Chapter – 82
Colorful flowers and trees came into view.
On each gentle ridge, small and pretty thatched houses were placed neatly.
“……”
Mosan Shinnong walked blankly along the brightly colored path.
Soon, small fields and properly sized animal pens appeared.
In the fields, crops he had never seen before were growing.
Inside the pens, animals he had never seen before were running around.
At the end of his sight, a beautiful sunset was hanging in the sky.
Below it, in a crater-shaped volcanic lake, the legendary Four Divine Beasts were playing.
If there truly was a Peach Blossom Paradise in this world, it would be this place.
“Isn’t our village pretty?”
A familiar face appeared from beyond a low ridge.
It was him.
The damned brat who had taken everything from him.
“You…”
As expected, this was the brat’s Otherworld Illusion Formation.
Before anger, there was doubt.
“How did you bring me here? It was the same at the orphanage before.”
To pull someone into an illusion formation, there must be a condition—like touching an object or entering a designated area.
But this time, and last time as well, there had been no such sign.
Kang Yu kindly answered Shinnong’s question.
“I am the object.”
“What?”
“When I left the village, Grandpa Yang told me many times. He said the world outside is dangerous, so every midnight when the heavenly signs change, I must not forget to offer devotion to the object.”
Kang Yu continued.
“I used to skip it because it was annoying. But after meeting Shackles Grandpa, something felt strange. So right after we separated, I set myself as the object. The first person to use Dreamland on me, within fifteen days of the heavenly change, every time they used the third lullaby, would move according to my will.”
“What nonsense…”
Even setting aside the later talk about Dreamland and lullabies, the first part sounded strange.
“You made yourself the object every midnight?”
“For a while.”
Impossible.
Even to make a small stone monument into an object, one must consider direction, heavenly signs, and weather. That alone takes at least ten days.
Making a living being into an object increases the difficulty a hundred times.
It had taken him half a year just to make the orphanage director into one.
And now this brat said he had made himself into one every midnight.
And not someone else—but himself?
That was even harder.
Of course, he knew the brat was a great illusion master.
But realistically, it was impossible.
“Where did you learn such nonsense—”
“Which part?”
“The first part is absurd, and the second is worse. You’re saying you predicted what I would do without even seeing it? Like those Indian fortune-tellers who call themselves prophets?”
Kang Yu cut him off and began counting on his fingers.
“After Dreamland, the Wandering Soul Spell you used on me—that was the first. The second was the Forbidden Decree. The third was the 108 Maze Formation in the basement passage. That makes three. The first time you got caught in the orphanage basement, that’s why. And…”
He raised his other hand.
“When leaving prison, you would try to use a spell on the guard monks—that’s the first. Since other monks would be outside, you’d try to sneak out—that’s the second. And just now, whatever you did, you used the third, so you were dragged here.”
Kang Yu looked at Shinnong.
“It’s not impressive enough to call prophecy. The order isn’t that important either.”
Shinnong swallowed hard.
The brat spoke as if it were nothing, but he described each situation as if he had seen it with his own eyes.
If what he said was true, then there was something to reconsider.
Shinnong had believed Kang Yu survived the Otherworld Illusion Formation only because of the lingering energy of the Sun and Moon Divine Sword.
But that wasn’t it.
The Forbidden Decree that trapped the brat had been the second step after the Wandering Soul Spell.
And after using another illusion technique for the sake of the Seal Transformation, the three conditions were fulfilled.
The brat had broken the decree by his own strength.
The moment he failed to realize the brat had made himself into the object, this fight had already been lost.
Of course, it was hard to believe.
Just like at the orphanage, the brat must be tricking him again.
“So you’re saying you made yourself the object every midnight and predicted my actions from the moment you saw the martial arts?”
“If you put it that way, that’s how it turned out. You understand quickly.”
“……”
“In a prepared place, even the strongest in the world can fall. In an unprepared place, even a third-rate fighter can kill you.”
It was a famous saying.
But it applied between illusion masters and ordinary people.
Between illusion masters, things were different.
In spells as well—first strike wins.
Shinnong quickly tried to scatter the talismans from his sleeve.
“How foolish.”
“What?”
At that moment, a strange sense of déjà vu struck him.
—If nothing is different from the previous floor, advance. If something is different, retreat…
—Yes. If nothing is different, advance. If something is different, retreat. If you fail, start over. You understand quickly. Foolishly.
His own words returned to him.
Suddenly realizing something, Shinnong looked up at the sky.
Above his head, what he feared was writhing.
【Forbidden Decree: Recognition Successful [Binding Granted]】
【Forbidden Decree: Release Rule [One]】
Shinnong was horrified.
“No, no…!”
Impossible.
He had created and designed the Forbidden Decree himself.
It could not be.
But the red letters in the sky were clearly the decree’s manifestation.
At that moment, Kang Yu spoke.
“You know, right? The release condition of the Forbidden Decree is until one of us remains. All other conditions apply equally to both sides.”
The letters in the sky shifted.
【Forbidden Decree One: Spell】
In an instant, Shinnong lost his specialty.
He tried to use a simple spell, but nothing responded.
For a moment he panicked.
But he soon regained his composure.
No matter how the brat used the decree, he was its creator.
He would not repeat the mistake from before.
In fact, no one was more confident in countering the decree than he was.
“Fine. Then what is the second decree—”
Kang Yu appeared in front of him using the technique of Position Shift.
Shinnong, who had barely reached peak level, could not even see his shadow.
In an instant, Kang Yu stood before him and pointed at the sky.
“Do we need a second one?”
【Forbidden Decree One: Spell】
“Between us.”
The opponent was a master at the extreme realm.
“…Ah.”
Shinnong’s scream echoed over the landscape of Jangbaek-dong.
“Are you alright?”
“……”
Late at night.
Jumun-gyu and Jinhwa rode swiftly on horseback.
Under the moonlight, Jinhwa’s face was pale.
He had continued moving despite suffering heavy internal injuries from the Flower-Transplant Divine Art.
He had even received a deep wound at Haeshin Gate.
He could collapse from qi deviation at any moment.
The elixirs taken from various martial sects were useless.
Unless it was something like the Great Rejuvenation Pill.
To someone who had surpassed his realm, they only allowed temporary movement.
“Let us rest for a while.”
Jinhwa, knowing his condition best, did not refuse.
They tied the horses and began setting up camp.
“Good evening.”
A familiar figure stepped out of the darkness.
Mosan Shinnong.
“Are you alright, Cult Leader?”
“So you failed.”
“Pardon?”
“I clearly told you to keep the boy detained until the Summer Solstice.”
“Ah, that brat…”
Shinnong clenched his teeth.
“He destroyed the formation from inside. I had no choice but to enter. And he had a troublesome helper.”
“Helper?”
“The Sun and Moon Divine Sword. Not an ordinary one. Surely you’ve heard the title.”
Shinnong’s tone turned respectful.
“I failed to follow your order, and I am ashamed. But I was close to capturing him. Next time will be different. Let us move together.”
Jinhwa silently finished setting up the tent.
“So where are we heading next?”
Jinhwa remained silent.
Jumun-gyu answered instead.
“We plan to head to the Strange Doctor.”
“Strange Doctor? You’ve located him?”
“Yes. At the tem—”
Shinnong’s neck sprayed blood.
His severed head rolled across the fallen leaves.
Jinhwa’s pale face turned even whiter after forcing out his inner power.
Jumun-gyu was stunned.
“W-Why…?”
Jinhwa shook the blood from his blade.
“He joined us out of personal greed. After failing to bind the boy, he wouldn’t have had the courage to seek me again.”
His words trailed off.
“What do you mean? You said he found you?”
“Seal.”
“…!”
“He must have been defeated by Yu.”
“Y-You mean Shinnong was in a Seal Transformation state?”
“That is likely.”
“But without the Five Elements interaction, how is that possible?”
Jinhwa looked away from the severed head.
“He witnessed the Five Elements’ mutual interaction directly.”
Then he concluded simply.
“He is that kind of child.”
Jumun-gyu lowered his gaze.
There was no reason for the Cult Leader, in need of urgent treatment, to lie.
Jumun-gyu himself had experienced Kang Yu’s abilities.
Though their destination had been exposed again because of Kang Yu, his eyes remained firm.
Since the attack on the Namgung Clan, he had prepared for this moment.
This time, there would be no failure.
‘This time, even you will have no choice.’
He looked up at the moon hidden behind clouds.
The Fire Mirror suddenly darkened.
Kang Yu was startled as his vision abruptly rose.
“!”
He had been sharing Shinnong’s sight through the Fire Mirror given by Grandpa Shinyopa.
The movement that flashed in the mirror had no hesitation.
Since leaving the village, the boundary between life and death felt increasingly blurred.
“W-What happened? Did he die?”
“…It seems so.”
Only Hyeonje focused on the information from the mirror.
“The Strange Doctor…”
Kang Yu asked,
“What is the Strange Doctor?”
“You don’t know?”
Wi-yeon answered instead.
“Member Kang has stayed in the mountains and isn’t familiar with martial history. That is natural.”
Hyeonje nodded.
Indeed.
Without devoting himself to martial arts, how could someone reach such a realm at that age?
Wi-yeon explained.
“The Strange Doctor is the greatest physician in the Central Plains. They say he can revive even the dead. Some even call him the reincarnation of Hua Tuo.”
Wi-yeon looked down at the Fire Mirror.
“The Cult Leader must be in critical condition. It seems urgent to find the Strange Doctor.”
“Where does he live?”
“No one knows.”
“He wanders across the Central Plains without a fixed residence. Even if found, there’s no guarantee he’ll treat you.”
“What?”
Hyeonje continued.
“Even if he treats you, that’s another problem. He always demands a price greater than the treatment.”
“What does that mean?”
“If he heals an arm, he cuts off the other. If he saves a life, he takes another. There has never been an exception.”
Kang Yu was shocked.
“H-He heals one arm and cuts the other? Then why treat them at all?”
“That is why he is called the Strange Doctor.”
After a moment of silence, Hyeonje spoke.
“What do you plan to do?”
Wi-yeon answered.
“We must find the Strange Doctor first. I plan to send an official request to the Alliance.”
“It will be too late. The Cult Leader already seemed to know his location.”
“There is no other way. The three of us cannot search the whole world. Sending notice to the Alliance is the fastest method for now.”
Even as he spoke, Wi-yeon sighed deeply.
In truth, Hyeonje was right.
The enemy was already close to their destination.
This was only a desperate measure.
“At least let us send the notice and move on our own.”
“I will summon nearby affiliated families as well.”
As they discussed temporary measures—
“I think there’s another way.”
“Hm?”
“A way to find the Strange Doctor.”
Kang Yu briefly explained his plan.
Hyeonje unconsciously stepped away from the wall.
“What… Is that truly possible?”
Wi-yeon brightened.
“No, it will work. If it’s Member Kang, then certainly!”
He grabbed Kang Yu’s hands.
“Then please, let’s do it that way. I can’t think of any better method!”
“Yes!”
Wi-yeon marveled again.
Since Kang Yu appeared, the hidden truth of the Five Elements Cult had been revealed piece by piece.
They even caught the tail of the Cult Leader.
And now, just as they were about to lose it again, Kang Yu showed astonishing ingenuity to seize it once more.
At this point, praising his ability felt redundant.
Wi-yeon quietly closed his eyes.
“When this matter ends well, I’ll raise your monthly pay to seven nyang.”
Kang Yu could easily earn hundreds of gold anywhere.
But talk of silver was like a small promise between them to strengthen their resolve.
When Wi-yeon opened his eyes, Kang Yu was burning with spirit.
Such loyalty…!
His eyes shone with righteousness.
“I’ll give my life.”
Wi-yeon’s passion rose as well.
“Then I’ll rely on you again!”
Their fiery gazes clashed beside the bed.
