Chapter 88
“Alright! We’ll divide into teams here!”
Following the elder of the Hae-nam Sect’s suggestion, the Myriad-Year Fire Pear Hunt team split into two groups. One team would guard the entrance to the cave, while the other would explore its interior.
They planned to switch roles after a set period to conserve stamina.
Naturally, each team included members from various factions like Hae-nam and the Murim Alliance in a balanced way, to prevent any internal conflicts.
“Brother, take care in there.”
“If you get hurt and make Sowol cry, be prepared for a scolding from this old man.”
Dang Jin-ak and Yang Hwi-cheon were in one team, while Dokgo Ryong was assigned to the other.
Dokgo Ryong’s team included Namgung Gyeong and an elder of the Hae-nam Sect, and they took the lead in the cave exploration.
“The interior is extremely harsh. Just walking will sap your strength, so be mindful. I’ll take the lead.”
The Hae-nam elder, who had been here before, acted as their guide.
The beginning of the cave wasn’t much different from an ordinary one. It was cool, damp, and dark.
But the deeper they went, the coolness faded, replaced by a suffocating heat. Before long, the intense heat almost overwhelmed the firelight from their torches.
“Huff, huff…”
Breathing grew more labored. The heat was even worse than the hottest summer day.
‘You can feel the heat even through your shoes.’
Touching the walls or floor might easily result in burns.
As they progressed further, torches became unnecessary. The dark cave suddenly brightened, as a strong light emanated from deep within.
At the end of the long tunnel, they emerged into a space where lava bubbled and fire veins (화맥) flowed.
“…I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“Just breathing makes my throat burn.”
Namgung Gyeong and a member of the Blue Dragon Unit wiped the sweat from their faces and murmured in awe.
Then, Namgung Gyeong glanced at Dokgo Ryong, who had undone his front robe, and asked,
“Did you know such a place existed?”
“My elder warned me beforehand.”
“But didn’t you say you felt heat even at the cave entrance?”
“…I wasn’t sure whether the heat came from this lava or something else. But I did faintly sense a blazing energy.”
‘So he really sensed something.’
Namgung Gyeong, second son of the Namgung family, had seen and fought many skilled peers.
He couldn’t say Dokgo Ryong was the strongest among them, but he clearly possessed sharp senses that even Namgung Gyeong admired.
“What exactly did you sense—”
“This is where the Myriad-Year Fire Pear was discovered. But the area is vast, and the fire veins constantly shift, so we can’t be sure it’s still here.”
Before Namgung Gyeong could finish speaking, the Hae-nam elder raised his voice to address the group.
“If anyone finds the Fire Pear, call for help immediately. Don’t try to deal with it alone—you’ll become its meal and melt to the bone.”
When the elder’s gaze fell on the bubbling lava, some young warriors swallowed hard.
“When an hour has passed, the bell will ring. Until then, split up and search for the Fire Pear’s traces. Dismissed!”
Dokgo Ryong moved alone. Namgung Gyeong hurried after him.
“You’re separated from your group. Would you mind if we went together?”
“I prefer being alone. Also, it’s best not to talk here. Even speaking drains energy.”
Namgung Gyeong watched Dokgo Ryong walk away without looking back.
Gwangryong (Mad Dragon). A nickname even Namgung Gyeong knew well.
Sometimes, when the Murim Alliance released wanted posters and bounties for criminals, the Hanan Province had an unusually high arrest rate.
Rumor had it that this was thanks to Gwangryong, an undefeated problem-solver.
Some said he should be recruited into the Alliance.
But since he always sent back decapitated heads as proof, others suspected he might belong to the demonic sect.
“Leader, we still don’t know much about him. Approaching him carelessly could be dangerous.”
“I just wanted to observe him up close… What a pity.”
Namgung Gyeong, swallowing his regret, turned and went in another direction.
Meanwhile…
“Heung… I miss Uncle…”
Fwwwooom.
Eun Sowol lay on the floor, resting her chin on her hand and pouting. Beside her, Baek-un sprawled out as if mimicking his master.
It had already been five days since Dokgo Ryong and the others left to hunt the Fire Pear.
And they still hadn’t returned.
“Sowol! I heard there was a clash with the Samrin-kill brothers yesterday! They’re infamously evil in Jungwon! But the elders and instructors—”
“Captured and defeated them?”
“Defea—gasp! How’d you know?!”
How could she not know? The same thing had happened every day for the past five days.
The day after they left, Sowol had heard news that her uncle’s group had run into some shady warriors on Mount Yeomobong.
At first, her heart sank. She was terrified someone might get hurt.
But her worries were needless. The attackers were always tied up with ropes and handed over to the magistrate’s office at the base of the mountain.
Thinking about it, the hunting party included the elders and top disciples of Hae-nam, the elite Blue Dragon Unit of the Murim Alliance, and warriors like the Fire King and Dokgo Ryong—among the strongest of the Ten Kings.
‘If anything, they’d beat their opponents to a pulp rather than get beaten.’
Still, she missed them all terribly.
Fweeee…
Sowol sighed so deeply it felt like she might sink into the ground.
As she lay slumped on the floor with no energy, Baek-un mimicked her pose, and Dam Hwiyeon wondered how to cheer her up.
“Sowol, want to go outside?”
“…Outside?”
“Yeah! There’s a scenic spot halfway up the mountain! I’ll ask my sister. Want to go?”
“Hmm…”
She wasn’t exactly lonely with Hwiyeon and the other top disciples, but after being cooped up for five days, she was getting stir-crazy.
“Alright, let’s go! Is it far?”
“Ugh… Why am I suffering like this just for some luxury…”
Outside, Sowol was drenched in sweat, stopping every five steps to catch her breath.
In contrast, Baek-un bounced around happily, occasionally checking on her with concern.
Normally, she would have patted his head, but right now, she didn’t have the strength.
“Aww, Sowol, are you tired?”
“Your stamina must be really low. It’s not even that steep.”
Yoon Taeshin and Dam Suyeon looked at her with worried eyes.
“I… sniff… I’m not doing… well…”
“Yeah, we can see that.”
She hadn’t told them about her illness. There was nothing to brag about being terminally ill.
When they said they’d be hiking a bit, she thought it would be a breeze.
‘Wow, I really have no stamina.’
She barely had a handful of energy left.
Maybe it was because she always traveled in her uncle’s arms?
‘Come to think of it… I hardly ever walk.’
“Huff… Huff… Uwehhk…”
As her face turned pale and she began dry heaving, Yoon Taeshin couldn’t watch any longer and picked her up.
“Are you feeling really bad? Should we go back?”
“No… I’m okay. Just need… a little rest…”
“Alright. But if you feel even a little worse, say something. We’ll head back right away. We’re almost there—I’ll carry you the rest of the way.”
“…Thank you… Sorry…”
“No need to apologize. Just rest for now.”
His hand patting her back felt just like Dokgo Ryong’s, and Sowol leaned her head on his shoulder, catching her breath.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have suggested this…”
“She probably just had a rough moment. And it’s not like we dragged her here. Don’t feel too bad.”
Dam Suyeon comforted the gloomy Dam Hwiyeon with a gentle pat.
Behind them, Namgung Woon followed at a slight distance.
As a guest and a child, he had been invited by the top disciples to join the outing.
He silently watched Sowol sweating and pale in Yoon Taeshin’s arms.
“Alright, Sowol. We’re here.”
The “almost there” part wasn’t a lie. After walking just a little more, they arrived at their destination.
A wide view of green forest opened up before them, and in front of it, a steaming lake sent warm vapors into the sky.
“This is… a hot spring?”
They had arrived at a hot spring.
“Did we come here to bathe?”
“We could… but today we’re here to fish.”
“Fish?”
“Yeah. The Elder said you and the Fire King planned to go fishing. This is the Fire King’s favorite fishing spot.”
Ah, is this the hot spring fishing spot Grandpa mentioned on the ship?
Eun Sowol, now feeling a bit better, got down from Yoon Taeshin’s arms to look around.
Though the rising steam made it hard to see the water clearly, she could spot something dark swimming just below the surface.
