly and then everyone burst intoughter. Another shadow rose where they rushed. ¡°Governor! Governor!¡± The hallway, where Zaha was, was shimmering. All those memories were definitely Zaha¡¯s, but also not his. ck demonic qi flowed from his fingertips. It became one with the smoke from the bones and swept through the study like waves. The ghosts vanished and reappeared. He was worried, thinking, ¡®Can a child handle this?¡¯ Zaha shook his head. ¡°This much should work.¡± The demonic qi, which lost its direction, began to turn. A power not gained through his training. A powerful force that no one else possessed. But as he gained control over such power, he felt even more distant from being human. ¡®Not so fun¡­¡¯ Spiritual qi began to get tangled up like a spider¡¯s web and were reflected in golden light in his eyes. The two eyes of the wooden mask hidden in his clothes shone. The wave of demonic qi continued to stretch out. He could handle something like this alone. However, as he was able to do that, he was getting closer to being a non-human. ¡°¡­Not fun.¡± Chapter 231: Epilogue (6) Chapter 231: Epilogue (6) Above the Sky. After collecting even thest remaining bone from wandering, he calmed down his energy. Coincidentally, there was a written sutra lying on the desk, so he picked up a brush and began to copy it. The boundaries of the world, which copsed like sand, stopped. Then, what had copsed slowly began to rebuild. The study became silent again. After he finished rewriting the four sutras, he put down the brush. On the opposite wall, the Avalokitesvara painting of the Buddha seated by the water¡¯s edge under the full moon looked at him. At one time, he thought he could be saved¡­ ¡°¡­¡± The animal bones on the desk were shattered. In the silence, he stared at it for a long time. As always, the Hwarangs¡¯ Hall was crowded with Hwarangs. ¡°¡­So I tried it. What is the big deal when a Hwarang catches a ghost and identally tears out the Sun and Moon qi? If it really holds the power of the heavens, shouldn¡¯t the Vermillion Bird Troops know how to avoid it before they run there?¡± ¡°Do you remember my teaching? And did you actually say this in front of the Pavilion Head?¡± ¡°I really wanted to, but¡­¡± Hwa Un, who had a childish habit when speaking, folded and unfolded his fan but then left with the red hem of his dress fluttering like wings. A thick shade of green was cast on the path, which stretched through the trees of the pce. A path that he walked many times in the past. Memories of that time were vividly registered in his mind. It seemed that if he stepped into it, he could go back to the past. Were the afterimages of the animal bones causing this? Zaha stood there and looked at the path covered in green. Just then, he heard the sound of something rustling in the wind. The sound of jade colliding. And finally, he showed up. Zaha looked back and said, ¡°Seol Young-rang, where are you going like that? I had to deal with all sorts of troublesome matters alone.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m terribly sorry. As a low-ranking Hwarang, I¡¯m being called all over the ce.¡± ¡°Your skills at being sarcastic have improved so much.¡± ¡°It is quite natural to change into what we see and hear every day. If you want to promote me, please do so.¡± Seol Young jumped down the stairs swiftly. ¡°But is everything fine? I am starting to get worried.¡± ¡°As you can see, I am perfectly fine.¡± ¡°Not you, High Governor.¡± Seol Young gestured with his eyes and spread out his five fingers. ¡°I should check up on everyone. If everything¡¯s fine, can I go back now?¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± Upon arriving at Zaha¡¯s home, Seol Young opened the door to the study. As soon as he entered, he said, ¡°Such a mess.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± He responded incredulously. The study was clean and quiet. All the furniture was in ce, and nothing was messed up. Seol Young had a puzzled look. ¡°Did I see it wrong? It cannot be.¡± Zaha watched with interest as his gaze was directed to where the demonic qi had spread outst night. There was nothing left there. Nevertheless, he had such an innate sense that he seemed to be able to detect things that had already vanished. ¡®You are the same too.¡¯ Seol Yeong would likely detest and be disgusted by such thoughts, but asionally, the image of himself ovepped with this low-ranking Hwarang. Should he say his potential to grow was simr? If Zaha hadn¡¯t hidden and met the Governor and trainees, he might have asked Baek San to bring him into his own troops¡­ Ah, no. Seol Young mmed the door, not wanting to think such things. ¡®I wasn¡¯t so rude, though.¡¯ There was nothing in the closet, and Seol Young looked around like it was strange. ¡°Where is everyone?¡± ¡°Maybe in the yard? They are usually there.¡± ¡°Not there. They will show up when they know I am here.¡± Seol Young naturally sat down in the chair in front of the desk. Come to think of it, it seemed that, at some point, it turned into his own ce. He looked around the dark ce and found a box with symbol engraved on it. ¡°What is this? Isn¡¯t this a skull decoration?¡± ¡°Ah, right, I got that as a gift.¡± ¡°A gift? Who would do such a crazy thing¡­? Just the sight of it is ominous.¡± Seol Young clicked his tongue and touched it. He had seen this too many times, and yet this felt exciting. His clear eyes became opaque, and he seemed to receive signals from a distance, asionally uttering unrted words. ¡°¡­Above heaven?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°N-Nothing.¡± Seol Young¡¯s eyes returned to normal. ¡°That is a sacrificed horse. Horses are clever animals, and their grudge of being killed remains in their bones.¡± ¡°Then it will be dangerous.¡± ¡°No. I thought it would be like that at first, too. But now I have gone past all of them, so it is alright.¡± ¡°In other words, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s thrown away, right?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you can give it to me. I have a use for it.¡± ¡°Nice, then 10 pieces of silver.¡± ¡°You said you could throw it away, so why are you trying to sell it? I have no money.¡± Just ordinary conversation. Engaging in such mundane exchanges, it sometimes seemed like he could live a normal life from now on. Wouldn¡¯t that be nice? But that was unlikely. He knew. That one day, when the timees, he would have to make a choice without another thought, despite not knowing what the situation would be. ¡°But the tomb ghosts still haven¡¯t appeared yet?¡± After putting the horse¡¯s head down, Seol Young looked around, and Zaha said, ¡°Right, didn¡¯t they say they would all hide?¡± ¡°Hide? Why?¡± ¡°They are afraid that you will take them back. They said they were happier living on this side than the white-robed Hwarangs. They said I treat them better.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Seol Young just dismissed that, but his face was paying attention to what Zaha said. Seol Young stayed silent and then mumbled. ¡°Well, right. It would be nice to live in such a rich ce.¡± It was so funny that Zaha smiled. ¡°Seol Young-rang, do you really believe that?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Why would they hide? I don¡¯t know where they¡¯ve gone, but judging by their increased activitytely, they¡¯re probably somewhere like a pond.¡± ¡°So, saying they want to live here¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s just my imagination. I imagine a lot when I look at them. We don¡¯t really talk much.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Seol Young¡¯s face twisted. ¡°I thought that it cannot be true, but I believed it in the moment as you said it so confidently. Is it alright for a person called the High Governor to say such a childish lie?¡± ¡°Childish, you say! This is all for you, so I think you need to be a bit more aloof. You never know when a person will leave your life! You need to be trained like this.¡± He yelled out without shame. He would say anything at any chance he got. Why does he always make fun of Seol Young and make him angry? He could be nice, but no. He seemed to have no intention of leaving a good memory¡­ No, there is another reason for this. ¡°What? Train? Do not lie. You are just doing this for fun. Just because it is all fun.¡± Seol Young bluntly said. ¡°Seol Young-rang, you are so sharp, huh?¡± Zaha said, Once called the incarnation of the Blessing of the Heavens, a star, this perfect self of his had been buried in the grave for so long, but there had to be something fun in life. And he felt better. Zaha said loudly to the couple passing outside. ¡°Bring tea here.¡± Chapter 232: Epilogue (7) Chapter 232: Epilogue (7) Lotus Field World. From beyond the window, the loud sound of an owl hooting in the trees could be heard. Only then did Seol Young raise his head. It was alreadyte into the night. It seemed like it was about time to close his eyes and rest. He arranged the scattered papers and books on the table. Then, in an instant, his hand stopped. Arge flower was visible on the paper. A painting of a lotus flower with Buddha on each of its petals, blooming in the middle of the sea, where a huge wind wheel was submerged. The Lotus Field World. Seeing the image reminded him of the Three Thousand Worlds, making him feel lost for a moment. It was all over, but there was one thing he couldn¡¯t understand. It was the drinking bet. The Seol Young from that world¡ªhow could he have lost to the High Governor Zaha in a drinking contest and ended up being taken away from the White Tiger Troops? Seol Young also learned to drink from Song Ok, so he wouldn¡¯t be easily defeated by anyone when it came to alcohol, so how could he lose like that? ¡°No way.¡± After cleaning the surroundings, Seol Young washed up andid down on his bed. But even when he closed his eyes, that thought still lingered in his mind. ¡®It is weird right from the start. Why did they make such a bet in the first ce?¡¯ The faces of Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol, who were shining brightly in that world, came to his mind. How much would he have wanted to kick himself for leaving their side and being taken away? It was insane, no matter how much he thought about it. He shouldn¡¯t have fallen to the bet in the first ce¡­ ¡®Why did he have toe and make a bet?¡¯ His mind was doubting it. Then, perhaps without even realizing it, he seemed to toss and turn, and his head hit something hard with a thud. Did he move near the table? Seol Young opened his eyes. Wondering. Zaha was sitting on the other side, staring at him. ¡­High Governor? His mouth didn¡¯t move. Instead, he said horrid words. ¡°Bet? No. I would never. The Governor always wins them oddly.¡± The Governor? Seol Young was confused but then he realized. The Zaha in front of him wasn¡¯t the High Governor he knew. At first nce, they were simr people, but the atmosphere around them was different. It was hard to pinpoint exactly where and how it was different, but¡­ Well, he could guess from the title too. ¡®Governor.¡¯ This was one of the Three Thousand Worlds he visited before¡ªa world without the God of Cataclysm. And right now seemed to be the moment they were discussing the drinking bet. He was wondering how he was seeing this, but maybe it was because he was thinking too hard about it. He observed the situation with interest. ¡°The Governor always wins?¡± Zaha raised his eyes. ¡°Winning is just winning. Where¡¯s the strangeness in that? So did Seol Young-rang lose oddly?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t twist my words.¡± ¡°Anyway, even if you refuse, listen to the end before rejecting. Do you know what this bet is about? It¡¯s a drinking contest.¡± ¡°Uh? For real? It cannot be like that¡­¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s how it¡¯s decided. If I win, you will immediately leave the White Tiger Troops and enter the Sun Moon Troops to be my aide¡­¡± ¡°Ah, no. I won¡¯t. Absolutely not.¡± ¡°And if you win, I wille to your troops as the one under you, 5th Hwarang.¡± Dung. Seol Young felt his heart pound. And he let out a wry smile. ¡®I see. I couldn¡¯t help but fall for it. I acknowledge it.¡¯ But even if he fell for such a bold condition, he still couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling. Hadn¡¯t he been stabbed in the back by Zaha twice? Even if he agreed, he must have felt odd about this, right? As if to answer that question, the face of a woman, cool and elegant yet firm, appeared before him. Zaun. Seol Young-rang asked her. ¡°There is no one in the capital who doesn¡¯t know that the Governor is a horrible drinker, so it is quite suspicious that he proposes this first. If Zaun-rang knows something, will you please let me know? Please give me an honest answer. Has he been acting like he couldn¡¯t drink? He could drink, but did he deliberately hide it?¡± ¡°No. The people in our family are naturally weak to alcohol.¡± Zaun tly denied it. ¡°Of course, I know it can be corrected with training. But he didn¡¯t bother. First, he has a huge responsibility on his shoulders, so he needs to let loose at times, right? Second, he has to show a drunken look at the drinking party when dealing with high ranking officials. And the third and most important reason. As the child of a great noble family, what reason is there for him to do something like that? Who would dare say anything, even if he acted up? It¡¯s all an expression of power.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At Zaun¡¯s shameless wods, Seol Young was speechless for a moment. ¡°Um, right. Anyway, then, if there is apetition in drinking, he will never win¡­¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± ¡°Then why did the Governor propose a bet he couldn¡¯t win?¡± ¡°It is obvious. He is up to something. The oue of this bet depends on preventing that.¡± Zaun said that and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You need to do well. I had already bet a fortune on you.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Her figure blurred and transformed into another person. An official with a yful face. It was Seo Jun. ¡°A trick used by people who cannot drink? Okay. I¡¯ll teach you everything I¡¯ve seen and heard while going to drinking parties.¡± ¡°Thank you. I will repay all this favor.¡± ¡°Enough. Make sure to win. You need to win. If I could see the Governor in the White Tiger Troops under the youngest, I could even sell my soul!¡± Seo Jun giggled as he said everything, and the day of the bet came. The location was in front of Zaha¡¯s house. A tform was built in the middle, and everyone stood around it. And alcohol jars were lined up at the back. ¡°The Governor will finally pull out his tigers ws.¡± ¡°But honestly, doesn¡¯t the Ghost Demon King drink well?¡± ¡°He must have a strategy.¡± Seeing the two people sitting face to face, the leaders of each troop spoke, while the White Tiger Troops stood apart and whispered. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that the Governor is tired of his work and has decided to retire in this way?¡± Amidst the murmurs, Jin Rim, who was appointed as the judge of thispetition, stepped forward and dered. ¡°Let us start the drinkingpetition.¡± Seol Young raised his hand. ¡°Wait. I have something to say first.¡± Zaha also said, ¡°I have something to say too. If you get caught cheating, it will be a defeat.¡± ¡°Ugh? I was going to say that too.¡± At the words of the two, Jin Rim nodded. ¡°That doesn¡¯t have to be said; it is natural. Now then, let us really start the match.¡± The Hwarangs opened the first jar. On the table were two jade cups to be used for today¡¯spetition. Made of jade, they were adorned with rings on both sides and wererge enough to hold with both hands. As the Hwarangs poured the clear and strong alcohol, its thick scent spread in all directions. ¡°So strong!¡± Hyo Wol felt dizzy and stepped back. ¡°First one!¡± Seol Young carefully checked the ss and raised it. Then he noticed something strange. ¡°Wait! What¡¯s that towel on the Governor¡¯s seat?¡± ¡°I just put it there without thinking. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a problem. You could secretly pour alcohol into the towel while pretending to drink. Please confiscate that towel.¡± Zaha said they could do what he wanted, and the Hwarangs removed it. Then both of them simultaneously lifted their cups and drank. ¡°Second one!¡± ¡°Third one!¡± They drank three cups in one breath, yet both were still fine. Seol Young continued to look at Zaha with sharp eyes. ¡®Why is he drinking this well today?¡¯ And then he saw something strange. Chapter 233: Epilogue (8) This chapter is missing , we are fix soon ! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!