Chapter 86
“Master! How did you get here?”
In the world, there are countless mystical creatures, but there was only one tiger with purple fur: the Purple Tiger King.
By the time it arrived in Dongchil’s arms, its lifespan having ended, it had shrunk in size. It was roughly the size of a cat. Its fur was so unique that, if not observed closely, one could easily mistake it for a mere domestic cat.
But that aside…
“Where’s Geumchosan?”
I had previously instructed the Purple Tiger King to meet Geumchosan, a spirit obsessed only with treasures, and try talking with him. I thought the combination of the two would be interesting.
“Geumchosan should be somewhere nearby.”
“Is that so?”
I had begun to worry because their return was delayed. Apparently, they were doing something here instead. And that something was…
“Hiiiiiiing!”
“Could it be that the horses are crying out like that because of you?”
Even to the point of alarming the horses.
“Well… I suppose it happened that way by accident.”
The Purple Tiger King groaned. Its reaction was typical of a person blocked by an unintended obstacle while performing an ordinary task.
I thought that understanding why the Purple Tiger King was here might help make sense of the situation.
“So, what were the two of you doing?”
“In truth, before returning to Master, Geumchosan suggested we try handling one last matter, and we wandered around until we drifted here.”
Their initial goal had been to search for usable items or treasures. But this was Bima Village, so instead of treasure, they discovered a horse.
“There’s a spirit horse in there, Master.”
Sometimes, among horses, mystical creatures appeared, called Shinma or Spirit Horses. Historical examples included the legendary Hanhyeolma or Jeokto-ma, horses that surpassed mere fame and became spiritual icons.
“I thought Spirit Horses were so rare you might not even see one in a lifetime.”
Spirit Horses were considered treasures so valuable that even emperors would mobilize armies to claim them if their existence became known. That such a horse could be in a place like this was astonishing.
The Purple Tiger King continued:
“I had no intention of taking it with me. I simply approached to speak with it, but as you can see, the other horses reacted violently, and we were chased away.”
The commotion among the horses was apparently the doing of the Spirit Horse inside. Spirit Horses are known to be intelligent among mystical creatures. In effect, the horse succeeded in driving away the Purple Tiger King, showing its cleverness.
However…
“Purple Tiger King, you could probably have calmed it with words alone.”
I had heard that the smarter the horse, the more intelligent but also temperamental and fierce it would be. A non-owner trying to mount such a horse could be kicked off or permanently injured. I didn’t know if the Spirit Horse inside was that extreme, but it was clear it had a strong personality—and I didn’t dislike strong personalities.
“If it’s loyal only to me, anyone would covet it.”
Alright. I had made my decision: I would meet the Spirit Horse before leaving.
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t tempted. But given the Spirit Horse was here, it likely already had an owner. One cannot simply steal a horse that already belongs to someone else.
“Unless, unexpectedly, it doesn’t have an owner.”
Then, perhaps, I might have a chance. That was my honest thought.
The remaining question was how to approach it.
“If I sneak in, the Spirit Horse might excite the other horses, and I won’t even be able to speak with it properly.”
After a brief pause, I decided: straightforward frontal approach.
“Come here.”
With a little spiritual power added to the chaos of the noisy horses, my voice spread throughout the stables. Soon, a human appeared.
“I am Wang Mapyeong, Chief of the Ten Thousand Horses Stable. Apologies for the disorder inside. May I ask your purpose for visiting?”
The appearance of the chief from the start showed my spiritual power had been effective. Despite the chaos, he treated me with caution—something I found favorable.
“I noticed the commotion inside while passing by.”
“Ah, our stables have inadvertently caused you trouble, sir. My sincere apologies.”
Wang Mapyeong bowed deeply in apology. I merely shook my head slowly.
“I did not come here to receive apologies.”
I glanced inside, paused for a moment, then spoke:
“I have come because I may be able to help you.”
“I beg your pardon…?”
At first, Wang Mapyeong did not understand. But as a chief leading a stable, he quickly grasped the meaning.
“You mean… you can calm the horses that are running wild?”
He was half in disbelief. Understandably so. From the chief’s perspective, it seemed like some young man was claiming he could do something experts could not.
I had no intention of explaining everything step by step; it would take too long and might not convince them. So, I stepped into the stable before the chief could intervene.
“G-Gongja!”
The chief’s shout came too late; I was already approaching the running horses.
“Do not come close! It’s dangerous!”
The man struggling to control the horses shouted. A fully grown horse in a frenzy was indeed intimidating. But I was not an ordinary person.
As the horse reared up, about to strike, I said:
“That’s enough. Calm down.”
And just like that, the horse stopped. It even stepped back on its hind legs. Its mouth, previously wide open in fury, closed. The man holding the reins gaped in astonishment.
“How… how did you do that?”
I merely shrugged. I had no intention of revealing that I had blocked the stimuli exciting the horses with spiritual power. Even if I told them, they likely wouldn’t understand. Maintaining a calm, nonchalant appearance was more impressive.
And it worked.
“It’s… true!”
Looking back, Wang Mapyeong’s eyes were wide, just like the others. I asked him:
“Do you believe me now?”
Only then did he nod vigorously, then bow deeply:
“I failed to recognize your talent! Please forgive me and allow us to assist you, and we shall repay you after all is settled.”
I nodded. Since it was all due to the Purple Tiger King, I had come to meet the Spirit Horse anyway. Their promise of repayment was a bonus.
“Then I will have you guide me.”
From that point, everything went smoothly. Wherever a horse ran wild, I calmed it. The more horses I handled, the more attendants followed me.
“Such a horse exists in the world…”
“A blessing for the Ten Thousand Horses Stable, truly a blessing.”
“I want to learn from this person, whatever it takes.”
They gazed at me as if I were a god. And, in a way, I suppose I was.
“How can you calm horses without even touching them? How?”
To them, it seemed I was calming the horses with words alone. I hesitated inwardly but chose to continue boldly.
“The closer we get, the more agitated they become.”
As I moved inward, the horses grew even more frenzied—likely because we were near the Spirit Horse.
And I was correct. After calming the last horse and moving deeper, I heard a loud, resonant neigh—the first such sound since entering.
To anyone else, it would have radiated power and dignity. To me, it sounded like:
“Do not come any closer!”
I had come this far; I would not be deterred. I had no intention of forcibly taking it, only to see it.
“This is fine, Gongja. You’ve worked hard, thank you.”
Wang Mapyeong hurriedly stepped in front of me. They were hesitant to reveal the Spirit Horse, which I could understand. Spirit Horses are coveted by emperors; excessive attention could bring misfortune.
I was prepared to negotiate: let me see it without demanding a reward.
But it wasn’t necessary.
“The benefactor who has helped our stable, please come inside.”
An elderly man approached. Wang Mapyeong jumped back in surprise—it seemed the old man was the master of this Ten Thousand Horses Stable.
‘What a figure.’
Even a casual glance revealed he had not lived an ordinary life. Though untrained in martial arts, he exuded dignity and authority. Perhaps not a Spirit Horse master yet, but certainly capable of leading a faction.
As he approached, he bowed deeply:
“I am Hwangbo Taesan. I lead this stable. Thank you sincerely for helping us.”
After his thanks, he spoke the main point:
“You may have sensed already, but there is a special one inside. We call it Chupung (Chasing Wind) because it pursues the wind closely.”
Chupung—it seemed that was the name of the hidden Spirit Horse.
