The Tiger Folklore of Jangsan (萇山) in Busan (1)

Two days had passed since I returned to the inner realm.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang bang.

Bang bang bang.

That was the sound of Depot frolicking and bouncing on my bed.

Not just Depot, but over the past two days, other yokai acquainted with me had also visited my nest, bouncing on the bed and playing before leaving.

Look at this.

I figured they would all enjoy it.

The yokai in the inner realm seemed in need of human novelties, after all.

Since I would likely have to visit the Lord of the Mountain soon anyway, I decided I should propose adopting some human novelties while I was at it.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang bang.

Bang bang bang.

…Come to think of it, when was this damn squirrel going to stop bouncing around?

“Cheeky, cheeky! This is fun! Miho, I wanna live here!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. As a squirrel, you should stick to your wheel.”

“Wheel? What’s a wheel?”

“Ah.”

Of course he wouldn’t know what a wheel is.

I resolved that the next time I ventured out, I would acquire a wheel, if only to deter the annoying Depot.

Wag wag.

Wag wag, wag wag, wag wag.

As I munched on dog food, Depot blurted out:

“…Miho, is that really tasty?”

“Of course.”

“Ewww… Miho, you’re like a dog. How can such a primitive food taste good?”

“You, you little bastard! Don’t your acorns taste like crap too?”

“Acorns are tasty! Unlike the dog food Miho eats, they smell good too! Dog food stinks! Primitive!”

“Shut up, you damn squirrel!”

“Cheeky, cheeky!”

Unable to tolerate Depot’s provocations, I eventually ensnared his tail with my Fox Fire sorcery and began spinning him around in the air.

“Cheeky! Let go, let go!”

“…”

As I toyed with Depot, I became lost in thought.

In truth, I had a general idea of how to proceed in tracking down the Taejasinggi (Book of Taeja).

I figured I just needed to subdue a yokai granted the qualification for ascension.

When I subdued the blue-furred demonic fox, information emerged.

When I subdued Jomagu, the mark of the Taejasinggi appeared with a thud.

It could be mere coincidence…

But if coincidences repeat, they can no longer be deemed coincidences.

That tiger yokai said to have appeared near Busan’s Jangsan…

It was highly likely to be a yokai granted the qualification for ascension.

The pattern matched the previous two yokai –

Suddenly releasing power without any precursor,

A yokai formidable enough to repel martial artists.

However, if there was one sticking point, it was this:

The Jangsan tiger was not an ancient ‘yokai’ with folklore behind it,

But a mere urban legend created in modern times.

Of course, this was information I had acquired before being possessed by the fox spirit, when I was still human.

Things could be different in this world.

The reason I wasn’t immediately departing for Busan’s Jangsan was this:

I couldn’t be certain the path I was taking was the right direction.

If only I had a wise teacher to guide me in this place.

Was there any yokai in Jiri Mountain’s inner realm I could seek counsel from?

The first that came to mind was the Lord of the Mountain.

The second was also the Lord of the Mountain.

The third was also the Lord of the Mountain.

The centuries-old trees Jang Hwa-hyeon and Old Monk Bangta might know something too, but not as accurately as the Lord of the Mountain.

Haah.

I really didn’t want to.

I really, really didn’t want to…

Tigers have been the ancient enemy of foxes since days of old.

Perhaps the reason I feared the Lord of the Mountain more than other yokai stemmed from the fox’s innate fear of tigers.

I don’t know.

The more I thought about it, the more my head hurt.

No matter how much I disliked facing the Lord of the Mountain, I would have to ask him directly at some point.

Well, it’s not like he would tear me to shreds.

Whish.

“Cheeky!”

I casually tossed Depot onto the bed and set out to seek an audience with the Lord of the Mountain.

“This is a horn from one of the imaemangnang (goblins).”

“…”

“Take it out, Ahae.”

“…Yes.”

This deranged spirit creature.

I hadn’t even taken out the goblin’s horn from my tail yet, so how did he know?

The Lord of the Mountain’s voice was placidly calm, yet his words carried an irresistible force.

With a trembling voice, I obediently followed his command.

After examining the goblin’s horn I had taken out, the Lord of the Mountain spoke:

“Where did you obtain this?”

“From… from a yokai called Jomagu.”

“Jomagu, I’ve heard of him before.”

“Endlessly seeking food.”

“A five-legged yokai that grows infinitely.”

“Jomagu too must have been granted the qualification for ascension.”

He then gazed intently at me.

An unspoken pressure to speak.

I explained the whole story to him.

Since I had resolved to face the Lord of the Mountain, I lacked the courage to conceal anything from him.

I told him everything.

The tale of the many-tailed fox yokai I heard from the blue-furred demonic fox.

The Taejasinggi.

The goblin.

Lastly, the story of yokai granted the ‘qualification for ascension.’

It was a tale I would have had to tell him eventually.

Unlike me, who knew little,

He was knowledgeable about many things.

After hearing my story, he silently gazed at the goblin’s horn, then

burned it to ashes with his spiritual energy.

Why did you burn that precious thing?!

Enraged, I bluntly asked him:

“Lord of the Mountain, what is the Taejasinggi?”

“…”

“What being is the Dookshini?”

“…”

“What is ascension?”

“…”

“What being am I… no, what being is this many-tailed fox?”

“…”

He did not answer any of my questions.

A familiar situation.

As always,

He had refused to answer my questions specifically.

Was it the immense yogi I received from the blue-furred fox that gave me courage?

Yet I persisted with my questions, undeterred.

“Over the past two weeks, two yokai granted the qualification for ascension have awakened.”

“…”

“It is said that in Busan’s Jangsan, a tiger yokai with sleek, lush fur has appeared. I dare speculate that tiger yokai too was granted the qualification for ascension.”

“…”

“Is this mere coincidence?”

“…”

“Do you truly intend to tell me nothing?”

It was vexing.

I could not fathom why the Lord of the Mountain treated me so coldly.

What was he so afraid of?

What was he so worried about that he withheld speech from me?

The Lord of the Mountain’s spiritual energy began to stir.

The winds parted and the earth shook.

His spiritual energy chilled me to the bone, causing my body to tremble violently.

Then,

In an instant, he concealed his very presence.

The Lord of the Mountain gazed at me calmly and spoke:

“Ahae. Do you perceive me as a formidable being?”

“…To be frank, yes. At the very least, I can be certain you possess the ability to adequately answer my questions.”

Though I was but a newborn two-year-old fox yokai,

I could instinctively sense that the Lord of the Mountain’s power far transcended mortal bounds.

“Ahae.”

“I know the answers to the things you just spoke of.”

“…!”

“However, I cannot tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Because that is not the role given to me.”

“What kind of bullshit is that?!”

I inadvertently released my yogi.

It was outright rebellion against a king, an act of impiety.

Yet strangely, instead of reproaching me,

He continued speaking:

“Ahae, I am not the formidable being you imagine.”

“I am but a passive observer of this flawed world,”

“A foolish coward.”

“…”

“Ahae, I cannot judge for myself whether you are chaos or order,”

“Whether you are the benevolent Miho, an unprecedented celestial fox unlike the malevolent Dalgi.”

“I can only watch over your actions.”

“That is the role Heaven has bestowed upon me,”

“The duty of a passive observer.”

“…”

“Therefore, I cannot share with you the wisdom I possess.”

So in other words,

This damn tiger was saying:

He had no more business with me, so I should piss off.

Fine, I understand.

How hateful and vile.

I won’t bother seeking an audience with the Lord of the Mountain again.

“However.”

“…?”

“In this flawed world,”

“The concept of ‘coincidence’ does not exist.”

“Pardon…?”

“I’m just muttering to myself. Pay it no mind.”

Suddenly,

I instinctively realized the words he had just spoken were extremely important information.

At that moment,

Rumble!

Lightning unexpectedly struck from the clear sky.

Oh.

Depot would have loved that.

“Defying Heaven’s will… I just went against Heaven’s decree, didn’t I?”

“Pardon?”

“I have no more to say, so begone.”

“…Understood.”

With a smiling face,

I politely bid him farewell, then turned away.

This tsundere tiger, honestly.

Look at that, in the end he did tell me.

‘It’s not a coincidence.’

Those were the very words I wanted most to hear from him.

“Hello.”

“…”

“Why? What is it?”

“Lady Miho, did you run out of food already…?”

“No, not that. I was just bored so I came to visit.”

“Ah… I see.”

The director was flustered.

It had only been two days since Miho’s tearful farewell.

He had thought they would meet again someday, but not this soon.

The reappearing Miho asked the director:

“Director, about that tiger in Busan’s Jangsan, was it caught?”

“No, it hasn’t been caught yet. It’s causing an uproar nationwide over that issue. We don’t even know where it is currently… But why the sudden question about the Jangsan tiger?”

“Director.”

“Yes?”

The director could only look dumbfounded at Miho’s next words:

“Please book me a train ticket to Busan.”