Chapter 74
Jegal Haesu exhaled sharply, his breath rising to his throat.
His legs trembled from running with all his strength, making him feel as if he were going insane.
He wiped the sweat pouring from his forehead with his sleeve and glanced at Sau standing behind him.
‘What a monster…’
Even after running non-stop up Yungjung Mountain, Sau hadn’t panted once. He didn’t even seem to be sweating.
‘No wonder Namgung Jin got destroyed. He’s just as monstrous.’
Haesu let out a frustrated sigh.
Still, hoping he could somehow shake him off, Haesu had led them near his Uncle Baekbu’s secret garden.
Shake him off? Forget it.
Sau followed him effortlessly, like a child following in another’s footsteps.
Should he turn back now?
But even if he tried to escape today, as long as Sau stayed with him, the secret garden’s location would inevitably be revealed.
And he couldn’t abandon Youngcho either. Ugh.
As his breathing steadied, Haesu asked Sau pointedly, as if accusing him.
“Are you after my treasure?”
“Not interested. I’m just following you for fun.”
“You’re truly a strange man.”
“So, what’s the destination?”
“Until I know that, I won’t give up.”
Sau nodded.
Haesu sighed and gave up resisting.
“…We’ve arrived.”
Before he knew it, Haesu had reached the mouth of a cave and slowed his light-footed movement.
The moment he approached the entrance, his face stiffened.
‘The smell of blood.’
A faint but unmistakable scent of blood lingered inside the cave.
Haesu felt a sense of déjà vu; he had encountered something like this before.
Could it be that, like the cave in Anhui Province, a cultist had arrived first?
“Seems like a guest has been here.”
Sau’s indifferent voice accompanied him as he casually stepped inside.
Haesu hurriedly stopped him.
Though there had been a visitor, there could still be dangerous mechanisms waiting to trigger. One wrong move, and they’d be dead.
“Stop! There’s a mechanism inside… Ugh!”
Then, something astonishing happened.
Sau moved with such speed he was almost invisible and destroyed all the newly activated mechanisms before they could threaten him.
Not a single trap touched him—not even his clothes.
Haesu watched in disbelief. Though he didn’t know how to disarm the traps, Sau relied purely on his strength and speed to crush them.
And he hadn’t even drawn his sword.
‘An absurdly powerful man!’
Shocked, Haesu gave up trying to restrain him.
He silently followed behind instead. At least the path Sau had taken was safe.
Scattered throughout the cave were familiar black-clad figures.
A faint but definite demonic aura emanated from them.
As expected, this was the work of the cult.
Perhaps the same residual demonic aura from before lingered here as well.
Thinking of that aura, Haesu felt a shiver run down his spine. If it appeared now and attacked, could he survive?
He had no confidence that Sau would help; Sau might just watch for his amusement as Haesu was killed.
Despite the cold sweat running down his body, Haesu inspected the cave thoroughly. He couldn’t run away now just out of fear.
Fortunately, he did not encounter the aura again, but the Youngcho he had come for was nowhere in sight.
‘It’s been taken this time.’
The two of them left the cave empty-handed.
“Ha… Seems a guest has stolen it.”
“Do you have any idea who?”
“…It wasn’t the cult.”
Sau, a man strong enough not to be fooled, could not be unaware of what Haesu suspected, so he answered honestly.
“Do you think the cult somehow knew your treasure’s location and stole it?”
“How should I know? That’s exactly the point I can’t figure out! My money… what money do I use for treatment now? Ugh.”
“….”
Sau watched Haesu slump to the ground in despair and then tossed him a small golden pouch from his own clothing.
“Take it.”
“…Huh? You said you wouldn’t give it…”
Sau cut him off.
“Take it. Then go back and tell the Jegal family.”
“You’re not coming with me?”
“I have work to do. I’ll return tomorrow.”
“Where…!”
Haesu tried to ask where, but Sau vanished in an instant.
All that remained was a faint afterimage where he had stood.
“Impossible to have a proper conversation with him.”
Haesu was reluctant to accept the suspicious money.
But the Moonlight Night Fairy was almost upon them. There was no way to change plans or visit another secret garden now.
He would take the money for now and consider repaying it later.
Sighing as if the ground had swallowed him, Haesu began the journey back to the inn.
He found it strange that the cult had visited Uncle Baekbu’s secret garden twice with pinpoint accuracy.
‘Uncle, what exactly happened?’
Not only did he have to go to the Jegal family, but he also had to bring up unpleasant stories about Uncle Baekbu, who had not been welcomed by the family.
The task felt ever more monumental.
Meanwhile, Sau, having disappeared from Haesu’s view, moved swiftly toward a place where he sensed familiar energy.
He arrived in a deep valley of Yungjung Mountain.
In a scarcely traveled spot, two men were waiting: Soma-gi and Baek Garim.
As soon as they saw Sau, they bowed deeply.
“How did you know to come here? We were just leaving Jegaltaek’s secret garden.”
“I sensed your presence nearby while I was on business. By the way, which of you ransacked the cave?”
Soma-gi answered eagerly.
“That was me, Master. Baek Garim arrived later and only observed the situation.”
“Finding Youngcho isn’t my job, though.”
Baek Garim glanced at Soma-gi.
“Anyway, it was me. Tsk tsk.”
He clearly expected praise, but Sau ignored that, speaking only of what mattered.
“What was in that cave?”
Soma-gi held out the Youngcho, emitting spiritual energy, to Sau.
“This is Guyeopjaji herb.”
“….”
Sau swallowed it in one gulp.
The herb had been sought to treat Sau’s mania; consuming it immediately was natural.
As soon as Sau took the herb, Soma-gi and Baek Garim assumed defensive stances, keeping watch.
After some time, Sau opened his eyes, having absorbed all the herb’s energy and completed his breathing and energy circulation.
Rising, he was met with Soma-gi’s urgent question:
“Master! How do you feel? Did it work this time?”
“My internal energy seems restored, but it doesn’t seem to have a major effect on the mania.”
Sau inspected his body carefully, especially the upper dantian, where residual demonic energy causing his mania still writhed menacingly.
He exhaled lightly and instructed Soma-gi:
“From now on, we can stop seeking spiritual medicine and herbs.”
“…What?”
“Such things won’t cure my mania.”
“…Ah. That’s unfortunate, truly.”
“Also, stop torturing Jegaltaek in the main residence. Keep him alive and use him later as needed.”
“Understood.”
Now that the herbs were known to be ineffective, there was no need to interrogate Jegaltaek further.
Furthermore, the cult’s search for the herbs had been noticed by Haesu and the Namgung family.
They would naturally question, ‘Why is the cult searching for spiritual medicine?’
Eventually, they would realize, ‘There is a sickness that must be treated by Cheonma,’ whether it was mania or something else.
For some reason, it all felt more tangled than expected.
Sau knew who had complicated matters.
‘Jegal Haesu…’
That fool hadn’t considered that the cult might learn of Jegaltaek’s secret garden.
Had he not been there, Namgung’s family might never have discovered it.
“So, what do you intend to do about the mania now?”
Baek Garim asked.
“I’ll seek treatment from the Golden Divine Maiden.”
Sau’s calm declaration shocked both Soma-gi and Baek Garim.
“…!”
“Have you already found her?”
Soma-gi looked on in awe, imagining Sau having already located the Golden Divine Maiden across the vast land of Hubei.
Of course, our master!
“Yes. I’ve already eaten with her and even slept beside her.”
“…!”
At this, Baek Garim was even more surprised than Soma-gi.
