Chapter: 923
Returning to Hwasanpa took a bit longer than the way we came. This was, of course, due to the increase in personnel and the fact that we had to pull a cart. Huff, huff. It felt roughly like it took about twice as long to get there.
Time had already passed, the sunset had disappeared, and night had arrived. Just like when I first came, the sky was adorned with two moons, a violet aurora, and a blanket of stars spread out above.
I glanced at the sky for a moment. Wow, it was incredible, no matter how many times I looked at it. How did such a sky come to be? Feeling fascinated, I lowered my head again.
I could see the disciples pulling the cart.
Hoo-! For some reason, it seemed like their speed had increased. No, it wasn’t just a feeling, it was actually true. They were moving far faster than when they first started to pull the cart.
They hadn’t slowed down or taken a break, so I couldn’t understand how they could be speeding up.
Ah, it’s because of the moon, I realized right away. Most of them were beast-humans from the Wolya Tribe. They say that their physical abilities get stronger at night, so that must be the reason.
“We’re almost there,” Gubong remarked, causing the disciples’ legs to tense up with renewed strength. I was walking alongside Cheonma and watching from the back. I wasn’t just watching, though; I was checking out the others while gathering information.
Looks like the boost in abilities differs among individuals. The states of strength were all varied. Just observing Gubong, it seemed he had become more than twice as strong, but the others didn’t look the same.
Some had faces that looked like they were going to die from exhaustion but appeared slightly better, while others didn’t seem to have much of a change at all. And then there were those who had seemingly gotten stronger, with a much more relaxed expression.
Looking at this, it didn’t seem like everyone just became incredibly strong at night; perhaps individual differences played a role here. I wasn’t absolutely certain, but that was the impression I got.
Hmm.
It was fascinating. Rather than simply seeing this as a gift or power, it intrigued me that each person had their unique differences.
I should try this again next time. The duel with the three great disciples that I had back then came to mind for venting some frustration. It slipped into my head that it’d be interesting to do that at night as well.
How would it go? And by how much would things change?
How would the application of energy work out, and what exactly would differ because of it? To figure that out more clearly, it seemed the best way would be to get into it physically, because a reason like that made the most sense for debate.
“Your expression is strange,” Cheonma remarked, narrowing her eyes at me.
“What’s strange? I’m just the same as always.”
“No.”
“That’s not true!”
“The darkness born from the sky is wrong.”
“You… are you seriously not moderating yourself?”
Gritting my teeth, I was annoyed by how she kept butting in. This crazy gal has been prodding at me for a while now. Why did she have to see that?
Damn it.
Where on earth did she pick that up?
She must have caught me acting up while I was wearing a mask and causing a ruckus… So you knew I was using a translation technique!?
That meant she had seen me act and reveal myself when she was observing it.
Damn it. Why of all people did Cheonma have to find out?
Caught in the act of pretending? It was a kind of humiliation I had never even imagined. Right now, since this was a different world, it seemed like nothing would go wrong, but what if we went back to the original world?
Would there be any problems then?
What would happen when reverting? Since she was the real Cheonma, would there truly be no issues? Aside from the embarrassment, many problems loomed before me.
I was already mulling over all this.
What should I do about her?
What should I do with Cheonma? Keeping her around like this felt odd. Some decision had to be made, and even if it weren’t so, I suspected the answer was already set.
“…”
Funny enough, I hadn’t done anything while having Cheonma beside me. I was hesitating.
That decision could be anything, but I found myself hesitating to execute it.
Why?
I questioned myself.
Why was I hesitating?
The answer popped into my mind immediately. Perhaps I already knew deep down.
I was shaken.
I was staring at Cheonma while thinking of feelings I shouldn’t be feeling.
Am I crazy?
Don’t be delusional.
Even if she looked just like Wi Seol-ah, she wasn’t her.
This was probably an issue stemming from her appearance.
I needed to snap out of it somehow.
Just as I was about to regain my composure and redirect my gaze to Cheonma…
Heh.
Cheonma let out a brief chuckle before striding ahead.
“… What was that?”
What was with that sudden laughter…? Was that a chuckle? No, it wasn’t. It felt different from a laugh.
“Why did you laugh?”
I asked Cheonma, but she didn’t answer and simply continued walking ahead.
“Hey.”
I called out again, but to no avail.
Cheonma walked on, ignoring my inquiry.
“… Hah.”
Looking at that, I let out a hollow laugh.
“What’s with that?”
My irritation surged. However, it wasn’t irritation because Cheonma ignored me.
It was because it felt like I had been caught doing something wrong.
That’s why my annoyance surfaced.
*
We walked for quite a while. Thanks to the increased speed, we arrived sooner than expected, but it was still late.
“Stop.”
Gubong raised his hand, and everyone halted at once.
“Be vigilant of your surroundings.”
No sooner than the order was given did the two great disciples slightly distance themselves from each other. And then…
Whoosh!
They unleashed their auras, checking the area around them.
I nodded internally while feeling the dense energy resonating outwards.
The level of completion was not bad.
Their skills were substantial.
They resonated together and expanded their energy beyond their limits.
It was a technique employed by skilled swordsmen.
It was clear who had taught them that.
Well, speaking of which…
The resonance of their senses was impressive, but there was one issue.
…Why are we here?
I looked around.
It was still a field, just like the last time, with nothing to be seen, but something felt different.
Not just a little different.
I don’t think this is the right place.
The spot was not the same as where I’d been before.
At first glance, it looked familiar, yet there were obvious differences.
Did the entrance change?
I couldn’t be sure. So, I used my mind’s eye to delve into the void.
The calm night air merely grazed the seemingly peaceful space.
I couldn’t see anything.
But I was certainly convinced there was something there.
I felt assured because it was like that last time too.
So, this time too, something should be present. It was a simple assumption.
And…
Something so subtle it can’t be seen.
It was likely the creation of that old man who was rumored to be a turtle.
I was making an effort to see it somehow.
What on earth is it?
How could one make it so that nothing was visible?
What is its purpose, and how is it used?
This isn’t a martial art or tactic.
This is…
This belongs to the realm of sorcery.
A level of sorcery beyond anything I’d experienced in the Central Plains.
Not just in the North Sea; even the Shinyi and Zhuge Liang factions couldn’t compare.
I simply couldn’t shake it off.
The more I looked, the more I longed to embrace and explore it.
I sincerely wished for even a glimpse of the hidden something. That thought lingered in my mind, but…
…Nada.
Nothing was revealing itself.
While I was left feeling regretful,
“Once we complete the verification, we can enter.”
Gubong declared through the resonance of our energies.
At that moment, the disciples who had been distanced began reaching into their robes and pulling something out.
What’s that?
I frowned.
It looked like a tiny bottle or something.
Suddenly, they took it out and…
Tap-tap.
They started sprinkling it all over themselves.
Each time they shook it, I could see white powder adhering to their bodies.
What were they doing?
Not comprehending, I merely watched, until I unexpectedly met Gubong’s gaze.
“… What are you doing?”
“Isn’t that what I want to ask?”
Why are they doing that? That was exactly the question I wanted an answer to.
Gubong’s expression scrunched up as he heard me. Where had I seen that face before? When was it? Ah.
Oh yeah, when Noya said he hadn’t explained anything to me.
That look was oddly similar to what he displayed back then.
What this implies is…
“Did I need to receive something too?”
“…”
Gubong’s frown confirmed my assumption.
Then he said, “Sprinkle it…”
He handed me the bottle he held.
“You want me to sprinkle this?”
Tap-tap. I said as I lightly sprinkled some of the powder on my arm.
At first glance, it looked kind of like salt… but… it may have been something else.
“What is this?”
“Elder Sool’s shell powder.”
“What powder?”
The explanation was ludicrous. What the heck is that?
“Have you met the elder?”
“Of course…”
I nearly blurted that I’d never seen him before but caught myself at the last moment.
Shell—that word grated on my ears.
“Is that guy… the turtle or something?”
“…Right. He is Elder Wine.”
Oh, iced coffee…
Was the turtle named Wine?
Shin Noya had called him turtle so much that I didn’t even realize he had a name.
And an elder at that?
He doesn’t even wear the Hwasanpa uniform and seems to live apart, yet his rank was still elder.
It was all so bizarre.
Plus…
…Is this shell powder?
They ground up the old man’s shell and turned it into powder to sprinkle on me.
I had to frown at the unease that came with that.
“So why are we using this?”
Why is this bizarre powder being sprinkled on our bodies?
In response to my question, Gubong replied while handling the powder,
“It’s a necessary procedure to get there.”
“This?”
“Yes.”
Is this really a necessary step to return to the volcano?
Then something felt off.
“You didn’t do this last time, did you?”
Back when I followed Noya to the Volcano Sect, I hadn’t undergone anything like this.
Didn’t they just casually check the empty space and then wrap it up?
So, there was this whole procedure now?
I explained that briefly to Gubong, and he gave a slight evasive nod before answering.
“… This is the standard procedure.”
“No, what I mean is… we didn’t do it then…”
“It’s just that the long-standing person didn’t perform it…”
“…Huh?”
I tilted my head at Gubong’s statement, which came out in a murmur.
Then it hit me.
The turtle had been mad at Noya, asking why it had to be fixed already. Could that be the case?
Did this old man just yank it apart instead of following through with this?
Had they caused a problem by ignoring the procedure and tearing right into it?
Thinking it through like that made a lot of sense.
Or not.
Noya had also faced issues.
Maybe I had interfered, messing around where I shouldn’t have.
Regardless…
So if I do this, it means I can enter?
Setting aside my unease, I shook my body lightly.
Apparently, Cheonma also seemed to have doused herself already.
Gubong confirmed that and stated, “We’re entering.”
At those words, the group began to move slowly.
As soon as they took a few steps…
Whoosh—!!!
Light burst forth. I slightly opened my eyes that had been shut for a moment.
“You’re here.”
I found myself in the same area where the Volcano Sect was, just like the last time I came.
There’s a next episode…!!
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