Chapter 83
Jongheo rushed over. It was because he thought Great Master Jongmyeong was proceeding with things too hastily. Jongheo, who had told the party that was about to attack the young human-faced spider to stop for a moment, approached Jongmyeong.
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
Jongheo said it wasn't something to be so rushed about.
"We still don't know how strong the monsters are, so how about we attack once and then do it?"
"They dealt with them easily, so why can't we?"
Jongmyeong was one who thought Shaolin's martial arts were the best. He said, 'What's the problem with a monster that the Light Wind Unit dealt with easily?' In the meantime, Mok Wigun also slyly moved towards the Shaolin party and listened to their conversation.
"Is it because Mugwang is here?"
Mok Wigun, who heard Jongheo's words, clicked his tongue. Although there might be such a reason, he shouldn't have said that right away.
'Since he said that, Great Master Jongmyeong will never change his mind.'
It was as Mok Wigun had expected. Jongheo's words had made the situation worse.
"Exterminating monsters is our calling. Why is Mugwang being mentioned there?"
Jongmyeong's voice became a little louder. Jongmyeong, who was strongly saying that Mugwang had nothing to do with it. But that was the same as admitting that he was acting like this now because he was conscious of Mugwang.
To Jongmyeong, who prided himself on Shaolin's martial arts being the best, Mugwang was more than a traitor. If Shaolin's martial arts are the best, why go outside and look for martial arts?
"We must exterminate the monsters. But isn't safety also important?"
"I'm telling you it's fine."
Their conversation ran on parallel lines. Mok Wigun listened to the conversation and could roughly tell what kind of people Jongheo and Jongmyeong were.
'It seems neither of them has much external experience.'
In Mok Wigun's view, Jongmyeong was not qualified to be a leader. Seeing him put his pride on the line in a matter like this, he was a person who had only lived a smooth life under the shadow of a huge sect. Such people cause big accidents.
Jongheo also looked inexperienced. Although his personality seemed calm, he was clumsy at dealing with people. That meant he had little experience doing something as a group. In fact, Jongheo was a case of having hurriedly joined the party. For the reason that he knew well about spiritual creatures and spiritual herbs.
Still, Jongheo had an eye for judging the situation. So he presented a suitable compromise.
"Then how about we lure them out little by little and catch them instead of going in like now?"
Jongmyeong, perhaps because he couldn't refuse even that, accepted it. So a few people lured out two young human-faced spiders, and a full-scale fight began.
"Tahat!"
With a shout, the Zen staff of the Shaolin monk fell on the head of the young human-faced spider with a fierce momentum. But the young human-faced spider was faster than he thought.
Kieek-
The Shaolin monks, who had thought it would be slow because it was the size of a person, were slightly flustered. And the young human-faced spider was not just fast at dodging.
Kieeeeeek!
"Be careful!"
The movement of the young human-faced spider, which was moving with its eight legs, had a bizarre aspect. It showed unpredictable movements, and it was that much harder to defend. On top of that, as two of them were rampaging, the encirclement was broken at once.
Not only Jongmyeong but also the other Shaolin monks had thought it wouldn't be difficult, seeing the Light Wind Unit deal with them easily. But when they tried it themselves, it was different. It was not easy. No, it was more than that; it was overwhelming.
"Uh... uh..."
When you get flustered in a fight, a crisis comes right away.
Kieek.
"Ugh!"
A Shaolin monk was bitten on the foot. When he swung his staff, the monster dodged for a moment, but his foot wouldn't move. And the bitten area swelled up rapidly.
"It's poison. Everyone be careful."
Jongmyeong shouted urgently. But the word 'poison' actually made the situation worse. The already flustered people were even scared, so their bodies stiffened. Let alone attacking, there was no one who was responding properly.
'What's wrong? Did they just scrape together whoever they could and send them because they were in a hurry? Why is it so messy?'
Mok Wigun was so surprised that it was collapsing so easily. But in fact, dealing with a monster like this is not an easy task. Because a fight with a monster is completely different from a fight between people.
Mok Wigun had trained the Light Wind Unit well because he had the experience of fighting countless monsters. It might be natural for those without such experience to fall into a situation like the present.
'You fool. You have to rush in with the remaining people and save them.'
Jongmyeong was so flustered that he didn't know what to do. As if his mind had gone blank, he only moved his head a little and couldn't say anything.
Jongheo was a little better. He had come to his senses and was about to jump in to help his comrades.
"Light Wind Unit!"
Mok Wigun shouted as he launched himself at the person with the injured foot. At that, the seven Light Wind Unit members who were resting rushed over.
As Mok Wigun approached the person with the injured foot, the young human-faced spider rushed at him. A movement to not let its prey be taken away. But Mok Wigun was different from the Shaolin monk.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Two of the young human-faced spider's legs were cut off with one sword strike. The creature's movements were in the palm of Mok Wigun's hand. How could it be difficult to attack when he knew clearly how it would move? But he didn't use his hands any more. Because his purpose was not to catch the creature.
Mok Wigun held the injured monk and launched himself into the air. Mok Wigun, who had escaped the battlefield, checked the wound. The swelling was not a good sign.
"Hwangbo Ryeong!"
Although he hadn't given any special instructions, Hwangbo Ryeong had brought Mok Wigun's luggage and a bundle containing medicine. It's convenient to work if there's a smart person.
He tied the thigh tightly so that the poison wouldn't spread and also placed needles. He washed the wound with water, made a small incision, and drew out the black blood. He washed it with water again, took out a medicine from his luggage, and handed it to him.
"You'll be fine if you eat this."
The treatment was done in an instant.
"Huh?"
Jongheo, who was approaching, stopped. He had clearly seen Mok Wigun holding his comrade and moving, and he had given instructions to his comrades. When he gave the instructions, the Shaolin monks came to their senses and attacked the human-faced spider.
One of them had two of its legs cut off, so it could be dealt with quickly, and with only one left, it was not that difficult to deal with. When two of them were rampaging, he was at a loss, but with only one, he just had to focus on that.
Besides, as the Light Wind Unit joined, he had some leeway. So he had come because he was worried about his injured comrade, but the treatment was already over in the meantime.
"Thank you. Amitabha."
Mok Wigun said as he stood up from his seat.
"You'll be fine as long as you don't overdo it."
"How can I repay this kindness?"
Jongheo had a face that looked as if he would really give his liver if he was asked. Mok Wigun looked at Jongheo's face and thought about what to get from him. Because he had to get back at least as much as he had done.
* * *
- Hey. Where are you? Why is no one here?
A message came from Pyon Juksu. He had come to rest for a moment while fixing the barrier, but he had contacted him because no one was there.
- I'm in the Flame Pond gorge. To take care of some things and also to train.
- Oh? Alright. Then I'll rest here, so come when you're done. I have something to tell you too.
- What is it?
- It's good news. If things go well, I think I can solve your problem.
It was welcome news.
- Don't get your hopes up too much. Because it's not certain.
- Alright. Let's talk when I get there. I'll go right away as soon as things are sorted out here.
After finishing the conversation like that, he looked at Jongmyeong's side, which was catching the young human-faced spider again.
"It's certainly better than before."
Jongmyeong, perhaps because he couldn't accept what had happened, had jumped in himself. The fight was much easier because a peak master had jumped in. Besides, since he had dealt with the young human-faced spider before, he was not as surprised or flustered as the first time.
"But it's not up to the Light Wind Unit."
Jeongheo, who was next to him, said.
"The martial arts are also martial arts, but the formation also seems to be amazing."
It was a truly amazing formation. While the thirty people of Shaolin, including Jongmyeong, caught five, the seven of the Light Wind Unit caught fifteen.
"I have no choice but to admit it."
Jongheo readily accepted the fact. But Jongmyeong didn't seem to be able to. He continued to catch the young human-faced spider. It seemed he would be like that until he collapsed from exhaustion.
Jongheo, who knew Jongmyeong's personality well, didn't stop him and just watched. Mok Wigun didn't add any particular words to that.
'Since they don't know the first and second stages, they have no choice but to think it's the effect of the formation.'
Jongheo was thinking that the skills of the Light Wind Unit were similar to his or Jongmyeong's. If you just look at the appearance, it would be like that. So he would think that such a difference was made by the power of the formation.
But the reality is different. It's because various things are working in a complex way that such a difference is made. But Jongheo will never know that fact.
"But who killed the mother of the single-horned great serpent and the human-faced spider?"
"Young Master Mok and another person dealt with it."
At Mugwang's answer, Jongheo was startled. He had thought the person who had dealt with the two monsters was not here. So he had asked, but Mok Wigun and another person had killed them. In Jongheo's view, Mok Wigun was by no means skilled enough to deal with the two monsters.
"You mean that huge creature?"
Jongheo said, pointing to the corpse of the single-horned great serpent.
"That's right. Although he said he barely caught it..."
Jongheo, who heard Mugwang's words, stood up from his seat and approached the corpse of the single-horned great serpent. An enormous size. The thickness was like a large tree used for a beam.
"Ah. This must be the corpse of the human-faced spider."
The corpse of the mother human-faced spider, which was not visible because it was hidden by the corpse of the single-horned great serpent. That was also amazing. Jongheo had experienced for himself how strong the young one was. But wasn't the mother several times bigger than the young one?
Although its legs were all cut off and various places were crushed and broken, he could guess its size. The thought of something that big attacking him made his hair stand on end.
"Who is the other person?"
Jongheo asked, thinking that the power of the other person must have been great. At that, Mugwang, who had followed him, said quietly.
"He's a physician named Pyon Juksu."
"A physician?"
What's this about a physician all of a sudden? Jongheo was continuously confused.
"Hmm... that's..."
Mugwang glanced at Mok Wigun and then said.
"If you happen to meet him, be careful. What you see is not everything."
"Is that so?"
Jongheo thought that the person who was not here must be an incredible master.
"But where is the horn?"
"He cut it off and took it. The size is enormous. It's bigger than an ordinary person's height."
Jongheo clicked his tongue and looked at other places. Then he saw that the skin was peeled off here and there.
"It seems they also took the skin. It would be good if we could take some of this..."
"Why are you trying to take the skin?"
Although Mugwang had heard about it, he pretended not to know and asked.
"They say this is quite a precious thing. They say it's good to make a protective armor to wear under your clothes."
Jongheo stroked the body of the single-horned great serpent continuously, as if he coveted it.
"Do you need it?"
Jongheo was surprised by Mok Wigun's sudden voice and looked back. There, Mok Wigun was standing with a smile. Jongheo said with a face full of expectation.
"Can you share some?"
"It's possible, but since it's such a precious thing, it would be a little difficult to just give it away..."
At that, Jongheo took something out of his bosom.
"I'll give you this."
(End of Chapter)