Chapter 58
—Knock, knock!
“Is anyone there?!”
So-ah knocked on the main gate of Manju-jang.
At that, an old man in his early sixties came out.
“What brings you here?”
“I have some business at Manju-jang.”
“If you want to receive treatment, you should go to the pharmacy run by Manju-jang, not here.”
“Yes? I’m not here for treatment…”
“Then…?”
“I’ve come to find the internal dan of the Sun Fire Carp.”
At So-ah’s words, the old man asked with astonished eyes.
“Wh-Who are you people? How do you…”
“Yes?”
It was bewildering.
The old man was showing a startled expression as if he had committed a crime.
“Ah, excuse me…”
Fortunately, Wang So-yeong, who was next to him, opened her mouth to the old man.
“I am Wang So-yeong of the North Sea Ice Palace. I’m here to fulfill the agreement of the letter exchanged with the North Sea a while ago.”
“The North Sea…”
The old man trailed off, and then his eyes widened as if he had remembered something.
“Don’t tell me… you’ve brought the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade?!”
“Yes. Sir.”
Only then did the old man, with a smile blooming on his face, greet them and guide them.
“Hohoho! As it turns out, you are precious guests. I have been very rude. Please come in, you must see the master.”
As soon as the words ‘Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade’ came out, So-ah was dumbfounded to see the old man’s attitude change.
‘As expected, whether young or old, they’re all the same when it comes to wealth. Haha, really.’
So-ah, who had let out a dry laugh inwardly, passed through the main gate of Manju-jang.
***
“That’s what happened…”
So-ah, who had met the master of Manju-jang, Yeon In-hak, had to tell an unexpected heroic tale.
Yeon In-hak had first asked Wang So-yeong about the circumstances, but she had hesitated and had not been able to answer properly.
And for good reason.
So-ah, who had just reached the age of twenty, had single-handedly wiped out the Great Desert, the Mad Wind Sand, and retrieved the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade?
It was a story like a novel that was embarrassing to even say.
“Hah… amazing. For such a young hero to have dismantled the Great Desert, the Mad Wind Sand!”
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing, you say. Keke! It’s something that would make the people of the world gasp if they heard it. By the way, young hero. Which sect’s disciple are you to have learned such martial arts at that age?”
“I am a person of the Moyong Family, and I learned martial arts from the previous Grand Family Head.”
“The previous Grand Family Head of the Moyong Family… don’t tell me, you mean the esteemed God of War, Moyong Cheon?”
“Yes.”
“Ah…!”
A deep admiration flowed from Yeon In-hak’s mouth.
“Then that’s it. If you studied under the God of War, then it’s understandable. It is an honor to have such a great person. You must be tired from the long journey, so please rest comfortably for now.”
“Ah, Master. I’m afraid time is of the essence…”
“Hmm, then shall we get straight to the point?”
“Yes, let’s do that. So-yeong-ah?”
So-ah gestured to Wang So-yeong with his eyes.
At that, Wang So-yeong took out the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade, which was wrapped in layers of silk, from her bosom.
“Hah! What a precious treasure. So this is the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade.”
Yeon In-hak’s eyes widened like lanterns.
“Yes. The Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade is the most precious treasure in our palace. I dare say that even if you exchange it for the internal dan of the Sun Fire Carp that you possess, Master, it will by no means be a loss.”
“Of course. I also needed the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade, so this is good. It’s a good deal for both of us.”
Yeon In-hak held out his hand to Wang So-yeong.
It meant to give him the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade.
Just as Wang So-yeong was about to hand him the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade,
“Wait.”
So-ah interrupted.
“Master? First, the internal dan… haha.”
At that,
“Hoho. Do you think I would cheat a young hero who has single-handedly devastated the Mad Wind Sand, unless I’m crazy? But I don’t have the internal dan with me right now.”
“Yes? What do you mean by that?”
“The internal dan is inside the Sun Fire Carp.”
“Then…?”
“You’ll have to catch the Sun Fire Carp yourself.”
“Oops…!”
‘Phew… another job has been added, dammit.’
So-ah and Wang So-yeong couldn’t help but be annoyed.
As it turned out, the Manju-jang side had not yet caught the Sun Fire Carp, but had only identified its habitat.
“Hah, Master. Hasn’t someone already caught it?”
So-ah asked with a sigh, and Yeon In-hak shook his head.
“That’s not possible. Because the place where the Sun Fire Carp was discovered is our family’s ancestral mountain. In fact, there have been several attempts to catch it. But since the Sun Fire Carp is a spiritual beast and its power is close to that of a monster, no one but a master could even get close. So, we have strictly forbidden entry to the ancestral mountain and are constantly monitoring it.”
“Then let’s go.”
“…?”
“We have to catch it quickly before someone else does.”
“Aha!”
“Please guide us.”
It was a firm voice.
Through it, Yeon In-hak realized that So-ah was a person with a fiery personality.
“Let’s do that, Young Master Jin.”
***
“So-yeong-ah.”
“Huh?”
“This counts as one more request. Agreed?”
“What?!”
“Therefore, one more gold ingot.”
“You thief.”
“I’m just demanding a reasonable wage.”
“Be quiet, it’s embarrassing!”
As they climbed the mountain for half a shichen while having a chat (which was serious for So-ah), a wide-open lake appeared after passing through a long canyon.
“Wow, the view is nice.”
“It is. It’s really beautiful.”
So-ah and Wang So-yeong looked around and exclaimed in admiration.
The colorful flowers, the giant trees stretching their arms towards the sky, and above all, the scenery of the clear and clean lake were in exquisite harmony.
Just then.
—Puuuuuuu!
A huge wave rose from the center of the lake.
It was the stream of water sprayed by the Sun Fire Carp.
“Young Master Jin. Young Lady Wang. That is the Sun Fire Carp!”
Yeon In-hak shouted.
“Wow! It’s a whale, a whale.”
So-ah said in astonishment.
The carp, the Sun Fire Carp, which was known to contain the yang energy of heaven!
But just by looking at the stream of water it sprayed, it was closer to a whale than a carp.
“What kind of carp sprays water like a whale?”
Wang So-yeong asked at So-ah’s grumbling words, as if she was dumbfounded.
“Have you ever actually seen a whale?”
“Ahem… ahem… enough. Master?”
“Yes, Young Master Jin.”
“I just have to catch that thing, right?”
“You shouldn’t kill it. The efficacy of the internal dan is maintained only if you cut its belly while it’s still breathing.”
“That’s tricky. To have to capture that big thing alive. Even if Gang Tae-gong descended, there would be no answer.”
“Hoho! Young Master Jin is a fun person. That’s right. It’s a tricky matter. That’s why we haven’t been able to catch that thing yet.”
“Even so, it’s just a fish. Well then!”
With the end of his words, So-ah threw himself into the lake without a moment’s hesitation.
Yeon In-hak was astonished at that unrestrained appearance, and Wang So-yeong’s teeth chattered.
***
—Kuaaaaang!
‘What is this…’
There was no other way to express it than to say it was dumbfounded.
He had thought it would faint if he just hit its head a couple of times, but the scales of the Sun Fire Carp were so hard that it felt like he had hit a diamond.
‘The key is to control my strength!’
He was suddenly scared.
Just hitting it was no answer, and if he used fist ki or fist gang?
‘It would be a big problem if it died.’
It was obvious that it would be difficult to capture it alive.
Kuuuung…!
To make matters worse.
As if it had sensed his hostility, this time the Sun Fire Carp attacked So-ah.
With the loud sound, the entire lakeside was engulfed in a huge wave.
‘You fish!’
So-ah, who was furious, ground his teeth.
Then,
—Kwang, kwang, kwang!
He began to hit the Sun Fire Carp with the martial principle of the fist wind, which was lower than fist gang or fist ki, but stronger than a general fist technique.
—Kuoooooo!
There was a reaction.
The Sun Fire Carp, which was repeatedly hit by the fist strike imbued with the fist wind, seemed to be in pain, and it retracted its ferocious momentum and tried to run away from So-ah.
But,
‘Not a chance, you brat!’
So-ah performed the Swift Whale Steps underwater.
Performing footwork underwater?
Others would laugh if they heard it.
But this ridiculous thing was a true story, and So-ah cut through the water at a terrifying speed and caught up with the Sun Fire Carp.
—Kwagaga…!
As the ki wave of the Swift Whale Steps spread underwater, the stream of water ascended like a waterspout.
Yeon In-hak, who had no way of knowing the situation in the water, had a worried expression and murmured softly.
“Hah… what’s going on? Since the Sun Fire Carp is at its peak, is it difficult for even Young Master Jin to capture it alive…”
At that, Wang So-yeong snickered.
“Pfft…”
“Young Lady Wang. Why are you laughing?”
“It’s nothing, Master. It’s just that I can clearly see what So-ah is doing.”
“What…?”
“There is such a thing. Anyway, don’t worry. There’s no way he’ll be struggling to catch a single fish.”
At the same time as her words,
‘He can’t catch a Sun Fire Carp? That rascal? He’s a brat who would even catch and beat up the Dragon King, hoho.’
She had a ridiculous thought.
Just in time, another grand view unfolded.
“Got you, you brat!”
Swaaaa…!
So-ah grabbed the tail of the Sun Fire Carp and leaped high into the sky like an ascending immortal.
***
Kung… kukung!
“What a tremendous amount of energy.”
It was literally true.
As the captured Sun Fire Carp flapped its tail, the ground was dented and dust rose.
“Stay still!”
Thwack!
So-ah once again extended his fist to the head of the Sun Fire Carp.
At that, the Sun Fire Carp fainted with the scattering fist wind.
“Hoho! Young Master Jin. You’ve worked hard. Now I will cut its belly.”
“Yes, please do.”
But a problem arose immediately.
“Ugh… this dagger is a precious sword that can cut even a rock like tofu!”
The scales of the Sun Fire Carp were so sturdy that he could not cut its belly.
“Hah, what a pain in the ass, this thing.”
So-ah had no choice but to step forward again.
“Master. I will cut that thing’s belly.”
“Ah! Can you do it?”
“Of course.”
In that moment.
A thought flashed in So-ah’s mind.
‘That’s right! They said that the size or number of internal dans could vary depending on the age of the spiritual beast. I didn’t think of that.’
Then, he said in a solemn voice.
“Before I start working, I will make one thing clear.”
At those words, Yeon In-hak had a questioning look.
Of course, Wang So-yeong glared at So-ah with narrowed eyes.
‘That rascal, what is he trying to say now?’
As expected, her prediction,
“If an additional internal dan comes out. Then I will eat it.”
It was on the mark.
“Y-Young Master Jin.”
“Why, Master?”
“That’s… a bit…”
“No, think about it. I caught it, and I’m cutting its belly, so isn’t it only natural that I should get a piece of the pie?”
Yeon In-hak, while acknowledging it, couldn’t help but be inwardly astonished.
He had said that he was the great disciple of the Moyong Family who had learned martial arts from the God of War.
In addition, he had said that he was the chief instructor of the White Martial Academy, which was responsible for the hundred-year plan of the Orthodox Martial Path.
But could such a person openly reveal his interest in profit like that?
“Hmm… since you put it that way, I have nothing to say. I understand. I will not oppose it. But the ownership of the Sun Fire Carp does not belong to me, but to Young Lady Wang, right? So that part is Young Lady Wang’s opinion…”
“Ah! Don’t worry about that.”
So-ah coldly cut off Yeon In-hak’s words.
“You don’t need to worry about her.”
Yeon In-hak couldn’t hide his surprise once again.
Who in the world could ignore the young lady of the North Sea Ice Palace like that?
Even Yeon In-hak was like that, so there was no need to mention Wang So-yeong’s feelings.
‘Endure… endure…’
So-ah, who didn’t care about Wang So-yeong’s sense of injustice, soon extended his hand in the form of a hand blade and raised his internal energy.
At that, a blue fist ki flowed from his hand.
‘Please… just one, just one more! I beg you!’
So-ah, with a desperate wish,
—Stab!
He stabbed the belly of the Sun Fire Carp and cut it open.
Splish, splash.
So-ah, who was rummaging through the bloody entrails of the Sun Fire Carp.
Yeon In-hak was startled and hastily gathered them in his bag.
Because these entrails would become medicinal herbs whose price would soar to the sky.
“Oops… oops! Young Master Jin. Please be a little gentler. The entrails will all be damaged.”
“Now!”
Splish, splash!
“The entrails are not important!”
Splish, splash!
“Are they?!”
Thwack!
Just then.
“Th-Th-…”
So-ah stutters.
Gulp!
Wang So-yeong also swallowed her saliva and,
“Why, why! Did the internal dan come out?”
She made a fuss.
In the moment when Yeon In-hak was also nervous.
“Is this for real? Huh? Is it for real!”
So-ah shouted at the empty air like a madman.
“Three internal dans! Three! Oh my, Buddha, Supreme Being, thank you! I’ve found a treasure!”
At that sight, Wang So-yeong’s face turned pale.
‘What a lucky bastard. By the way, found a treasure? Isn’t that what ginseng diggers say when they find a wild ginseng?!’
It is human nature to be jealous even if a cousin buys land.
This level of sweeping up fortuitous encounters would make even a gentleman vomit blood.
‘Tsk!’
But for some reason, Wang So-yeong didn’t feel so bad.
The corners of her mouth were slightly turned up.