Chapter 40
“Should we go inside now?”
Un-yeong turned her head and asked Jegal Dam.
“…Yes, miss.”
Jegal Dam, who had been a bit dazed, replied after a short pause. He had thought that Un-yeong could open the way, but seeing it happen with his own eyes left him surprised.
“Hm. If I go in first, can everyone else come in too?”
“…That, I’m not sure of.”
His answer carried uncertainty.
“Wait—does that mean Yeong-ah has to go in alone? Into a place we don’t even know what might be inside?”
Seol Do-jin raised his voice, uncharacteristically loud. When it came to matters involving Un-yeong, he was always like this—overly sensitive.
“Master Seol is right. My lady, it could be dangerous.”
Namgung Hwi also stepped in to oppose it.
Seeing them both flustered, Un-yeong let out a quiet sigh before speaking.
“It’s fine. This energy feels like it’s welcoming me. You all saw it—it can’t possibly be dangerous to me.”
She put her hand into the rock and pulled it out again with a smile.
“If that’s how you feel…”
Do-jin nodded reluctantly at her stubbornness.
“But hold my hand. I’ll go in with you.”
“I’ll go too. I’ll accompany the young lady as well.”
Do-jin and Namgung Hwi both extended their hands.
Un-yeong sighed lightly and glanced at Jegal Dam. He seemed to understand her intention and nodded. Immediately, Un-yeong turned quickly and slipped her body into the rock.
“Yeong-ah!”
“My lady!”
Voices called after her from behind, but her body had already passed through the barrier.
“Whoa… what is this?”
Before her eyes stretched a vast cavern. Sheer cliffs enclosed it on all sides, with a wide open space inside. A stream flowed from somewhere unseen, and there was a rather large pond.
In the ceiling was a small opening that let light in, so it wasn’t dark.
“It’s like Huangshan’s secret ground, but… different.”
And in the center of the cavern was something enormous. Judging from the aura, it was closer to a beast.
Even when she strained her eyesight, it was too far to see clearly. She would have to go closer.
“Yeong-ah.”
She turned to see Do-jin walking toward her. Behind him, the rest of the party was beginning to come in one by one.
“Brother, you came in?”
“Yes. Once you went in, I was able to as well.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Still, it’s dangerous—… forget it.”
Seeing her smiling so brightly, Do-jin couldn’t stay angry.
“My lady, are you unharmed?”
“Yes. And you’re all fine too, aren’t you?”
“That’s true.”
Namgung Hwi followed next, and she replied offhandedly while glancing at the “door.”
With the last two guards entering, everyone was now inside the cavern. The guards scanned their surroundings, wary for any danger.
“If we told people we came in through a rock, no one would believe us. And on top of that, a cavern like this…”
Namgung Hwi’s remark made everyone nod.
It was surprising enough that such a formation existed—what lay inside was even more astonishing.
Like Un-yeong before them, their gazes naturally turned toward the center of the cavern.
“We should go take a look, shouldn’t we?”
As expected, Un-yeong was the first to speak.
“Won’t it be dangerous?”
“Well, we have warriors here, and besides, there’s only that one thing.”
“…Alright. Let’s do that.”
Do-jin agreed, though reluctantly.
“But you’re not walking ahead.”
“Understood, brother. I won’t do anything dangerous.”
Her gaze then shifted to Jegal Dam, who had been standing still with his eyes closed ever since entering.
“Hold on. It’s better if we wait.”
“Alright.”
Do-jin nodded after glancing at him.
The group gathered around Jegal Dam, keeping watch in all directions.
“…Hah.”
Jegal Dam finally opened his eyes after letting out a deep breath, and looked at Un-yeong.
“My lady, it seems my assumption was wrong.”
“What do you mean? There was a natural formation, wasn’t there?”
“No. It wasn’t natural.”
He shook his head.
“Not natural?”
“Yes. This formation was made by someone.”
“Really?”
“They did use nature, but because the scale was so vast, I thought it was a natural formation.”
“Vast in scale?”
Her eyes widened—she had a sudden thought this might be related to the Seol family manor.
“Yes. This entire mountain, the lake below, and the Seol family manor are all parts of the formation’s core.”
Silence fell over the group at his words.
“Wait… you mean…”
Do-jin was the first to speak again.
“So… you’re saying the Seol family manor itself is one of the formation’s anchors…?”
His lips trembled slightly.
“And… that our ancestors created this formation?”
“In my opinion… yes.”
Jegal Dam’s voice was grave. He understood the weight of what he was saying.
“…Ah.”
“I see.”
Do-jin let out a sigh, while Un-yeong nodded.
But her heart was pounding hard. This was a secret of the Seol family she had never known.
“What kind of formation is it?”
She asked cautiously.
“The gate was hidden by an Illusion Formation, and this whole cavern is an Absorbing-Energy Formation.”
“Absorbing… energy?”
“I should clarify—it’s more like an Absorbing-Poison Formation. The toxic energy from the mountain is being drawn into this cavern.”
He looked up at the hole in the ceiling as he spoke.
“Poison, huh…”
“Anything in nature, even in small amounts, contains some toxicity.”
“Yes, I’ve heard that.”
“Because the poison is being drawn here, plants that don’t grow elsewhere can thrive here.”
“Ah, the Fragrant-Meat Mushroom…”
She trailed off, thinking of the delicious mushrooms.
“Yes. Which leaves one question.”
“Yes. Where is all that gathered poison going?”
She nodded, her gaze turning toward the center of the cavern.
“We really should go see.”
“I think so as well.”
She and Jegal Dam nodded at the same time.
“Wait.”
Blocking their way was Do-jin, who had been listening in a daze.
“If this is connected to my clan, the right thing is to inform the elders first.”
His voice was sharp as he looked at Jegal Dam.
Jegal Dam turned to Un-yeong—passing the decision to her. She caught on immediately.
“Brother.”
“Yeong-ah, no matter what you say, some things can’t be done.”
“But we’ve already come this far. Couldn’t we at least check that and then go report it?”
She softened her eyes, her voice almost pleading.
“No—”
“Besides, only I could come in here. And it hasn’t moved at all since earlier. It might even be dead.”
“…Fine.”
Do-jin sighed heavily and finally agreed.
“Then let’s go.”
“Yeong-ah, you stay behind me.”
“Yes, brother.”
He put her behind him protectively and took the lead.
“Let’s move.”
At Jegal Dam’s words, Namgung Hwi and the rest followed. The guards drew their swords, ready for anything.
When they had covered about half the distance to the center, guards Yang Cheol-u and Nam Cheon-gwang suddenly stopped.
They were the most skilled in the party and could already see the beast in the distance.
“Let’s pause here.”
Yang Cheol-u enhanced his vision to examine it.
“…A bird?”
“It seems so… but I’m not sure we can even call that a bird.”
Nam Cheon-gwang nodded.
“What do you mean?”
Namgung Hwi asked him.
“It’s enormous. I’ve never heard of a bird that large.”
“Can we get closer?”
“Yes. It’s not moving—it looks injured.”
The group nodded and resumed walking.
“It really is a bird…”
Once closer, even Un-yeong could see it clearly—a giant bird, easily five times the size of an adult human.
“…A Zhen bird.”
Jegal Dam murmured the name almost under his breath.
“Zhen bird… like the one from the Classic of Mountains and Seas?” Namgung Hwi tilted his head.
“Yes.”
“And isn’t that bird said to be venomous…”
He trailed off because Un-yeong was walking straight toward it.
“Yeong-ah!”
Do-jin hurriedly stepped in front of her.
“Brother, it’s alright. It’s calling to me.”
“What are you—”
“I just feel that way. The rest of you, please stay here. I’ll go. I think it’s fine.”
She said this to the group and took another step forward.
One step. Then another.
The closer she got, the harder her heart pounded.
The giant bird was in pitiful shape—feathers scattered around it, eyes half-closed.
At last, she stood before its face.
The bird opened its eyes and looked at her.
“…Were you the one calling me?”
And at that moment—
Plink.
A tear rolled down from its huge eye.
