Chapter 38: The Way Back. (1)

The Way Back (1)

It’s an unfamiliar ceiling.

Ah, what a cliché and uninteresting observation.

Who knew a day would come when I’d think thoughts like these.

It’s throbbing.

My head was spinning and my stomach churned.

My lower abdomen felt particularly sore.

I barely managed to sit up my creaking body.

…Where am I now?

‘…I’m pretty sure I collapsed in Bigo.’

My Madocheonheupgong, which activated on its own, had absorbed the energy from the bead spat out by the snake.

I think I couldn’t handle the overwhelming amount of energy and ended up passing out…

A sudden sense of unease made me circulate my internal energy.

The energy had surged in, almost overflowing. If my dantian was damaged, it would have been a really big problem.

Whoosh-!

“What the….”

I flinched at the heat radiating from my body.

It’s much hotter and faster.

I thought I had circulated the same amount of internal energy as usual.

The amount of internal energy that flowed out unintentionally was much more than I expected.

3rd Star.

Guyeomhwaryugong, which had barely stayed at the entrance of the 2nd Star, had risen to the 3rd Star.

And not just any 3rd Star, but near the very end of it.

The amount of internal energy contained within my body was a staggering Bangapja.

An amount that typically requires 30 years of consistent cultivation of the 심법 (Simbeop – mental cultivation technique) was now integrated into my body.

‘I thought it was a bit low compared to the energy I swallowed….’

Thinking back to the energy that flowed in then, Bangapja seemed small, but…

My internal energy was incredibly pure.

Could there really be any other energy this smooth and full of power?

The fact that not even a trace of demonic energy could be felt, despite absorbing so much energy…

So it wasn’t a magic stone after all? I wondered if Guyeomhwaryugong had swallowed demonic energy again, but it didn’t feel like it.

The energy felt in my dantian was truly, astonishingly powerful.

The reason I couldn’t reach the 4th Star was simply because my body couldn’t support it yet.

If I consistently trained my body, I felt I could quickly ascend to the 4th Star.

I wonder what level I could contend with now.

‘That Namgung kid is out of the question… but Gujeolyeop would be easy.’

Objectively speaking, without using any ultimate techniques, I felt I could secure a position equal to or above Gujeolyeop.

No-dragon guy is impossible.

Even considering the familiarity with Namgung’s sword dance, if it were a real sparring match using internal energy, I still wouldn’t be able to win.

‘But where is this place again?’

After confirming there were no abnormalities with my body, I looked around.

The slightly shabby-looking furniture and the faint, distinct bitter scent of medicinal herbs.

“Young Master-nim!”

“Ugh!”

As I was staggering around, unable to get my bearings, something lunged at me.

It was Wi Seol-ah.

“Young Master-nim, are you okay now?”

“…Move aside for a second.”

What kind of reason is there to ask if a patient is okay while crushing them?

I hastily pushed Wi Seol-ah away.

Fortunately, seeing how energetic she was, she didn’t seem injured anywhere.

So, first, I had to ask what I needed to ask.

“The snake? What happened to Bigo?”

“The snake?”

Wi Seol-ah tilted her head as if she didn’t understand what I was saying.

What’s going on? It was such a huge snake, why is she reacting like this?

Sensing something strange, I asked Wi Seol-ah again.

“The giant snake I saw in Bigo.”

“Hmm…?”

“…You don’t remember?”

“Nope!”

“Since when don’t you remember… No, from what point do you remember?”

Finding it strange, I asked in a different way.

Wi Seol-ah rolled her eyes around.

Her already large eyes moved back and forth, making it easy to see.

“From when I followed you out!”

“…What?”

Then that means all of it, right…?

Was Bigo and that giant snake actually all a hallucination?

‘That can’t be.’

If it were, I couldn’t explain the increased internal energy or the advancement in my martial arts.

Then was Wi Seol-ah’s lack of memory also the snake’s doing?

‘Why would it… bother?’

It was an unknowable matter.

“You really don’t remember anything at all?”

“Yes… When I woke up, I was sleeping on the mountain with you, Young Master-nim!”

“What nonsense is this…”

Creak.

Someone entered, opening the door on the left.

It was an elderly man with white hair and a hunched back, showing his age.

“What the heck, why is it so hot in here?”

The old man snapped as he entered. The reason it was hot was likely because I had circulated my internal energy for a moment.

The old man who entered looked at us and said.

“You’re awake, are ya.”

“…Who might you be?”

“Sleeping for two days straight, you finally came to your senses.”

Two days…?

“Are you saying I slept for two days?”

Considering I found Bigo in just one day, this meant I had used up exactly the planned time.

“Yep. Your body seemed fine, but since you just kept sleeping, I thought you were dead.”

“…May I ask where this place is?”

“Can’t you tell by looking at me? I’m a physician, so this must be an infirmary.”

Where on earth am I supposed to see a physician..?

His shabby clothes, far from physician’s attire, and his significantly hunched back.

If I had to find evidence, perhaps it was the subtle scent of medicinal herbs.

“Is your body alright?”

The old man asked.

“Yes… I am fine.”

According to the old man, it’s an infirmary down the mountain, but how did we get here?

According to Wi Seol-ah, when she opened her eyes, she was lying on the mountainside among the trees, not in Bigo.

Did the old man find us and bring us here?

The old man quietly brewed some herbs and asked.

“Why were you sleeping precariously on a cliff, huh?”

A cliff…

I was sure the terrain had changed to a flat area with a towering maple tree.

Changed back to a cliff? Everything was just a series of situations I couldn’t understand.

First, I expressed my gratitude to the old man.

“…Old man, thank you. Did you save us?”

“Save you? Bullshit. Give your thanks to the girl next to you. She’s pretty, but strong as an ox; she carried you all the way down from there.”

At the old man’s words, I looked at Wi Seol-ah, who put her hands on her hips with a proud expression.

She carried me down from that mountain height?

“Th-thank you.”

“Yes!”

Her stamina chasing me from the Tang Gate, and all. Is this what they call innate bone strength?

I tease her every day, calling her chubby, but if you think about it, Wi Seol-ah is actually quite thin.

She just looks relatively chubby because she’s always got something in her mouth.

Where does all that strength come from in those thin arms…

The old man fiddled with my arm while I was spacing out and said.

“Your body seems fine now, so you should probably get going. The room is small, and I can’t keep you here forever.”

“…Ah, thank you, old man. Thanks to you, I was able to wake up safely from a dangerous situation.”

“Hoho, such flowery speech from a young fellow……”

Even if I look young, letting a stranger sleep for two days straight isn’t something easily done.

Wi Seol-ah was next to me, munching on something unknown. I bet the old man gave that to her too.

“…What exactly are you eating?”

“Hmm? Grandpa Cheon gave it to me as a snack!”

Grandpa Cheon?

It seems Wi Seol-ah already finished introducing herself to the old man.

The old man answered my question instead.

“It’s nothing special, just gave her a few ginseng roots I didn’t use because they had no efficacy. Being a village physician, it’s all I had to give.”

…Ginseng roots? Can ginseng roots really lack efficacy?

It was surprising he gave them, but it was even stranger that Wi Seol-ah was munching them down so casually, even though they must be incredibly bitter if you just bit into them.

I thought she only liked sweets. She seems quite omnivorous.

“I’m sorry….”

“It’s alright, so stop apologizing and hurry home. Your parents must be worried.”

My parents are worried?

Thinking of my father, I quickly dismissed that thought.

He was definitely not the type.

It’s probably not anyone else but Mu Yeon, trembling while waiting.

I rummaged through my clothes and said to the old man.

“I left in such a hurry that I didn’t bring much…”

“Huh? What money would a kid have? This old lonely man was just bored, so don’t worry too much about it…”

After rummaging, what I finally pulled out was silver coins.

Fortunately, it seemed I had brought this much.

Tuk, Clang!

Seeing the silver coins I hastily took out of my clothes and dropped on the floor, the old man fell silent.

It looked like about two Yang of silver coins.

“This is all I have right now… to give you…”

Before I could finish speaking, the old man grabbed my hand.

The old man’s gaze also seemed much more serious.

What was he trying to say?

After a moment of silence, the old man opened his mouth.

“….Young Hero-nim, if you wish, you may stay longer. Ah, this is terrible, I have a precious guest and couldn’t even offer a cup of herbal tea…! Wait here, this old man can brew a fantastic cup of herbal tea!”

“….”

It was fortunate that he seemed pleased.

---

I refused the herbal tea the old man was almost forcefully trying to brew and came outside.

He kept trying to hand me something, which was quite bewildering.

Fortunately, it seemed to be broad daylight, so we could leave right away.

Perhaps because my internal energy increased, my body felt much lighter than before.

If I ran using my internal energy, couldn’t I reach the village written in the letter right now?

“…That might be pushing it, right?”

It seemed possible if I ran in stages, but I felt I should restrain myself for Wi Seol-ah who would be following.

‘Or maybe, could Wi Seol-ah actually keep up?’

Seeing how she followed me from the Tang Gate before, maybe it’s possible, but still, how could she do that with a body without any internal energy?

Taking the opportunity of my increased martial arts prowess, I checked Wi Seol-ah’s body, but…

It was still the same.

There wasn’t even a handful of internal energy in Wi Seol-ah’s dantian.

Then how on earth?

Since Wi Seol-ah had no memory, I couldn’t know what happened after I collapsed.

What that snake was.

How it could have returned to a cliff.

What that bizarre formation was.

And…. And….

I stopped my slow steps.

It was because the most important thing came to mind.

“…Hey…”

“Yes?”

“Hey, hey, Yamyeongju!”

“Hmm…?”

I’m trembling.

All that Yamyeongju… I couldn’t bring a single piece of it.

Thinking of that, I felt like collapsing right then and hitting the ground.

‘…No, since Bigo disappeared anyway, maybe it was something I couldn’t have brought back originally?’

I tried to think positively about what was already too late, but…

Then the bead I received…?

“…”

“Young Master-nim?”

“…It’s nothing. I just felt a bit dizzy.”

It wasn’t originally mine… If I thought of it that way, it would be fine, but people are fickle, and it wasn’t that easy.

Seeing me like that, Wi Seol-ah laughed.

“Young Master-nim! Your face got ugly.”

“What kind of harsh words are those…”

“But it really did get ugly….”

Saying such harsh words when someone is distressed…

Wi Seol-ah had a more malicious side than I thought.

Then, Wi Seol-ah lightly grabbed my sleeve.

Wondering what it was, I saw she was pointing at a restaurant we passed earlier.

Seeing that, I asked Wi Seol-ah.

“Are you hungry?”

“…I am hungry, but when you make an ugly face, Young Master-nim, eating dumplings makes it better!”

“Ah, so you want me to eat…”

You’re still hungry amidst all this, huh…

Honestly, I could eat if we went, but I didn’t have much iron money left.

Looking at the situation, it seemed best to arrive quickly.

What should I do, should I really run?

With my current physical condition, it seems possible.

I pondered, looking at Wi Seol-ah still holding my sleeve.

“…I need to run, what should I do about you.”

“Hmm…? I, I! I can run really well…”

“Should I carry you?”

“….Huh?”

“What did you say?”

Did she just say something?

When I asked again, thinking she might not have heard, Wi Seol-ah suddenly sat down.

She grabbed my sleeve and then plopped down, making me sway too.

“O-o-ouch!”

And then an awkward scream erupted.

“What the, why are you suddenly doing that?”

“M-my leg hurts! I think I hurt it!”

“What…? Then that’s a big problem, should we hurry back to the infirmary?”

“But you’re in a hurry! It-it’s probably not a serious injury.”

“Then you can walk, right?”

“….Huh.”

“….Hmm?”

What exactly does she want?

This is the first time I’ve seen Wi Seol-ah look so deeply troubled.

After hesitating for a long time, Wi Seol-ah whispered in a very small voice.

“C-carry… carry me.”

As she said that, her ears turned red.

Seeing that, I was startled without realizing it.

‘…She does feel embarrassed after all?’

I thought she didn’t, but…

“Haha!”

It was so funny that I burst out laughing.

Wi Seol-ah made a ‘Hmph!’ sound and pouted.

I slowly bent down and offered my back to Wi Seol-ah.

Wi Seol-ah’s hands carefully wrapped around my neck, pressing her body close.

Feeling the warmth against my back, I grabbed Wi Seol-ah’s legs and stood up.

Perhaps a mischievous thought struck me, and I teased Wi Seol-ah while she was on my back.

“You’re heavy.”

At my words, laced with laughter, Wi Seol-ah immediately startled and shouted.

“I’m not heavy!”

“You’re incredibly heavy… It feels like I’m carrying a boulder.”

“That’s too mean…! I, I want down!”

“I’m already carrying you, so that’s not happening.”

When was it.

It feels like a similar situation happened once before.

It wasn’t this gentle atmosphere, and Wi Seol-ah wouldn’t remember it, but…

I remember that time alone.

And I will continue to remember it alone.

Because it’s not something that would be good to happen again.

Carrying Wi Seol-ah, I circulated my internal energy and kicked off the ground.

I jumped faster and higher than expected, momentarily taken aback.

I thought Wi Seol-ah would be excited by the rushing wind, but she just buried her face quietly into my back.

It seemed like we could just run like this all the way to our destination.