Chapter 185: Heavenly Eye (3)
[It’s too risky.]
Elder Shin firmly replied to my thoughts.
It was just like the Chief Abbot had suggested right before, and even the Blood Demon had urged me to come to him.
I suppose I’ll find out what I need to when I get there.
[You’re actually going to step into enemy territory? You know how dangerous that is, don’t you?]
The Blood Demon seemed to have already noticed me and was showing interest.
I’m not saying I’ll rush into it right now. Just considering it as an option, you know?
As Elder Shin pointed out, I was well aware of how much risk this would involve.
Yet, on the flip side, Elder Shin likely recognized it as a viable path too.
It’s not like I can only seek the easy routes when the hurdles before me aren’t easy at all.
The only thing I could agree on from my recent conversation with the Chief Abbot was the imminent disaster that loomed ahead.
I’m still not certain if what the Chief Abbot mentioned was about the Heavenly Demon, but whatever it was, I definitely couldn’t overcome it alone.
Especially since, in a situation where the unknown outweighs the known.
Don’t worry; I value my own body more than anyone else does.
[Oh, is that why you’re rolling around so recklessly?]
I mean, I’ve been taking care not to get too dirty…
Or maybe not?
[Tsk.]
In the end, Elder Shin clicked his tongue at my words, indicating he was done conversing entirely.
I may have said it lightly, but the decision of whether or not to join Meteor needs serious deliberation.
I’ll have to look into it further before deciding.
I’m not sure if just digging deeper would help uncover what I need.
If Shaolin and the Beggar’s Sect are already under the influence of the Murim Alliance, that would make things particularly difficult.
Didn’t he mention that Father knows?
That’s what the Chief Abbot said, so I needed to ask Father about it.
For now, I had to get out of Shaolin swiftly.
I was already sort of planning to head back anyway since I’d accomplished what I needed…
“Oh.”
As I walked out of Shaolin, I couldn’t help but let out a sound of realization.
Namgung Bi-ah, who was walking alongside me, turned to look, wondering what was wrong.
I grabbed hold of Namgung Bi-ah’s hands and infused warmth into them.
… ?
Namgung Bi-ah looked at me, as if questioning my actions, but I hastily spoke up.
“Just hang on a moment. This should keep you warm enough.”
“Hmm…?”
“I’ll be back in no time, so just stay right here, okay?”
Namgung Bi-ah nodded slightly, a bit bewildered, not asking any questions.
[Where are you going?]
Just have a little something to take care of.
[In Shaolin? At a time like this?]
Yep.
I kicked off the ground and leapt into the air, leaving an astonished Namgung Bi-ah behind.
I made sure to suppress my presence as much as possible.
In the room now shared by only two, the Mighty Staff finally broke his silence.
“Chief Abbot.”
It was directed to the Chief Abbot, who had been quietly sipping tea.
“May I ask why you revealed so much to that boy?”
“A reason, huh?”
Hehe…
The old man chuckled dryly.
Very few in the Murim Alliance and Shaolin knew about the upcoming disaster.
Moreover, it was something only the Chief Abbot could reveal to others.
Because informing the entire world about this would yield no benefits.
After a moment of silence, the Chief Abbot finally answered the Mighty Staff.
“I felt it was simply necessary.”
“Chief Abbot…”
“Did you witness that child’s reaction?”
The Mighty Staff pondered on the Chief Abbot’s words, recalling the True Dragon he had just seen.
Despite the negative rumors that surrounded him, the boy had displayed humility and an ability to act appropriately.
“Do you mean the way he questioned things?”
“I’m referring to his response upon hearing about the disaster.”
The Mighty Staff’s beard quivered slightly in response to the Chief Abbot’s words.
He couldn’t quite grasp the meaning behind what the Chief Abbot was saying.
Yet he gasped in surprise afterward.
“He was so calm. He seemed more startled when he heard about Meteor.”
“…!”
“It was as if he already had knowledge about the disaster, that’s how it felt.”
Whoosh—
Puffs of light smoke began to escape from the Heavenly Eye’s mouth.
This smoke resulted from my Qi usage, indicating that the Chief Abbot’s vitality was fading.
“Isn’t it amazing that a child showed no fear about the disaster?”
That was different from the striking beauty of the lady sitting beside him.
This young girl didn’t seem to care about the world at all.
Unlike her relatives who shared the Namgung surname.
Like a pristine white pearl.
Her gaze was only fixated on the boy next to her, even the Mighty Staff, who lived a lifetime as a monk, couldn’t help but notice.
How could she act that way with the Chief Abbot of Shaolin right in front of her?
The light in the boy’s eyes.
It was something the Mighty Staff hadn’t truly paid attention to.
This young prodigy showcased impressive talent in the recent tournament, and certainly possessed a well-trained physique for his age.
“I genuinely hope that boy chooses to be with us.”
“…I can’t quite fathom.”
The world seen through the Heavenly Eye was something the Mighty Staff couldn’t grasp.
After all, it was invisible to his own eyes.
Even when the disaster was brought up by the Heavenly Eye, he had no idea how monumental this impending disaster was for the Chief Abbot to still take action despite his failing body.
The Chief Abbot had mentioned that while the disaster would strike, he likely wouldn’t be present.
That’s precisely why they must prepare extensively.
As he watched the Chief Abbot quietly foretell his own destiny while thinking of everyone’s future, the Mighty Staff found himself at a loss for words.
“It seems there was a purpose behind him entrusting this responsibility to me. Thus, I must accept it.”
The Chief Abbot deemed the Heavenly Eye to be his responsibility. The Mighty Staff acknowledged that this held meaning.
“Mighty Staff.”
“Yes, Chief Abbot.”
“I need to visit the Alliance.”
“But didn’t you just go last time? You should rest this time.”
The Mighty Staff’s words were born from concern for the Chief Abbot’s condition, but he was fully aware that his Chief Abbot wouldn’t heed his suggestion.
“There’s not a lot of time, I must act swiftly.”
Did he mean there wasn’t much time until they confronted the disaster?
Or was he referring to the remaining time of his own life?
The Mighty Staff didn’t dare to question that.
“I’ll contact the Alliance.”
“Thank you.”
Once the Mighty Staff left, the Heavenly Eye, left alone in the room, sat calmly with closed eyes.
The sounds of winter winds coming through the window disrupted the silence but the Heavenly Eye was too engrossed in thoughts of the boy he had just met.
It’s warm. Very warm.
Closing his eyes didn’t block the Heavenly Eye’s sight.
In fact, it enhanced it.
Closing his eyes allowed the Heavenly Eye to see more, filling him with questions about many things, but this particular occurrence felt extremely unique.
But it’s all black inside.
It was intensely warm and suffocated in darkness.
It was a contradiction of sight, yet oddly enough, there seemed to be harmony within those elements.
Perhaps that’s why the Heavenly Eye felt as if his sight was telling him to keep his eyes on that boy.
The Chief Abbot wondered inwardly what those signs meant, but he concluded that everything held significance in the world.
All of this is the will of heaven.
The Heavenly Eye prayed with closed eyes for the singular purpose to lead to lasting peace in the world.
And for his remaining life to contribute toward that peace.
Sweep. Sweep.
Someone was sweeping the floor using a brush smaller than average.
A child monk, who barely looked ten years old, was at it.
It was Heeyoung, the youngest monk in Shaolin.
“I could’ve just continued working…”
Heeyoung quietly lamented as he swept the yard.
It was due to others withholding work from him after that incident.
I told them I was fine…
For some unexplained reason, Heeyoung had completely lost the past ten days from his memory. Awakening to see the medical room ceiling was quite bewildering.
He even got checked by a medic, but his body seemed fine overall, and the medic suggested that the memory loss was likely due to overwork.
Because of that, Heeyoung, who worked dutifully to safeguard Shaolin’s image, had been forced into a break.
He was even told not to train in martial arts until he got better, but Heeyoung held his tongue since it was his seniors who said so.
My seniors are probably working hard right now…
Heeyoung felt disappointment wash over him. Having joined Shaolin later than others, he believed he had to exert extra effort to catch up.
Seriously, why can’t I remember anything?
It didn’t make sense to him.
The medic suggested it was due to overexertion, yet Heeyoung didn’t feel like he had worked himself to that extent.
Initially waking up like that was more exhausting.
It felt like he had been immobile for days, and that was uncomfortable.
My seniors said I acted just like usual…
Heeyoung, unable to remember anything, simply felt more frustrated.
At this point, all he could do was sweep the ground.
At this rate, how will I ever…
Many praised Heeyoung for having talent, but he couldn’t fully grasp why.
He desired to be the center of Shaolin.
Too ambitious a thought for someone so small, really.
Sweep sweep.
I don’t think I’ll achieve anything this way…
Heeyoung continued his sweeping, expelling sighs. His heart felt conflicted, yet his actions remained diligent.
His own space had to be clean, but his surroundings must also be properly cared for. It was one of the teachings he received from his seniors.
Tap.
“Huh?”
His broom caught on something as he swept.
He sensed a strange texture amidst the mound of leaves he’d gathered.
Wondering if a small rock had lodged itself inside, he pushed the leaves aside.
To his surprise, buried beneath the leaves was something peculiar.
What’s this…?
It wasn’t a rock snagged on Heeyoung’s broom.
It was a thin book.
Heeyoung carefully picked it up and flipped it open to see what it contained.
“…Huh?”
His eyes widened upon glimpsing the contents, and immediately he scanned the area to check if anyone had left it behind accidentally.
However, there wasn’t a soul in sight.
About thirty minutes after Gu Yangcheon instructed Namgung Bi-ah to wait, just as the warmth he had transferred started to fade, he returned.
“Why are you sitting like that?”
Gu Yangcheon asked Namgung Bi-ah.
It was understandable as she was squatted on the ground.
There was no way her legs could have gotten sore from merely standing for half an hour.
“Where… did you go?”
Namgung Bi-ah slowly stood up to question Gu Yangcheon.
“I just had something to take care of.”
He replied casually, although there seemed to be a hint of fatigue in his voice.
It had only been about thirty minutes; considering Gu Yangcheon’s martial prowess, it shouldn’t have tired him out so easily.
This implied he either had been overly reckless, using up his Qi, or he had moved with caution due to excessive Qi consumption.
Namgung Bi-ah wondered what he could possibly be doing in Shaolin that would cause such activity.
Nevertheless, she chose to keep her thoughts to herself.
Instead, she cautiously approached Gu Yangcheon, extending her hand toward his hair.
Amidst the strands of black hair, slightly tinged with red hues, she managed to pluck something out.
“Leaves?”
“Oh, guess they must have gotten stuck on me while I was out.”
Gu Yangcheon hastily snatched the leaves from Namgung Bi-ah’s hand and tossed them aside.
While tossing, he muttered, When did this even get on me? No one saw it, right?
“I’m hungry. Let’s get going.”
With that, Gu Yangcheon grabbed Namgung Bi-ah’s hand and pulled her along.
The other kids were likely back at the guesthouse by now, necessitating a swift departure.
Pull.
“Hmm?”
As he attempted to walk quickly, he noticed that Namgung Bi-ah was practically frozen in place like a rock.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Slowly.”
“What?”
“…Slowly… go.”
Gu Yangcheon frowned slightly, having trouble understanding Namgung Bi-ah’s unusual request.
In response, she softly wrapped her arm around his.
“Just go slowly since it’s just the two of us…”
…
Gu Yangcheon’s lips pursed shut, surprised by her cautious and somewhat bashful words.
In that moment, Namgung Bi-ah noticed Gu Yangcheon’s ears slightly reddening.
Seeing that made her smile softly.
She wished they could walk even slower, but considering Gu Yangcheon’s nature, that was unlikely.
Namgung Bi-ah realized she was not the only one he cared about.
Yet, in that instance, she felt a twinge of selfishness.
This situation felt like the perfect time for it.
“Are you okay?”
When Namgung Bi-ah looked into his eyes and asked, Gu Yangcheon sighed deeply.
“Hey, where did you learn this?”
At Gu Yangcheon’s question, Namgung Bi-ah briefly flinched.
Then, in a very soft voice, she replied.
“From Soyeol…”
It seemed she could not lie after all.
Gu Yangcheon chuckled at her response.
“You keep picking up strange things from her. What are you, a child?”
“…”
“Let’s head out.”
With those final words, he began moving again.
However, Namgung Bi-ah perceived that Gu Yangcheon did not reject her request.
Not only did he keep hold of her hugging arm, but he also noticeably decreased his speed compared to usual.
Every time she saw him behave that way, she felt something warm stirring within her.
Although Gu Yangcheon’s given warmth must have dissipated by now.
“Oh, I think we’ll be leaving tomorrow. You don’t have anything else to do here, right?”
Namgung Bi-ah nodded at Gu Yangcheon’s question.
She had no particular ambitions regarding Hanam.
She was only following because it was Gu Yangcheon’s destination.
…Cheonjun…
Suddenly, Namgung Bi-ah recalled her younger brother.
She hadn’t seen him since the tournament, wondering how he was doing.
After his match against Gu Yangcheon and being taken to the medical room, she had watched him from afar.
After all, he was her younger brother.
But she quickly brushed off those thoughts.
…He should be fine…
For now, that was the extent of her concern.
Her mind was occupied by thoughts of a sword and someone’s face.
That someone said,
“Can we go a bit faster? I’m starving.”
“Alright, don’t glare at me like that!”
He casually spoke without any tact, prompting Namgung Bi-ah to snuggly hug his arm tighter as a form of retribution.
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