Chapter 443

The Shandong Peninsula is often called the land that dives right into the sea.

In reality, this peninsula, which looks like the continent stretching its hand into the ocean, peculiarly has a big rocky mountain in the middle of it.

That would be No Mountain.

And right below No Mountain lies a small port town known as Qingdao.

Yes, the very town famous for its beer, which is Qing’s hometown.

The beer brewed from the pure waters of No Mountain seemed to seize the world, but later gained fame for reasons other than its taste or so they say.

Anyway, Qingdao is indeed a very small countryside.

“Wait, Qingdao is countryside?”

“Of course! What kind of city is it? Well, they say the spring water from No Mountain is miraculous, so folks might drop by just to taste it.”

“Then why is the beer so famous? Ah, beer. I get it now.”

Qing, who thinks with his stomach, quickly understood.

Thinking it over, beer isn’t even a Chinese drink.

What’s this? How did Qingdao become known for beer?

Well, later on, there might be some colonial history and related tales.

Some beer-loving rascals might drink beer instead of water and have beer flowing in their veins, causing a ruckus and all that jazz.

But Qing simply didn’t know or was even interested, and in the Central Plain, it hadn’t even happened yet.

So, well, who cares about that.

What matters is the current purpose, right?

Why did I come all the way to this land’s end, the farthest point of the continent heading toward the sea?

That’s right, for grilled clams!

To eat grilled clams, that is!

Not that I particularly craved them, but it’s a precious dish tied to Jang Myung’s memories. Yes, yes.

So, I settled in a swanky tavern overlooking the sea.

As luck would have it, only the special room was available, so I quickly grabbed it and dropped off my things.

When I first arrived at Jikmukhyeon, it was drizzling like someone was spritzing water casually, but by the time the sun lowered, it started to pour heavily.

Well, it is late August.

The year had a winter leap month, so summer is nearly over, but it’s now the time when it rains for half a month on the Shandong Peninsula.

This top-notch tavern is also a high-end restaurant.

Ah, the ambiance is nice.

Scallops, large clams, and what’s this? Are these razor clams? Little clams piled high on a giant tray come out.

Plus, following Jeomsoi’s recommendation, we have Tangchu and Hwangmeonji, Bae-golmi-baan. Dishes whose names are utterly unrecognizable also pop up.

“Huh?”

I wasn’t expecting much from the dishes that seemed like sides for clams.

But what’s this? This familiar taste? It’s just right for my palate?

Of course, there’s no food in the world that wouldn’t suit Qing’s taste.

But somehow, it fits my taste even better compared to food from other places.

A big woman and a little girl busily scoop food into their mouths. The old man sips his drink while watching them.

Thus, on a summer night, the rain pours as if nature is weeping.

Thanks to this, enjoying the delicacies while looking at the moonlit sea on a cool night feels exquisite.

“Ah, it’s nice to be out. Isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“No, Master. Why do you keep pouring yourself drinks?”

“I’m too busy eating to even notice my hands! What am I supposed to do, ask you to pour more while I’m busy?”

“Come on, no matter how busy you are, you can find time to pour for your master. Here, please accept the drink offered by your disciple.”

Clink clink clink, ‘Jeomsoi, give me the best liquor!’ the fine liquor fills the cup with a clear sound.

Despite grumbling, the expression on Cheon Yu-hak’s face is all warm and fuzzy as he receives the drink Qing poured.

Thus, Cheon Yu-hak also leisurely enjoys the beautiful scenery.

Truly, this is a life of tranquility and happiness, not poor like Anhui, though not rich either.

I wondered if there were any fitting verses for such a life and naturally started to recall memories when suddenly, a question popped into Cheon Yu-hak’s mind.

Why, after such a long time, is this moment so relaxed and enjoyable?

Well, it’s because all morning, he was busy interpreting maps and from afternoon till night, he would gaze at them before going to bed.

And that’s been happening for quite a while.

So why was he so busy?

Just enjoying a little banquet together is genuinely delightful.

How could he come to realize such things all the way in this distant land of Shandong?

Had he known earlier, he could have enjoyed his time in Taiyuan much more.

“……?”

“Oh, is the bottle empty? Would you like another one? Here—”

“No, I’m good with the liquor.”

Thinking about it, I didn’t come here just for fun.

Qing had led the group so naturally that Cheon Yu-hak had also become intoxicated by the atmosphere.

What is this? Why am I messing around when there’s a sacred mission of erasing that ferocious Demonic Arts?

He had intended to let those words slip out.

But what could he say in a tavern packed with people?

We’re here to find treasure, and yet here we are relaxing? Should I start spreading rumors that we’re here for treasure?

All of a sudden, it struck Cheon Yu-hak.

Listening ears? Why didn’t I notice sooner?

In fact, at this luxurious table, the festive chatter was sparse.

Most sat quietly, eating and drinking while keeping an eye on others.

Why was the restaurant so full from the beginning?

It’s late August on the Shandong Peninsula.

For tourists climbing No Mountain, August is the worst time.

The heat is peaking, the sky is cloudy, and it rains constantly.

If luck runs out, fierce winds may blow, making the journey pretty dreadful and risky.

It’s a good thing his perceptive disciple managed to play the role of a wealthy tourist.

Cheon Yu-hak forced a serious smile.

“No, when will I ever have a proper drink at Jikmukh? Order more.”

“Exactly. Jeomsoi, one more bottle of Nogan just added, no, two more!”

“Yes! (Gulp) Two bottles of Nogan!!!”

The excited Jeomsoi shouts so loudly it makes the tavern shake.

Nogan is one of the finest liquors not just in Shandong but throughout the Central Plain, and thus it’s quite an expensive drink.

Of course, drinking Nogan there isn’t like guzzling liquid gold as in different regions, but even folks with decent pockets wouldn’t casually order it.

And the crowd looks on with half envy, half jealousy, gulping down their own saliva as they watch the pile of shells on Qing’s table, which resembles prehistoric shell mounds.

Once they finally arrived, Qing, who had brought immense happiness to the tavern owner and Jeomsoi, finished the grand meal and headed to the best room at the top.

“Oof, I’m gonna burst.”

“Me too.”

As soon as they arrived, Qing sprawled out on the bed with limbs stretched everywhere.

In solidarity, Jin Jangmyung lay down next to him in the same position.

When they first met, Jin Jangmyung looked like a small child around ten or eleven years old, but he had missed the chance to grow up and remained a wee one ever since.

Next to the big woman, she looked like they were mother and daughter due to the significant height difference.

“Hey, you should eat moderately. You’ve grown taller than No Mountain by four times now.”

“Eh, it’s been a while, so who cares? I barely ate in Taiyuan.”

What a shocking revelation that a person only eats three bowls when others eat one!

All the scholars gasped, wondering where all the rice they had consumed went, their faces turning red in embarrassment.

“Whatever. You’ve caught on quickly. Sigh, it seems things have gotten ugly.”

“Eh?”

That look on Qing’s face.

Cheon Yu-hak realized his mistake.

Oh no!

This girl had just eaten and played without a care for anything!

The urban crowd wasn’t suspicious; she simply had no interest in treasure hunting with the treasure map!

Cheon Yu-hak sighed heavily.

Had he known she was like this from the start, it wouldn’t have mattered.

Cheon Yu-hak now knew that his disciple was not only beautiful but also had no wrinkles in her mind.

If they opened her head, her brain might be as beautiful as “The Most Beautiful in the World.”

Or perhaps it was completely empty considering she always seemed to have no thoughts!

So he had to explain.

“There must be several treasure maps. Well, if you have one sketched out, it wouldn’t be odd to have two or three more.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means this time is a downright dangerous one to climb No Mountain. When the sun rises, it’s hot, and there’s no shade around this rocky mountain. If it rains, there won’t be a view climbing No Mountain.”

“Ah. So this isn’t peak season.”

Cheon Yu-hak found it interesting as it was a term he had never heard before.

A time when people were packed full of treasure seekers?

What a splendid expression.

Looking at this seemingly thoughtless disciple, she surprisingly had a talent for poetry—or rather, that isn’t it.

“Treasure seeking works like this. When there are several treasure maps, problems are sure to arise. Unless all the owners of the maps are capable and tight-lipped, if there’s even one blabbermouth or someone lacking ability, what do you think will happen?”

A blabbermouth will simply be eager to boast about the treasure maps they have, and so words will leak out.

And yet it’s better to have a blabbermouth.

A less capable person will sell their map when they think they can’t find the treasure.

Wouldn’t a merchant take only one customer?

“So it’s only the best room left in a tavern this expensive? Does that mean they filled up from the bottom, and only the top is available?”

“Wow, wait. Are you saying there are treasure seekers all over town?”

“Yes. It would be nice if those who came didn’t know what treasure was.”

Cheon Yu-hak trailed off.

Just because it’s called a treasure map, doesn’t mean everyone looks for something substantial like gold. The mindset of those looking for the worst Demonic Arts is utterly different.

Why would Shintu steal treasures?

Certain treasures would bring blood and storms into the martial world, as those were renowned divine skills or ferocious Demonic Arts.

Not to mention the Heart Consumption Technique?

Only then does Qing’s expression grow serious.

He had thought he would just climb the mountain, find the secret manual, and then be done with it.

“What should we do? Should we secretly seek it out and get rid of it? Let’s go find it now?”

“Hah. Do you want to climb the mountain on a rainy night? What are you gonna see?”

On a moonless night, not even Qing’s superhuman eyes would help him see.

Going by scientific principles, one needs light entering the eyes from a reflecting object to see it, right?

Of course, whether one knows these principles or not, not being able to see ahead is just that—unseeable.

“Is that so?”

“Prepare thoroughly and quietly head in at dawn. Stay hidden in the mountain while searching and find a way to leave stealthily. Otherwise, it would create a big mess.”

At this, Qing’s expression turns sour.

He meant to camp in the mountains, eat, sleep, and look for treasure.

No, wasn’t it enough to climb the mountain by day and come back to relax when the sun sets?

Why can’t anything be straightforward?

—-

And thus, No Mountain!

Its highest peak might be less than four hundred Zhang, so it’s not that high by Central Plain standards, but being close to the ocean, its elevation feels substantial.

And since it’s a rocky mountain, the peaks are all rugged stones, giving it the imposing presence of a giant mountain.

Though No Mountain stands alone amidst seas and plains, it still boasts a dramatically vast range.

So, No Mountain is vast.

Extremely vast.

If measured by the unique Korean measurement system, No Mountain’s area would equal one hundred fifty-four Yeouido.

So, that’s one hundred fifty-four Yeouidos.

For reference, this unique Korean measurement, Yeouido, is an official unit even in public documents.

However, no one among the Koreans truly understands this unit.

So if you tell a Korean—

“No Mountain is one hundred fifty-four Yeouidos”

They would think, how wide is it exactly? Huh? Is it wide? Not sure what that means.

Instead, if you say to them, “It’s like three quarters of Seoul, which is one and three-fourths of Seoul.”

Then they would shout,

“Wow, what a wide mountain! You want to dig through there? I’d just dig and see what’s available!”

That’s precisely what Qing felt heading toward No Mountain.

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