Chapter v10c17

Na Yerin Awakens After the Explosion!

Day 1 of Being Buried!

Bi Ryu Yeon was still very much alive.

His tenacious life force, more resilient than that of a cockroach, was not something that could be easily subdued by an accident of this magnitude.

Thud! Thud!

It took quite a while for the dust that had risen thickly to settle. The moment the dust filled the cave, it became extremely difficult to breathe. To breathe more comfortably, Bi Ryu Yeon had to employ a few tricks. Enduring a bit of effort was much better than inhaling dust as if drinking water. Eating something that doesn’t even fill your stomach is nothing short of torture.

“Cough! Cough! It seems I’m alive.”

None of his limbs were severed, and he wasn’t crushed by rocks. It was a stroke of luck. Bi Ryu Yeon sighed in relief as he looked at his right hand. There, Na Yerin lay unconscious. Though covered in dust, she didn’t seem to be injured.

“Whew, that was close.”

The moment Na Yerin ran to warn him of the danger, Bi Ryu Yeon had already seen the thunder bomb. He instinctively knew it was a highly dangerous item. The moment Na Yerin grabbed his hand, Bi Ryu Yeon pulled her into his arms to protect her and used the Phoenix Dance technique to escape the blast zone. However, they failed to completely escape and were caught in the massive explosion. If they had been even half a step slower, both would have been sent to the afterlife.

In short, it was a narrow escape from death.

Tap, tap.

Dew formed in the cave dripped from the cracks in the ceiling onto Na Yerin’s pale, snow-like face. Her eyelids fluttered. Soon, her eyes opened, revealing beautiful pupils like the night sky. As she awoke from her dream, Bi Ryu Yeon smiled and spoke.

“Hello!”

His voice was full of life, showing no signs of being daunted by the tremendous situation they had just experienced. For a moment, Na Yerin felt as if she were in a pavilion on a fine spring day, not in the death-shadowed Phantom Demon Cave. Only after confirming the dark surroundings did she realize they were still inside the Phantom Demon Cave. The pain stimulating her entire body made her realize she was alive.

“My ears are ringing.”

She said. It seemed to be an aftereffect of the explosion. Given the deafening noise that had erupted nearby, it was no wonder. Her ears were still ringing.

“It doesn’t seem like your eardrums are ruptured, so don’t worry.”

Since she could distinguish sounds, it seemed her eardrums were intact.

“Are you hurt anywhere, Mr. Bi?”

Mr. Bi… It was quite a formal title. But Na Yerin always addressed him so stiffly.

“I don’t think so.”

Bi Ryu Yeon replied.

“It doesn’t seem that way. Lying is not a good habit.”

Na Yerin’s sharp eyes didn’t miss the red stain on Bi Ryu Yeon’s elbow.

“That red mark on your left elbow, it’s not just a decoration, is it?”

Na Yerin’s observation was keen.

“Oh, you have very good eyes to see that even in this darkness.”

Bi Ryu Yeon genuinely admired.

“Thank you for the compliment!”

Bi Ryu Yeon raised his elbow and looked at it. He had never bled in any duel or ambush before. But this time, it was indeed blood.

“Hah! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my own blood. To think my precious blood would flow so freely… If someone did this deliberately, I won’t let it slide.”

It was a typical Bi Ryu Yeon remark.

“First, you should treat the wound.”

“This kind of thing heals if you just lick it.”

Bi Ryu Yeon answered nonchalantly.

“That’s not acceptable!”

Na Yerin took out some medicinal ointment and bandages from her pocket and applied the ointment to his elbow wound before wrapping it up.

“For an explosion of this magnitude, this wound is a bargain. Don’t worry too much.”

“I’m not worried.”

Na Yerin replied curtly.

After the treatment, Bi Ryu Yeon pulled out his half-buried Thunder Qin Mokyulrui and checked it for any damage. However, it was difficult to inspect the black instrument in the darkness. Although Bi Ryu Yeon’s eyesight was excellent, it was too dark to check for damage.

Bi Ryu Yeon turned to Na Yerin and asked,

“Do you have anything that can produce light? I have a fire starter, but it’s hard to light a fire in this thin air. I need something that glows in the dark…”

Na Yerin thought for a moment and then handed her treasured sword, Hansang Okryeong, to Bi Ryu Yeon.

Clang!

With a beautiful sound, the sword was drawn. It was indeed a precious sword. As it emerged from its sheath, it began to emit light in the darkness. A soft, cold white glow like a winter landscape.

“Oh, this light is perfect. What a great lantern. I’ve never seen such an expensive lantern before!”

Relying on the cold white sword light, Bi Ryu Yeon inspected the Thunder Qin Mokyulrui. If it were damaged, it would cause trouble later. Bi Ryu Yeon wanted to avoid that at all costs. As he meticulously examined the instrument, a satisfied expression appeared on his face.

“Indeed, a masterpiece! It’s worth every penny. Not a scratch even in that explosion!”

The Thunder Qin Mokyulrui seemed to be a very sturdy item. It was a relief that it was undamaged.

“It’s a relief that it’s safe.”

“Yes, really. I was worried it might get damaged and lose its value.”

Bi Ryu Yeon seemed to have misunderstood something. Na Yerin corrected him.

“I meant us. Thanks to you, Mr. Bi, we survived. It’s a bit late, but thank you.”

Na Yerin bowed lightly in gratitude. However, the confined space made it very uncomfortable to bow.

“Whether we survived or not is still to be determined. We’re currently buried.”

At Bi Ryu Yeon’s words, Na Yerin finally looked around. Her expression darkened instantly. Bi Ryu Yeon was right. They were surrounded by massive piles of rocks, completely blocking their way. The space they were in was barely enough to move and sit up. It felt like being trapped in a large grain storage bin.

“What do we do now?”

“We need to find a way out.”

Bi Ryu Yeon looked around, scratching his head. But no solution came to mind yet. The air around them was gradually diminishing. They had to think of a way before all the air ran out.

‘How long will this air last? A week? Three days? Or just one day?’

No one could guarantee.

“Do you think we’ll be rescued?”

“Well, that depends on how well the people above handle things. I hope they don’t panic too much. It would only reduce efficiency.”

Various thoughts crossed Bi Ryu Yeon’s mind.

‘I wonder what my disciples are doing now…’

For now, all they could do was wait.

***

“The academy should expedite the rescue operation! Hurry up!”

A sudden protest could be heard outside the window of Cheonmu Hall. The noise had been ongoing since last night.

“Can’t we do something to quiet them down?”

Majinga’s head throbbed. Outside his office, hundreds of disciples were gathered in protest. Such a thing was unthinkable even in normal times, let alone during an emergency like this. It was utterly outrageous.

The protesters, wearing white headbands, had one demand: to expedite the rescue operations for those buried in the Phantom Demon Cave. Interestingly, most of the protesters were men. The core of this protest was the Bingbong Younghwa Guard. They had gone into a frenzy upon hearing that their idol, Na Yerin, was involved in the accident.

The Bingbong Younghwa Guard could not stand idly by knowing that their idol was trapped in an unknown place with an unknown person. To them, her existence was the light of the heavens, the abundance of the earth, the comfort of their hearts, and life itself. Their devotion was that intense, with a bit of exaggeration.

The white headbands on their foreheads symbolized their firm and resolute determination. They refused to attend classes and protested day and night.

An elder who had a sleepless night reportedly shouted this morning:

“I am astonished that the discipline and adherence to rules at our Cheonmu Academy have deteriorated to this extent. I can’t sleep at all with their protests ringing in my ears. What should we do with these wretched brats?”

For some reason, the leader of the guard, Sunpung Geomryong Wijicheon, was almost half out of his mind, so the deputy leader was directing the protest. With the situation already giving him a headache, Majinga was further irritated by the constant protests.

“The academy should expedite the rescue operations! Hurry up!”

The protest chants came through the window again. They were urging for faster action, criticizing the current pace as too slow. Finally, Yeomdo couldn’t take it anymore and exploded.

“These brats! If they want to rescue so badly, they should grab a shovel and start digging instead of refusing classes! Should I just twist their necks?”

Yeomdo’s outburst was a mix of irritation and frustration, but Majinga took it seriously.

‘Why didn’t I think of that!’

It felt like he had been hit on the back of the head with a blunt object. Not that he was considering the gruesome idea of twisting necks. Majinga wasn’t that extreme.

“Let’s start digging. Immediately call in experts in structural engineering and architecture! If they want to participate in the rescue operations so badly, let them join in. If they have the energy to protest, they have the energy to help with the rescue. We need manpower and workers, so this works out well. Commence the rescue operations!”

Majinga’s orders were given.

“That girl is like a niece to me! If we lose her in this incident, I will never be able to face the Alliance Leader again. Knowing his temperament, he might lead his warriors and storm in here!”

If Na Baekcheon found out that his precious daughter was in mortal danger due to the Heavenly Tribulation’s dark schemes, he would undoubtedly turn the martial world upside down. Majinga was well aware of Na Baekcheon’s exceptional love for his daughter. He knew what had happened to his uncle when he tried to do something vile.

The Alliance Leader was a doting father and a fool for his daughter. Majinga knew well how unlikely it was to expect rationality from him in this matter.

‘I must prevent that at all costs.’

Majinga repeated to himself several times.

Thus, a rescue team was organized, centered around the Bingbong Younghwa Guard and the male disciples who supported them. Their first task was to start digging. The Phantom Demon Cave had completely collapsed from the middle due to the chain reaction of the collapse. The situation was more serious than expected, and the digging was harder than anticipated.

“Hey, Hong, do you think Ryu Yeon is okay?”

Hyo Ryong asked worriedly. He still hadn’t removed the bandages wrapped around his left shoulder. Beside him, Lee Jinseol was closely attached to him, having reconciled at some point.

Hyo Ryong’s honorable injury occurred while protecting Lee Jinseol from falling rocks during the collapse of the Phantom Demon Cave. Since then, Lee Jinseol had been taking care of him with utmost dedication, even though it wasn’t a life-threatening injury. Her excessive care drew a lot of attention and whispers from those around them. Some thought she was making too much fuss over a simple broken arm. But Lee Jinseol knew she couldn’t ignore it because she felt responsible for the injury.

Lee Jinseol couldn’t hide her guilt towards Hyo Ryong. Any misunderstandings she had with Eun Seol Ran had already vanished. She was deeply moved by Hyo Ryong’s selflessness. It was fortunate that his injury wasn’t in vain. Thus, Hyo Ryong successfully passed the first trial of the complex and unpredictable game of love. However, the problem with love, this mysterious, capricious, and emotional game, was that another trial could appear anytime, anywhere, without reason. Complacency was never an option.

Considering all the pros and cons, if he reconciled with an upset woman over a broken arm, it was a bargain. Of course, he would claim he risked his life…

Lee Jinseol was touched by Hyo Ryong’s sacrifice for her, but she was deeply worried about Na Yerin’s fate. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying continuously. Hyo Ryong had just managed to calm her down. Many injured were being treated at the medical hall, and the frantic digging continued at the collapsed Phantom Demon Cave.

All they could do was pray for the safety of their friends.

“I don’t think he would die so easily. If he were someone who would die from this, he would have died long ago. He’s probably having a good time in there with the most beautiful woman in the world. Let’s believe that.”

Jang Hong’s words were spoken without much thought, but they were half true.

The Jujakdan had also gathered again.

“Do you think the senior brother can survive that hell?”

Namgung Sang asked. It was a question on everyone’s mind in the Jujakdan.

“Do you think he’s alive? You know how terrible it was in there.”

Nohak shook his head, recalling the nightmare. It was a miracle they had returned safely without getting caught in the chain collapse.

“Life and death are in the hands of heaven! Who can dare to guarantee a person’s life and death? But I find it harder to believe that the senior brother is dead than to believe a tadpole became a butterfly, an old master went on a community service outing, or Buddha committed suicide.”

Was it due to his training or his teacher’s influence? Hyun Woon, despite being a Taoist, didn’t hesitate to make irreverent remarks. He was a prime example of how one person could easily corrupt many.

“Does it still not feel real that he’s dead?”

Namgung Sang asked.

“Yes!”

Everyone nodded. Even the thought of Bi Ryu Yeon’s death didn’t seem credible to them.