Chapter 911: So in the end.

I turned my steps, which had been heading down to the capital, and headed back towards Shin Noyya-nim.

It was a situation where I had something to check, but this became more urgent than that, so I couldn’t help it.

“Hm?”

Seeing me reappear, Shin Noyya-nim narrowed his eyes.

“Weren’t you the one who ran away?”

Shin Noyya-nim was clearing away the fallen disciples along with the cat-person named Seolyeong-ssi, who had been there earlier.

It felt a bit strange to call it ‘clearing,’ but that’s how it looked.

Ah, to be precise, Shin Noyya-nim was standing still while only Seolyeong-ssi was clearing them.

“It wasn’t running away; it was a tactical retreat.”

“That’s an answer that shows no intention of making excuses.”

Noyya-nim chuckled as if it were absurd. Fortunately, that was the extent of it; he didn’t hit me further.

“So, after all that retreating, why did you come back? You seemed to have business to attend to.”

“…I did have business. I did.”

Glancing. I looked at Cheonma. The reason I couldn’t take care of the business I was supposed to handle in the capital was because of her.

“I heard something strange and came to check it out first.”

“Hm?”

At my words, Shin Noyya-nim tilted his head. Seeing that, I immediately got to the point.

“This one said she was wandering around outside yesterday and saw something strange.”

Hearing this, Shin Noyya-nim looked at Cheonma.

“Something strange?”

I answered that question instead of Cheonma.

“She said someone stared at her and then disappeared…. The situation was a bit odd.”

“Stared and then disappeared?”

Shin Noyya-nim frowned. Judging by his reaction, it certainly didn’t seem normal.

“Where did this happen?”

“She said it was outside this place.”

“…Outside?”

“Yes.”

Upon hearing it was outside, Shin Noyya-nim and Seolyeong-ssi exchanged glances. It felt like they had caught onto something.

“Did she see what they looked like?”

He asked about their appearance. That meant…

‘It means there’s likely someone I can guess.’

Anticipating that, I spoke vaguely.

“She said they had brown hair and wore a black mask.”

“…!”

“Hmm.”

Hearing this, Seolyeong-ssi’s eyes widened, and Shin Noyya-nim let out a low sound.

“Sect Leader….”

Seolyeong-ssi called out to Shin Noyya-nim cautiously.

“Yes.”

Shin Noyya-nim nodded upon hearing that and spoke.

“It’s the Night Wolf (Yalang).”

‘Yalang?’

I listened closely to Noyya-nim’s words. Noyya-nim seemed to know exactly what that being was.

“Noyya-nim, what is Yalang?”

When I asked about it, Noyya-nim stood up and answered.

“There is. A woman with keen eyes and ears, appearing anywhere, flashing in the east and striking in the west.”

“If you put it like that, how would I know?”

“Hmm.”

Noyya-nim briefly stroked his beard and added something else.

“There are various names she’s called, but the name she herself utters is Yalang, so she’s called that…. To be more precise.”

Noyya-nim’s expression as he said that…

“She is a being called the Eye of Ten Thousand Realms.”

It was filled with a feeling of considerable annoyance.

---

After hearing this, Noyya-nim immediately started moving somewhere with me.

It wasn’t far, and it was actually the place I intended to go anyway.

The most crowded place within the compound.

It was the capital I had passed through to get to this place called the Mount Hua Sect.

It was good that I came back to the place I was already planning to visit, but…

‘…Did he really have to bring me here?’

It was a mystery why Noyya-nim suddenly brought me here.

However, I was told to follow without complaint, so I just walked.

After walking for about another Il-gyeong (a unit of time), Noyya-nim finally stopped.

“…Where is this?”

I had to frown as I surveyed the place we arrived at. He moved me suddenly, so I wondered where we were going.

“Isn’t this a tea house?”

Right in front of us was a tea house emitting a fragrant scent.

A building that looked shabby yet possessed a certain atmosphere.

Even I, who possess no sense of aesthetics, thought it was rather pretty.

“That’s right. Let’s go in.”

“…Is this really the place?”

“No.”

Noyya-nim ignored my question and went into the building.

I wore a dazed expression for a moment before following Noyya-nim inside.

Kkiiik–

As I entered, hearing the distinct sound of the door opening.

‘Hm?’

I felt something strange.

It was a space filled with a clean and antique vibe. The tables placed around and the subtly wafting tea scent were incredibly fragrant, but…

‘Why is it so spacious?’

Compared to the building I saw from the outside, the interior felt abnormally large. No matter how I looked at it, such an interior couldn’t possibly exist in that small building.

What is this sense of incongruity?

Feeling that, I looked at Cheonma.

She, too, seemed no different from me, looking around with a somewhat amazed expression.

“Noyya-nim, what is this place….”

I was about to ask what kind of place it was when…

“Turtle.”

Noyya-nim spoke, looking at the empty air with a deeply creased face.

“Something’s happened, so come out right now.”

“Noyya-nim, who are you talking to?”

I heightened my senses upon hearing that, but there were no presences felt besides the three of us here.

It was strange, so I called out, but Noyya-nim didn’t even spare me a glance, continuing to shout at the empty air.

“Turtle–!”

His voice grew louder and louder. Yet, as nothing happened…

“I’m desperately in a hurry, are you trying to play games with me?”

Noyya-nim narrowed his eyes and reached out his hand.

Seureureuk–!!

“…!”

Then, the Ear Crystal on my arm came loose and was caught by Noyya-nim’s hand.

It transformed into the shape of a sword, just like last time.

‘That bastard.’

It really pisses me off how it keeps going ‘hwiriririk’ just because its previous owner calls.

As if aware or unaware of my irritation, Noyya-nim gripped the Ear Crystal and instantly raised his aura.

Kugugugugugugugu—!!!

“…!”

It was truly immense pressure.

The moment I felt it, my body contracted, and not only that, the energy within me flowed out uncontrollably, forcibly beginning to defend my body.

It was truly an action driven by instinct.

‘Crazy….’

What kind of pressure is this? It was a level I had never felt before in my life.

Just the Qi alone made my body feel like it would collapse.

Is this Shin Noyya-nim’s pressure?

It felt like an insurmountable wall.

“If you don’t appear within the count of three. I will turn this place into rubble.”

Noyya-nim spat that out in a sharp voice. As if to prove it, he began to increase his power further.

The slightly scattering plum blossoms felt somehow rough and fierce.

“Three…”

The Ear Crystal moved.

“One.”

Just as Noyya-nim was about to swing the sword…

“I cannot comprehend this.”

A new voice was heard from nearby.

“How can you count three and immediately reach one…? Have you never learned numbers?”

“You’ve appeared.”

Noyya-nim grinned as he looked at the figure who appeared. At the same time, the pressure vanished abruptly.

‘Is that person the Turtle Noyya-nim mentioned?’

I looked, wondering why he was called Turtle.

‘It’s a turtle….’

I could immediately see why.

It was a real turtle. No, rather than a complete turtle, perhaps a turtle-person.

‘At this point….’

With wolves, cats, dogs, and all sorts of animals appearing, I don’t even know what else could surprise me anymore.

“Why did you suddenly appear and cause trouble?”

The old man, called Turtle, spoke to Noyya-nim in a dry voice.

“When you should have come when called politely, what happens if you don’t?”

“Isn’t this the only way you’d come out?”

“I was already coming out the moment the door opened. You rascal. It’s hard enough dealing with aching knees in old age… kkeueung…”

Turtle grabbed a nearby chair and sat down.

‘…What the?’

Was that chair there just now? I don’t think it was.

“Oh, my back…”

Turtle, showing signs of exhaustion, asked Noyya-nim.

“You damn brat…. So why did you come here so suddenly?”

“I came to see you after a long time, can’t you even serve tea? Aren’t you being too stingy?”

“Tea is only served to guests. Not to thugs like you.”

“Oh….”

I couldn’t help but admire that. It was a statement I could truly empathize with.

Especially calling Shin Noyya-nim a thug was so moving it made my heart pound.

“…”

“Ahem.”

However, perhaps because I exclaimed too loudly, I felt Noyya-nim glaring at me, so I had to deliberately ignore it.

“Forget the tea. I didn’t come here to drink that anyway.”

“…Then why did you come?”

I could feel the strong implication that he wanted me to disappear quickly, but Noyya-nim seemed to have no intention of doing so.

“You know why I came, don’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Perhaps my hearing has gone bad with age, I haven’t been hearing things well lately…”

“Three-“

“-Wait…. I can hear perfectly fine this time.”

Before he could turn the shop into chaos again, Turtle urgently said to Noyya-nim.

“You damn bastard.”

The curse was just a bonus.

At those words, Noyya-nim smirked and said.

“It’s time to work, Turtle. You’ve rested enough, so get moving.”

Hearing that, Turtle’s wrinkles deepened even further.

“Sect Leader-nim. As I said back then…. the period was supposed to be once every three months. It hasn’t even been a month yet. This is a breach of contract, isn’t it?”

“That’s what we said. But Turtle, you know this too, don’t you?”

Kkik. Noyya-nim drove the Ear Crystal into the floor, using it as a cane.

“Since there’s a problem with the barrier (mak), you’re the only one who can repair it. If left as is, it will lead to a situation unfavorable for you too, won’t it?”

‘Barrier?’

What barrier could he mean? Just as the question crossed my mind…

“Yalang noticed.”

Shin Noyya-nim said.

“Huuuung.”

Upon hearing that, Turtle slowly tilted his head.

“Since there’s a problem, we need to move the location before it’s too late.”

“Ummmm.”

Turtle put on a thoughtful expression. Even that was so slow it made me feel frustrated just watching.

“Turtle.”

“Still, the fact that it’s a contract violation remains the same…. So, I have a condition.”

At Turtle’s words, Shin Noyya-nim frowned.

“A condition…?”

“As the Sect Leader-nim says, if there’s a problem here, it’s indeed a loss for me too… but you also know that’s not entirely the case, Sect Leader-nim…”

“…”

Noyya-nim didn’t retort, implying Turtle was right.

“Therefore, I have a condition as well, if you don’t mind?”

“…Let’s hear it first.”

“Allow me to sell plum tea at the shop for one year.”

‘Huh?’

I paused for a moment at the word ‘condition’.

Plum tea…? Suddenly?

‘Ah, this was a tea house.’

It wasn’t strange for it to be a tea house, but… that’s the condition?

It seemed odd, so I narrowed my eyes.

“Tsk! As expected…! You were aiming for that, weren’t you?”

Noyya-nim reacted as if he realized something too late. That was even stranger. What is it? Why the shock?

“If it’s not this, I cannot accept it.”

Turtle maintained a firm stance. Shin Noyya-nim pondered, as if facing the decision of a lifetime.

And then.

“…One year is excessive. Three months.”

He soon began negotiating the terms.

“For a violation, that’s a ridiculous condition. Nine months.”

“I can’t do that, either in terms of quantity or sheer hassle. The most I can concede is half a year.”

“Hmm.”

Turtle tilted his head back and forth as if pondering for a moment.

“Half a year…. Half a year, huh. Half a year…”

After pondering for quite some time like that…

“Fine. Let’s do that.”

“Kkeuk…”

“Sect Leader-nim. That was a good deal.”

Turtle stood up, seemingly satisfied.

Seeing that, Shin Noyya-nim clenched his fists as if defeated.

“Damn it….”

“…”

What on earth was that spectacle?

I was genuinely unable to comprehend it, wearing only a dumbfounded expression.

Just then.

“Ah. Right.”

Turtle stopped moving and looked towards me this time.

“I had forgotten.”

He pointed at me with the cane he was holding. Immediately after.

“What is that monster?”

“…”

The damn turtle spat out the most disrespectful words imaginable as he looked at me.