Book 13 Chapter 3

A Fiery Friendship

Hyun-un quietly extended his hand to his friend, who was about to face life's greatest trial. The friend asked with a puzzled look,

"What is it?"

Hyun-un quietly shook his head.

"What?"

Namgung Sang asked again.

"Give it to me!"

Finally, Hyun-un replied.

"Give me what?"

He asked back with a puzzled face, but Hyun-un's expression remained unchanged. He was as indifferent as if he were wearing a mask.

"What do you want me to give you?"

Frustrated, Namgung Sang raised his voice and asked again. Only then did Hyun-un reply in a monotone voice,

"A will!"

Hyun-un acted as if this were the last act of friendship he could offer.

"A will?"

"I'll deliver it for you!"

Hyun-un said in a gruff voice.

"Just don't skim it off!"

"Don't expect me to trust you!"

"Of course!"

As he said that, Namgung Sang placed a sealed letter on his friend's outstretched hand (if he could still call him that). Since the Vermillion Bird disciples started hanging out with Bi Ryu-yeon, they all carried a will in their pockets.

Namgung Sang asked,

"Where did you hang yours?"

"…"

Hyun-un exercised his right to remain silent. It was an action as if he didn't want to hurt his friend on his final journey (?). However, in this case, silence meant affirmation.

"You… also failed?"

A deep sigh escaped Namgung Sang, as if his shoulder had been dislocated. Then, Hyun-un cleared his throat and said,

"Ahem, Amitabha! People sometimes need to act rationally rather than emotionally. But there's good news!"

"In this situation, how can anything be good news?"

Namgung Sang retorted in a dejected voice.

"Haha! Don't be so discouraged. And frankly, be happy! Miss Jin, of all people, bet on your success. So if you succeed, she'll be overjoyed!"

"…only?"

Namgung Sang's fine eyebrows slightly perked up. His voice was full of anger.

Hyun-un looked up at the blue sky, as if he missed it.

"Ahem! The weather is really nice!"

But contrary to Hyun-un's words, the sky was filled with dark clouds, as if reflecting Namgung Sang's mood. Long shadows cast themselves around them.

"…I don't have any wealth to give you."

Namgung Sang said, suppressing his anger.

"Don't worry. If we have the original, forgery is always possible. We friends will share it well and remember you forever."

Namgung Sang vowed to return alive, if only to spite these guys.

"What a heartwarming friendship! Being young is indeed wonderful!"

The council elder, who had been watching Hyun-un and Namgung Sang exchange words, nodded with a satisfied smile.

'Huh, where?'

'No way!'

The Vermillion Bird disciples, with silent screams, stared at the elder like he was some monstrous creature. Beside him, Bi Ryu-yeon nodded in agreement.

'Ah! That old man was here too!'

Only then did Yeom-do's attention turn to the council elder. An unknown old man who knew a part of their past. While they were momentarily distracted and couldn't pay attention, the elder had boldly inserted himself among them.

"Um, who is that?"

Only then did Jong-kye seem to notice the council elder's presence. Yeom-do was at a loss for words.

"Uh…, well, that…"

As Yeom-do stammered, breaking out in a cold sweat, Jong-kye rescued him. It seemed detailed information about the personnel had not arrived. Yeom-do quickly replied,

"Th-that's right. You could say that. It really is… Hahahaha!"

As Yeom-do wiped his sweat and breathed a sigh of relief, Bi-gong-dap-un Jong-kye bowed his head to the council elder. It was clearly a polite greeting. The elder also nodded slightly.

'Hmm?'

Although he felt a moment of doubt, Yeom-do soon forgot it. A thrilling spectacle that made one sweat was unfolding before his eyes.

Namgung Sang, and the entire delegation, now knew there was nowhere to run under the vast sky.

Finally, they were cornered into an ideal state.

"But…, but sir… can we really cross this?"

It was still daunting.

"I am merely an observer, not your advisor. From what I see, you don't seem like a brainless creature, so squat down and think about it slowly! I won't tell you it's cheating to pass within a designated time."

"You're kind!"

"You flatter me!"

Jong-kye's seemingly kind words offered Namgung Sang no help or comfort.

'Still, there's one convenient thing!'

Thanks to Bi Ryu-yeon, he had already prepared quite a few wills, so he was fortunate to be spared the effort of racking his brain for phrases.

Namgung Sang quietly recited the will in his mind.

'Ah! Finally, today, I, Namgung Sang, shall end my short life here! If I die here today, how much will Jin-ryeong grieve for my death? Ah, my beloved… When you wake up tomorrow and I am not by your side, do not grieve. Father, Mother! I wish you eternal well-being, longevity, supreme dignity, unrivaled prowess in the martial arts, and dominion over the world. Sob sob sob!'

[Hey, you fool! A miser!]

"Y-yes!"

Startled by the thunderous telepathic message, Namgung Sang snapped out of his frantic state of consciousness and looked around. In his panic, his voice had even blurted out.

The telepathic message had a tone of utter disbelief.

[What are you doing? Are you living up to your name by being so pathetic? You're dawdling over such a simple task! Are you racing a slug? I'm so bored waiting, I could yawn!]

At Bi Ryu-yeon's scolding telepathic outburst, Namgung Sang flinched and hunched his neck. But he felt deeply wronged.

'A simple task?'

It was pathetic. Since when did the word 'simple' lose its original meaning and become so distorted and defiled!

However, no rebuttal was allowed, and there was no time for it.

Once again, a telepathic message struck his ears.

[You idiot! There are stairs right in front of you, so why are you agonizing over it? Are your dull eyes just for decoration? Do you think they were placed on your face to be shut tightly when you sleep? Over there…]

Hearing Bi Ryu-yeon's reprimand or explanation, a lightning-like tremor ran down Namgung Sang's spine. Suddenly, his vision, which had been as narrow as a fingernail, lit up as brightly as day (in fact, it was daylight).

'Any method other than using a rope is acceptable!'

Jong-kye had clearly said that.

"Yes! There was such a way!"

'Why didn't I think of that before?'

Namgung Sang felt like a highly enlightened monk who had awakened in the dark dawn and achieved enlightenment.

Why hadn't he thought of it? Yet, despite not possessing the skill of 'crossing the void in the air,' he had been contemplating a thought that couldn't possibly reach the other side in one go. If the solution was wrong, there was no way to get the right answer.

But according to his senior brother, although difficult, it was not impossible. It was definitely worth trying.

On the desolate, barren land filled only with despair and surrender, the rain of hope descended, and the sprout of courage emerged.

"Good!"

The man clenched his fists, his eyes shining like a hawk's, and began to run with all his might. With every step he took, his strides overflowed with hope and courage.

…However, that run did not last long.

*Snap!*

A million stars burned his vision with their brilliant white radiance.

Namgung Sang, who had been running like a swift deer cutting through the wind, suddenly stumbled forward and awkwardly grazed the ground with his face. It was an unexpected accident that made viewers wince.

With his head buried in the ground, Namgung Sang remained motionless for a while, his plump, firm buttocks pointed defiantly towards the sky.

At that moment, a strange silence permeated the venue. As if by agreement, no one spoke.

'He's dead!'

'He's dead!'

'Farewell.'

'Amitabha!'

'Amitabha!'

'May all be well and peaceful!'

As if they had already transcended Namgung Sang's life or death, they set aside checking his survival and prayed for his peaceful passage to the Pure Land in their own ways, rooted in their values and religions.

"…I'm not dead yet…"

However, no one paid attention to his voice, which was smaller than a mosquito's hum. Even Jin-ryeong, whom he trusted, was no exception.

[Hey, what are you doing? Do you want to die like a lump of iron thrown off a cliff?]

Bi Ryu-yeon's glare was as fierce as if it could devour him. Even from this distance, its sharpness, ferocity, and anger pricked his skin. His face was shamelessly unlike someone who had just thrown something at Namgung Sang's head.

[Senior brother…, what do you mean…]

Namgung Sang felt utterly wronged by Bi Ryu-yeon's sudden violence and unprovoked scolding. His head still felt "hot and tingling" as if it had been burned. His face, which had dug furrows in the ground, felt the same.

It seemed he had thrown it deliberately.

He had just managed to compose himself and brace himself. But now it was over. The resolve he had just built up was shattered like a porcelain vase dropped on the stone floor. However, he still couldn't fathom why Bi Ryu-yeon was angry, even with his well-trained mind.

But regardless of Namgung Sang's situation, Bi Ryu-yeon's vitriol was relentless.

[Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten what you're wearing? I can't help but doubt your memory!]

"Hah!"

Hearing Bi Ryu-yeon's pointed remark, Namgung Sang gasped for air.

He had forgotten. He had completely forgotten. For an excessively long time, they had been like a part of his body. Now, moving felt as natural as rainwater mixed in a stream, with no sense of incongruity. But that didn't change the fact that they were fastened to his wrists and ankles.

'If I had run with these on…'

He would have disappeared without a trace into the dark shadows, like a small stone thrown into a vast ocean of blue waves, rippling with clouds.

A shiver ran down his spine, making the fine hairs on his body stand on end. Cold sweat flowed down his damp back like a stream.

"How can this be!"

Namgung Sang couldn't believe it.

'When did my body become so light?'

After a long time, when he removed the heavy shackles, the Muk-hwan, which weighed 200 jin, he felt as light as a feather. He felt a strange sense of detachment, as if his body wasn't his own.

'When was the last time I took off the Muk-hwan?'

Since he couldn't remember, it seemed like a long time ago. But the strangeness soon subsided, and it turned into confidence.

'Maybe I can do it now…!'

His timid heart filled with confidence and courage. He felt as if he could leap over a thousand-foot cliff in an instant, leap over clouds, and outrun the wind.

Indeed, shackles were shackles.

Could one's perspective change so much depending on their mindset?

Just a moment ago, he had considered the distance to be an infinite chasm that could never be crossed. But now, it felt as if he could reach the other side with a single step. The precipice that looked like the entrance to hell transformed into a soft sandy beach, and the sound of water, which had sounded like the grumbling of a hell gatekeeper, turned into the refreshing sound of wind driving away the autumn heat. The chirping of birds, which had sounded like the chatter of demons, now sounded like the music of a beautiful maiden.

Truly, the human heart is fickle.

"You'll be running around this time next year!"

Jong-kye, who was watching his antics from afar, tapped the ground with his crutch.

'This time for sure!'

Namgung Sang clenched his fists and shouted in his mind.

His feet once again pushed off the ground and began to run. His legs felt so light, it was as if he were running on the wind. The speed was dazzlingly fast, incomparable to before.

The strong wind brushed past his face. The wind grazing his face began to grow faster and stronger.

Namgung Sang realized he was literally running through the wind.

This time, it was real.

With all his might, Namgung Sang's legs powerfully kicked the edge of the gorge. Like an arrow shot from a bow, like a flying bird, his trained body soared through the wall of wind. It was like the gallant leap of the most agile and valiant mountain goat.

However, the gap was too far for human strength to overcome. Namgung Sang's abilities had clear limitations. Objectively speaking, this trial was overwhelming. And now, a harsh consequence was about to unfold.

Was Namgung Sang's belief that he could leap across this cliff merely his own delusion and absurd arrogance? And was the only price for that arrogance the end of his life?

The man who had been like a soaring bird, unfettered by gravity for a long time, became a four-legged beast bound to the earth once more, beginning to fall into the abyss that yawned like the maw of hell. He lacked the propulsion to reach the other side.

"Uwaaaah!"

"Kyaaaaaak!"

"No!"

His friends let out desperate cries of concern, and the innkeepers shrieked hysterically. Jin-ryeong, her fragile heart pounding, couldn't bear to watch any longer and squeezed her eyes shut, covering her face with her hands. At this moment, she lacked the mental余裕 to even resent his senior brother, who had sent him into this trial.

However, only Bi Ryu-yeon, with his arms crossed, calmly followed Namgung Sang's falling body in an arc with his gaze.

'Now!'

Bi Ryu-yeon shouted internally.

"Tahaht!"

A clear dragon's cry echoed from the middle of the gorge.

With that, the tip of Namgung Sang's leather shoes struck the head of an unknown mountain bird, as small as a bird's egg, flying between the crevices of the gorge. The rebound caused Namgung Sang's body to soar even higher.

It was a feat close to divine.

In the martial arts world, there is a Qinggong called 'Cao Shang Fei' (草上飛), which allows one to run on blades of grass. There is also the level of Qinggong called 'Da Xue Wu Hen' (踏雪無痕), where one walks on snow without leaving footprints. And there is the realm of 'Deng Ping Du Shui' (登萍渡水), where one runs on water, transcending the ordinary and achieving sainthood, and above that, the mythical realm of 'Ling Kong Xu Du' (凌空虛道), where one runs on empty air with no place to step.

However, the skill of running on bird's heads was unheard of.

Without exceptional achievement in the most basic of Qinggong, which makes the body as light as a feather, this level would be absolutely impossible.

One, two, three, four, five, six…?

When he thought it was clearly the sixth one, Namgung Sang found himself firmly standing on dry, hard ground.

He turned his head and looked behind him over his right shoulder. The dark, abyssal gorge still stood majestically and intimidatingly. A cold wind blew from the shadows below, caressing his forehead and ruffling his hair. Birds flew around, their feathers blurring his vision. His friends on the other side appeared as small as mountain squirrels. Only then did he realize that he had safely crossed the bridge of death with his own abilities.

Success! It was an exhilarating pleasure that sent shivers down his spine.

"Woooooooh!"

A roar erupted from the depths of his chest.

The first trial was a pass.

His legs were lowered. However, they were legs that would make the existing legs feel deeply apologetic for their existence.

When Namgung Sang arrived on the other side after an eternity, all he saw were two simple bundles of rope.

Their purpose was obvious. Although absurd, Namgung Sang knew what he had to do with them. If he hadn't heard the explanation beforehand, he would never have figured out what they were for.

Two ropes of different heights were stretched between a pair of ancient trees, spanning a thousand-foot gorge. The gap was about the height of an average person.

Without asking, he knew what the two ropes meant and what they were used for. When asked how such things could be a bridge, Jong-kye readily replied, "They can be!" Jong-kye's argument was that a bridge is merely a means of crossing from one side to the other, and to consider its form and material is an anachronistic idea.

There were, of course, no luxurious devices like safety harnesses. He also kindly and thoughtfully explained that he would not take any moral responsibility if they fell, which was a tearfully grateful gesture.

There were two methods. One was to cross to the other side using these ropes, or the other, a higher level method, was to step on the birds' heads like stairs, as Namgung Sang had done.

What to choose was already decided.

"Elder! It's dangerous from here on. Wouldn't it be better for you to turn back now?"

Yeom-do, unusually polite and calm, said to the mysterious council elder. For some reason, even Yeom-do, whose arrogance was unparalleled, could not treat the elder disrespectfully, as if he were his "master."

"Don't worry! I won't die disgracefully by falling from a place like this. I still have karma to resolve in this world! Unfortunately, my fate is not yet comfortable enough to die!"

The elder boasted confidently. For a moment, Yeom-do saw the elder as a majestic and solemn figure. When he rubbed his eyes again, the giant disappeared instantly, returning to his original frail form.

"Still, from now on, you cannot go, Elder. You will not be permitted."

"Who? Ah, you mean that person?"

The elder pointed his finger at Jong-kye, who was standing a short distance away, leaning on two crutches. The wind fluttered his empty pant legs.

Yeom-do nodded.

Then the elder shouted,

"Hey, Elder Jong! May this person pass through here?"

'Of course not!'

Yeom-do was expecting this answer. But…

"Please do!"

An unbelievably simple permission! Yeom-do was so dumbfounded he couldn't speak properly.

"Th-that easily?!"

"Is there a problem?"

Didn't people usually say no in situations like this? But Jong-kye looked like he had no problem. In fact, he seemed to not understand Yeom-do's reaction.

'Ah, I introduced myself as an escort elder earlier!'

He had forgotten, even though he had said it himself, due to the incident with Namgung Sang.

The council elder was beaming, perhaps because he had received formal permission.

"Hoo, do as you please."

Finally, Yeom-do raised the white flag.

People began to cross the rope bridge, where the tension was precariously maintained. Since they were all skilled in martial arts, they crossed the bridge without much difficulty in a short amount of time. Hyo-ryong, who had not yet regained his senses, was carried across the rope bridge by Jang Hong. Lee Jin-seol, who had worried he might be left behind, breathed a sigh of relief.

The only ones left were Bi Ryu-yeon, Na Ye-rin, and the council elder.

At that moment, Bi Ryu-yeon turned to Jong-kye and asked,

"Grandfather, what happened next?"

Bi Ryu-yeon seemed curious about what happened afterward. Jong-kye replied,

"You'll naturally find out when you go up. The higher you go, the more stories you'll hear. And… and if you want to know the end of this story…"

Jong-kye paused for a moment and took a breath. He himself found it inexplicable why he was telling this story to the young man. No matter how he looked at it, there seemed to be no hope for that young man. Yet, he decided to speak.

"If you have the ability, win the championship at the Huashan Accord Branch by reaching the summit of Cheonmu Peak! If you do, you will know the end of this story. No, anyone standing there will know the full story! However, it might be better not to know…"

The last words were so faint, like babbling, that they were incomprehensible.

Bi Ryu-yeon did not forget this. However, the journey was by no means easy, as he had expected.