Like an ant crawling into its hill, Woo-yong Jin entered Byul Rak’s mindscape.
“Hey, kid.”
“Senior? What brings you here?”
“Do you not have something to tell me?”
Woo-yong Jin glared as he asked.
“What are you talking about?”
Even so, as the young girl responded vaguely, Woo-yong Jin lost his temper.
“Didn’t you say my younger brother was in Mucheon Valley? Yet, when I checked, no one was there!”
“Ah, why are you asking me about that? You must have been so intimidating that your younger brother didn’t want to meet you.”
“Are you pulling my leg?”
“What do you take me for? Despite appearances, I’m an honest kid!”
“…Honest, you say?”
“Humph, honesty is, after all, subjective, isn’t it!”
‘What kind of crazy woman is this?’ With that thought, Woo-yong Jin looked at the young girl.
The girl, embarrassed by her own words, shyly averted her gaze.
“Have you completed the task you said you would do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you say you’d be preparing by interfering with someone’s emotions?”
“Ah, that? I’m working on it hard.”
“…Can I really trust you with this, then?”
In response to the doubting question, the girl let out a giggling laugh.
And then she gave the mindscape a full round of observation.
No matter how many times she saw it, it was a place she couldn’t easily get used to—an atrocious, miserable space.
A place where blood-red fluids dripped from cracks in the ground; undoubtedly, there was no uglier place in this world.
“Don’t worry. This won’t harm him.”
“Are you planning to heal him, then?”
“Not so much heal but regenerate would be closer to what I’m doing.”
“You know, don’t you, human, that his affection had completely died?”
Saying so, the girl tapped the ground lightly with her foot.
It was more of a caressing stroke than a stomping one.
“Well, it isn’t overexertion. Originally, this person cared solely for his wife. And now that even that relationship has been severed, so too has the anchor of love gone.”
“Didn’t you interfere in that too?”
“Ugh! How many times do I have to tell you? It wasn’t me, it was my main body! And I haven’t done anything yet!”
“All this ‘main body’ talk. In the end, whether it’s you or her, it’s all the same.”
“Ugh…! And please, stop blaming it all on me. The man’s emotional death was a natural outcome. My main body only slightly assisted.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Yes, so please stop already. I’m not the devil incarnate!”
Seeing the girl genuinely annoyed, Woo-yong Jin chuckled and took a step back.
Having coexisted within Byul Rak’s mind, the two had grown quite close over time.
“Then why try to revive those feelings now? When the son-in-law has already parted ways with his wife.”
“Because it’s a complete parting. There’s someone waiting to connect.”
“Someone waiting to connect?”
“Isn’t it great? The story has just become hopeful all of a sudden! Wow! Bright martial arts world! Sweet spring breezes! How good!”
“To think a girl wouldn’t say such things… thirty-six years old and he’s talking nonsense about spring winds.”
The young girl giggled at the chiding words.
“Well, whatever, the love story you talk about isn’t bad.”
With a sly grin, Woo-yong Jin asked,
“Then, who is this partner you speak of? Surely, it must be my own descendant?”
To which, the girl responded,
“Who knows?”
“What?!”
“How many women are in this world? Things aren’t going to go exactly as you want, you know.”
“Cough, cough…”
She gave an innocent answer that would have made Gayoung Jin foam at the mouth had she heard it.
*
After leaving Mucheon Valley, they faced a cloudless, clear blue sky.
It was a beautiful sky. A truly pristine sky, impossible to see while they were in Mucheon Valley.
The sight of this sky reminded me of a saying from Mencius.
To look up without shame to heaven.
Indeed, have I lived my life without violating this saying?
Have I lived without even a single trace of shame towards the heavens?
…
I can’t tell.
It’s possible that what I thought were righteous deeds might not have been righteous at all.
Since virtue is subjective, I will never know for sure.
This is also the reason why I hesitated to respond to the sword sage’s earnest advice to perform good deeds.
There are no bad habits in endlessly pondering unanswered questions.
Rather than diving deep and planting unnecessary distractions, I’ll simply walk my path silently.
Whether I go right or left…
As long as it’s my path, why should I be preoccupied with wondering about the right answer?
“Solitary flower.”
Tang Sobaek, who had faced the vast sky as if drawing a breath of fresh air, called softly.
“What? Why?”
“Here, take your share of the elixir.”
She removed a small container she kept carefully in her bosom, handing it to Tang Sobaek.
Even with the lid closed, the elixir emitted a gentle fragrance.
“Ah, are you leaving already?”
“You don’t know where you’re heading.”
“What else is there? A flower born and raised in Sichuan must return to Sichuan.”
“…”
A flower born and raised in Sichuan must return there.
Even I, who left the Nan Palace and am returning later to deal with that ‘fake’…
It sounds like she’s expressing it metaphorically, knowing my situation.
“Ultimately, our journey through the central plains will be the same.”
“Would you like to join me?”
“I don’t force anyone. Don’t come if you don’t want to.”
“Who said I don’t want to? I was worried about the lonely and dangerous journey, but I’m glad.”
“Alright, then let’s go together.”
As Tang Sobaek received one of the two pills of the elixir, Jade Flower who had been silently listening interjected.
“Byul Rak, I have a question.”
“Feel free to ask.”
“Where do you plan to go now?”
A question asking about the destination ahead.
And I reply as I have contemplated.
“To Eastern Invincible, whom we previously met.”
“Because of Moon Blossom?”
“Top priority, isn’t it.”
“Indeed, given her precarious condition, haste is necessary. Then, after Moon Blossom, where are you planning to go?”
After giving the elixir to Gayoung Jin?
Well…
“South Palace family.”
“You’re going to the South Palace family?”
“Didn’t you overhear something at the training ground?”
“Ah.”
The look of understanding crossing her face at my words.
“You’re seeking revenge, aren’t you?”
“An unforgivable fellow.”
“Even though the real Nan Gong-bin was fake, it’s a hard story to believe outright.”
“Yet it’s an explanation that accounts for the fake Nan Gong-bin’s actions.”
“True, and knowing that, I won’t stop you.”
In sync with her words, Jade Flower lightly tapped my back.
Walking to my right, Hong Ryun glared fiercely at her, but Jade Flower seemed unaware.
“There are countless reasons for you to seek revenge.”
“Is that so?”
“Behaving as a member of the Nan Palace family despite not truly belonging, usurping the family head role in violation of the rules, killing my younger brother, then committing atrocities in his body. There’s no way I can forgive him for what he’s done to the family and my brother.”
At my firm declaration of resolute intent, Jade Flower nodded understandingly.
At that exact moment, Hong Ryun’s angry voice sounded from my right.
“Excuse me, benefactor? Is that the only reason?”
Her voice was filled with frustration.
“Isn’t the person who suffered the most from the fake Nan Gong-bin you? Your accomplishments were ruined, and your honor was lost.”
“…”
“Even losing your family due to that man, why have you not even once mentioned the harm done to yourself?”
It sounded as if she felt stifled and was making complaints.
“Has your self-esteem fallen to nothing?”
“…”
I couldn’t respond with any words.
“Ah, why do I have to explain such things to the strongest person in the central plains….”
Click.
“…!”
Instead, I quietly placed my hand on her head and stroked it.
It wasn’t an action laden with much significance.
Just that, I felt somewhat proud that she, truly concerned for me, had voiced these complaints.
“Ah…!”
As the pink-haired girl’s hair was brushed by my palm, her face turned red, and she seemed at a loss.
“Does that self-esteem really matter so much?”
“Huh…!”
“Is it not better to be humble than to let vain self-importance lead to arrogance?”
“Is that remark meant for me?”
“Ahaha, if it sounds like it, I have nothing more to say.”
“…”
Hong Ryun pouted like a child, annoyed.
Softly, quietly, continuing to stroke her…
“Haa… This is cheating!”
Finally, Hong Ryun relaxed her stiffened expression.
As winter melts into spring, snow and ice naturally.
She leaned her head on my arm.
“You… could you move away a bit?”
That wasn’t me but Jade Flower speaking.
“I understand your reasons, but… this is a public street. Show some restraint.”
Seemingly, even the principled Jade Flower couldn’t stomach Hong Ryun’s bold behavior.
Well, I agree with her too.
It’s already awkward. If people see and misunderstand, it would only get more uncomfortable.
“If you need somewhere to lean, I’ll get you a horse, and you can ride it…”
“…”
“…! Ah, alright. Do as you wish. I shouldn’t have interfered…”
Hm?
What’s going on?
Since Hong Ryun’s face was hidden by the back of my head, I couldn’t see it.
For a moment, an unusual current flowed between the two, and then the stubborn Jade Flower stepped back.
“Hahahaha! That’s why you should be careful with women!”
“Hum, ignorance is bliss, it seems.”
“…”
At that moment, I felt with utmost clarity that the journey ahead would not be smooth.
