First-Rate Warrior Gathering People (5)
“Nice to meet you. I am Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect.”
“…”
“…”
I greeted them with a cupped-fist salute, but the warriors assigned by the family merely gave light nods.
“I am Yeongyeong.”
However, unlike the male warriors assigned by the family, who ignored me, the woman standing a little apart from those men lightly cupped her fists.
The woman was unusual in that she covered half her face, including her nose.
Veils that slightly covered the outline of the face were commonly used, but in this woman’s case, it looked less like a veil and more like the masks often worn by gentlemen of the rooftops.
Come to think of it, the twin swords rising over both her shoulders were not very long either.
“I am going to prepare for the hunt from now on. That should be all right, yes?”
There was no answer, and I nodded before heading to the village to look for hunters.
“I heard you are not allowed to hire hunters.”
One of the warriors, who had not answered before, said that.
“I will not hire them.”
“Then why are you going to find a hunter?”
“Because there is something I want to buy from a hunter. Did they say that was not allowed either?”
The warrior thought for a moment, then spoke and stepped back.
“They said it does not matter as long as you do not use artifacts or treasures.”
Although the Iron-Armored Black Python was a demonic creature, to the current me, it was not that frightening an opponent.
Even without the Black Dragon Sword or the Flying Dragon Claw, a single blast of the Light-Heaven Divine Palm would probably blow its head clean off.
But if I did that, it was easy enough to predict that they would make some absurd argument or, in a worse case, accuse me of hiding my martial arts.
If things truly did not work out, they would probably refuse to release Jegal Cheongi even by using unreasonable excuses.
‘Considering they locked Jegal Cheongi in the Golden Prison for eight years, they are more than capable of that.’
Rather than that, I chose a method that would leave Jegal Jeong stunned.
When I visited the hunter’s house located at one edge of the village, rabbit hides and fox hides were hanging from the yard.
But perhaps hunting had been poor lately, because the number of hides was absurdly small compared to the number of hanging lines.
“It is all because of that damned imugi.”
A hairy middle-aged man, who could not be distinguished from a bandit or a hunter, spat as he spoke.
“What do you mean?”
“That thing sweeps through Mount Geummok, Mount Bokryong, and Mount Hwadong like its own front yard. How could other beasts dare come out?”
The aftermath of the Iron-Armored Black Python’s damage was no small matter.
“That damned thing is only raiding mountain villages for now, but at this rate, something truly terrible may happen.”
“What do you mean?”
“By nature, what beasts consider the best is human flesh. Do they not say that once a tiger tastes a human, it does not even glance at other beasts? At this rate, funerals will follow one after another. What in the world are the Jegal Family and the Murim Alliance doing? They act so high and mighty as warriors, so what are they using that martial arts for? Boiling soup?”
At the hunter’s words, one warrior flinched and tried to step forward, but the hunter sprang to his feet as if he was not afraid and grabbed an axe. Fortunately, another warrior raised his hand and stopped him, so a fight did not break out.
“More importantly, are you catching any wild boars?”
“At least those are being caught. Those pig bastards cannot endure hunger and eventually crawl out. Still, there is no real profit in it. If I set a trap, the imugi eats the whole boar.”
“I see. Could I buy some wild boars from you?”
“Wild boars?”
“Yes. If possible, I would like to purchase all those hunted by other hunters as well. I will pay three silver coins per boar.”
“You will pay three silver coins for one wild boar?”
“…Yes, that is right.”
I tilted my head and asked,
“Why are you suddenly speaking politely?”
“Oh my, what are you saying, my lord? How could a lowly one like me dare not speak respectfully to someone like you?”
I chuckled faintly at his lightning-fast change of attitude and continued speaking.
“Please tell them that I will buy all the wild boars they hunt starting today. I need around twenty. They may be alive or dead, but they must not have been caught more than a day ago.”
“Of course, my lord. Is there any doubt?”
“Do you happen to know any herb gatherers?”
#
The place I visited through the hunter’s introduction was a thatched cottage at the entrance of Mount Geummok.
The yard was covered with drying medicinal herbs, and an elderly couple, who had been sitting on a wooden bench, shouted angrily when they saw us.
“You there!”
The old man pointed at the warrior’s foot with his pipe.
The warrior’s foot was stepping on medicinal herbs laid out on the ground.
“What are you going to do now that you have ruined such precious herbs?”
Unlike Village Chief Heo, the herb gatherer screamed without fear, even though the other party was a sword-carrying warrior.
“Huh. Good grief. It is not as if they cannot be used just because some dirt got on them. Fine. I will pay for them. How much?”
“You brat. Should you not apologize first? I do not need your money! Get out!”
At that moment, something like dried tree bark entered my eyes.
“Oh? Is this not Heavenly Medicine Root?”
“…Hm?”
“I heard Heavenly Medicine Root is already difficult to dig up, and that it is also difficult to make it come out in such a beautiful shape. How did you do this?”
“…How do you know Heavenly Medicine Root?”
“Since I was young, I liked roaming the mountains and fields more than studying, so I learned a lot from the nearby herb-gathering elders. Even they said it was not easy to make Heavenly Medicine Root into such a hard tree-bark form. How exactly did you do it?”
The old herb gatherer stroked his beard and cleared his throat.
“Well, that is my secret, so I cannot just tell it carelessly!”
“I suppose that is true… Huh! Is this not Sea Mountain Seed?”
In that way, I brought out knowledge from the Record of Ten Thousand Herbs and calmed the old man’s mood.
“Did you work as an herb gatherer?”
“I did ask the herb-gathering elders to teach me, but they said I was too dull to learn.”
“That is right. That is right. Herb gathering is not something just anyone can do. Anyway, what brings you here? Seeing that you carry a sword, I doubt you came to learn herb gathering. You must have come to buy something, yes?”
“That is correct, Elder.”
I then listed the medicinal ingredients I needed.
“You want five geun of each of that many things?”
The herb gatherer, who had been pretending to be solemn, was startled for the first time.
“Are you a merchant? We already have a merchant company we trade with.”
“Ah, please do not worry. I am merely a sucker who buys at twice the market price.”
“…!”
The old man’s mouth opened wide.
“You will pay that much?”
“You said it has become hard to climb the mountain these days because of the imugi. Of course I should include danger pay.”
“Huh huh, are you also a person of the Jegal Family like those people? The Jegal Family does not buy like this.”
“Then how do they buy?”
“Hmph! Since they are buying directly at the production site, they ask for a lower price than what they would pay a merchant company.”
“Haha, I see. I am not a person of the Jegal Family.”
“Then?”
“I am a disciple of the Taeul Sect.”
“Mm, Taeul, Taeul. I have not heard of it, but the name itself gives the feeling that it has a proper foundation.”
The faces of the Jegal Family warriors turned as red as ferocious demons.
#
On the way back to the village.
“Senior brother, I will go make sure that old man’s mouth can never again speak words insulting the Jegal Family.”
“…”
The mood of the Jegal Family warriors was extremely unpleasant.
I blocked the path of the one who looked ready to run after the herb gatherer at any moment.
“Did the grand elder tell you to interfere with my work?”
“What do you mean?”
“If not, is it natural for the Jegal Family to look down on the people around them?”
The older warrior frowned.
“They are people who live thanks to the Jegal Family’s merits. And yet they do not know that grace. Do you think such people deserve good treatment?”
“You are misunderstanding something. No human can live alone. Just as the Jegal Family benefits people, people also benefit the Jegal Family.”
“Hmph. How exactly do they benefit the Jegal Family? Can you prove that?”
“That is exactly what I am trying to do now.”
#
Jegal Hyeonun visited the Golden Prison for the first time in a long while.
Because of the Elder Hall and the eyes of the family members, and especially because Jegal Jeong, the grand elder, disliked it, he did not visit unless there was something special.
“Cheongi. Are you there?”
A moment later, a crashing sound came from inside.
He was surely researching and studying something again.
Among his three children, Cheongi was by far the one most suited to the Jegal Family.
He had taught himself letters, liked books more than toys, and had skipped meals several times because he was studying.
Jegal Hyeonun had even thought that perhaps the one who would lead the Jegal Family in the future would be Cheongi.
“Yes, Father. Have you come?”
Cheongi’s voice came from beyond the door.
“Did you eat?”
“Yes. I ate.”
“What were you doing?”
“I was studying.”
“What kind of study?”
“…”
Seeing that he could not answer, he was surely studying mechanical formations again.
This was the point that always made Jegal Hyeonun feel regretful.
“Were you researching mechanical formations again?”
“…I am sorry, Father.”
“Do you like them that much?”
“…I believe they are necessary.”
“Why?”
“Strange-gate formations require enormous wealth, and maintaining them is also difficult. However, once mechanical formations are installed, they do not break easily and are easier to manage.”
This was the reason the Jegal Family had imprisoned Jegal Cheongi in the Golden Prison.
It had already been two years.
He must have been unbearably frustrated inside, but Jegal Cheongi was more stubborn than even the elders of the Elder Hall.
“Father.”
“What is it?”
“…I heard there was a guest who came looking for me.”
His voice contained unmistakable excitement.
He must have been unable to hide his joy upon hearing that someone had come looking for him, when no one had acknowledged him his entire life.
“…Hoo. You heard it from Yeongyeong, did you not?”
“I am sorry. I told her not to keep coming.”
“It is fine. In any case, you will not be able to meet him.”
“Yes?!”
Jegal Hyeonun wondered how he should explain this, then calmly told him what had happened.
That way, Jegal Cheongi would be able to give up quickly.
“Wh-What do you mean, Father? The Iron-Armored Black Python?!”
Rattle, rattle.
The door shook as if it might open at any moment.
“Do not worry. That is why I deliberately assigned Yeongyeong to him. If you want even a brief conversation with him, he must not die, no?”
“F-Father. This is not right. Please quickly send warriors to help the great hero.”
“Did you not hear the condition from earlier? They said it would be a failure if he received help from warriors.”
“But…”
“Even if a dangerous situation comes, Yeongyeong will safely bring him back. So compose yourself.”
“Father!”
Leaving behind Jegal Cheongi, who was calling him desperately, Jegal Hyeonun headed to his office.
“Hm?”
The inside of the family was quite noisy and bustling.
Warriors were gathering weapons, and spell masters were gathering tools.
In addition, large umbrellas to block the shade and horse saddles were also being checked.
“Ah! Family Head! There you are.”
The chief steward who had been passing by approached.
“What is happening?”
“The grand elder says he will climb Mount Geummok tomorrow.”
“Mount Geummok?”
“He said he suspects whether the young man from the Taeul Sect is properly taking the test.”
“What does that mean?”
“The warriors who went out to observe said the young man wandered around the village a little, then quickly entered an inn, ate, and is resting.”
“Huh…”
“The grand elder says something seems suspicious, and he will move with the elders.”
Jegal Hyeonun gave a bitter smile.
That petty man must have been insulted by young Jin Sowoon, and on top of that, seeing him act strangely, he could not possibly bear the curiosity.
Even so, he thought preparing spell masters was a bit much.
How much was the fee for a single spell master? How could he use them for his personal outing?
“He is probably worried the Iron-Armored Black Python might attack him.”
“Yes?”
Jegal Hyeonun said to the chief steward,
“Tell him I will go with him as well.”
“Yes?”
“I have become curious too, about how that young man intends to catch the Iron-Armored Black Python.”
#
Morning came, and after leaving the inn, I headed to the hunter’s house.
I had not told the Jegal Family’s people separately, but they were already trailing behind me.
“You have arrived?”
“Huh!”
There were already eight wild boars laid out in the hunter’s yard.
“You caught all of these in a single day?”
“All the hunters in the village searched the mountain all night to catch them.”
“Impressive. Did anyone catch five?”
“Not yet.”
“That is a shame.”
“Please wait just a little. We plan to catch two more by the end of today.”
Out of the eight, it seemed this hairy hunter had caught three himself.
“I will look forward to it.”
“Ah, right. Old Man Gang left the herbs here at dawn.”
“Are those them?”
“Yes. He said he will bring the rest a little later.”
I looked at the herbs piled high in bundles on one side.
“What do you plan to use all of these for?”
“May I borrow your yard?”
“As much as you like.”
#
A little while later, cauldrons borrowed from inns and restaurants were lined up in the hunter’s yard.
Then, after pouring an entire bundle of herbs into each cauldron, we put in firewood and began boiling water.
The hunter went back up the mountain, saying he would check the traps he had set overnight, and I gave each of the inn workers who had brought the cauldrons ten coins and had them tend the fires.
Meanwhile, I cut open the belly of one wild boar and removed all its innards.
“What are you doing?”
The old herb gatherer arrived with the remaining herbs loaded on a cart.
“Medicinal herbs only have an effect when they are steamed, do they not?”
“But who boils herbs so crudely like that? Who is supposed to eat them?”
“They are not for a person to eat.”
“Then?”
“The imugi will eat them.”
“What?”
The old herb gatherer’s mouth fell open.
“You are going to feed those herbs to the imugi? Are you in your right mind? That thing eats people.”
“Please do not misunderstand. I am trying to feed it herbs in order to catch it.”
“You are going to catch the imugi with these?”
“Yes.”
After saying that, I poured out the water from a fully boiled cauldron, took out the limp herbs inside, and stuffed them into the emptied belly of the wild boar.
Then I sewed the boar’s belly shut with silk thread and a needle.
“What is that smell? Is someone sick?”
“Ugh, and what are those wild boars?”
“I heard someone agreed to pay three silver coins per wild boar yesterday. So all the men in the village went up the mountain.”
“It looks like all those wild boars are here.”
People who had smelled the scent began gathering one by one at the hunter’s house.
What was interesting was that none of them seemed frightened or afraid when they saw the Jegal Family warriors among them.
Instead, they treated the warriors with scornful attitudes and contemptuous gazes.
“That man says he is going to catch the imugi.”
When one of the inn workers tending the fire said that, the murmuring among the people grew much louder.
“What does that mean? Catch the imugi?”
“They say this will let him catch the imugi.”
“Really?”
“No way, that has to be a lie. Even the Jegal Family cannot step forward carelessly, so how could that man do it alone?”
The voices of the murmuring people grew louder and louder, and in the end, they began looking at me with suspicious eyes.
“Hey. Is it true that you are trying to catch the imugi?”
“That is correct.”
“How?”
“I will tell you, so could you help me a little?”
“…Hm. What should we help with?”
The middle-aged man, who had been looking at me with eyes full of distrust, awkwardly stepped forward.
“Please fill the inside of the wild boars with boiled herbs, just as I did.”
“That is all?”
“Yes.”
The doubtful middle-aged man eventually began helping with the work.
Then people began stepping forward one by one.
“Oh my, if you sew the belly like this, all the herbs will spill out. Move aside.”
“Even if you scrape out the innards, you should leave the flesh. Are these not meant to feed the imugi?”
“That is right.”
In that way, people began helping with the work one by one, and at the same time, freshly hunted wild boars arrived.
Some were alive, and others were dead and bleeding.
They had hunted so hard that there were a total of twenty-five wild boars.
“Please do not kill the living ones. Separate only the dead ones.”
I paid for the wild boars on the spot and also handed out a silver coin each to the people who helped with the work.
Because people had gathered and the place became noisy, everyone in the village who was heading out for work began gathering one by one.
When nearly two hundred people had gathered, someone shouted loudly.
“The Jegal Family!”
The people, who had been working excitedly as if a festival were underway, stopped as if the music had been cut off and looked to one side.
The Jegal Family appeared in splendid attire, with warriors and even spell masters.
The people made space for them, as if unwilling to deal with them.
“What is this?”
“I am preparing to catch the imugi.”
“I clearly said help from others was not allowed.”
“You said it did not matter as long as I did not receive help from warriors or hunters, did you not?”
“…”
“Surely you are not worried that I will catch the Iron-Armored Black Python with the help of powerless people?”
“Ahem…”
“Why have you come here, by the way? If you had waited, I would have caught it and brought it to you.”
“Your actions were too suspicious, so I came personally to check.”
“You are quite suspicious.”
Once the work was complete, I borrowed carts from the village and began climbing Mount Geummok with the wild boars.
The Jegal Family’s people followed, and so did the villagers.
“Wh-What is happening?”
Village Chief Heo and the slash-and-burn farmers who had settled on Mount Geummok looked utterly bewildered.
“I will catch the imugi from now on.”
“The imugi, you say? Is the Jegal Family finally stepping forward?”
At that moment, the old herb gatherer shouted angrily.
“What Jegal Family? Those people only came to watch.”
“Then… who?”
“I will catch it.”
“Y-You, warrior?”
“Yes.”
“But, warrior… that imugi…”
“It is fine. I already know everything, so you need not say it. Instead, could you help me?”
“H-How should I help you?”
“Please evacuate all the villagers.”
“…?”
“Then, starting tonight, you will no longer need to fear being eaten by the imugi.”
#
I drove the Jegal Family’s people and the villagers out of the slash-and-burn farmer village.
Inside the empty village, there were only twenty dead wild boars and five wild boars tied to ropes and squealing.
“Would it not be better for you to move aside as well? The Iron-Armored Black Python is extremely vicious.”
When I spoke to Yeongyeong, who was hiding on the roof, her energy wavered for an instant.
“The family head ordered me to protect you, Young Master.”
“There is no need for that.”
I nodded, approached one wild boar, grabbed the rope around its neck, and slit its throat.
Squeeeal!
Because it had not died properly, the wild boar screamed while spraying blood everywhere.
After I slit the throats of two boars in a row like that, the remaining two began squealing as if they were dying.
When that sound continued, the forest finally began to shake.
Flutter, flutter, flutter.
Flocks of birds beat their wings and flew into the sky.
The towering trees of the forest shook little by little.
That shaking was slowly heading toward the village.
The reason I had deliberately made the slash-and-burn farmer village its hunting ground was because the creature had already marked the slash-and-burn farmer village as a place with prey.
“Come.”
Rumble.
The moment a massive vibration was felt through the soles of my feet, I also used Ghost-Breathing Step and erased my presence.
A short while later, the massive body of the Iron-Armored Black Python appeared, cutting through the forest.
Shweeeeeeeek.
It opened a mouth as large as a house and let out a sound, and it struck my ears and even made my head ring. I quickly covered both ears with my hands.
Rumble.
A massive body reaching fully sixty meters long.
A hard shell that violently tore up the ground whenever it moved.
Seeing the majesty of the Iron-Armored Black Python, which I had only heard of in words, I was stunned.
‘They told me to catch that thing with only one sword, so of course people were ground up.’
The creature looked here and there, then stared for a moment at the house where Yeongyeong was hiding.
It had detected Yeongyeong’s presence.
While I was wondering whether I should step in or not, fortunately, it turned its head again and slowly began approaching the wild boars.
Then it instantly bit to death a wild boar that had been thrashing as if terrified by the Iron-Armored Black Python’s appearance and swallowed it in one bite.
Even though it was a wild boar and fairly large, once it entered the Iron-Armored Black Python’s mouth, it disappeared without a trace.
As if that had not even touched its stomach, the creature immediately bit the next wild boar and a dead wild boar at the same time and put them in its mouth.
From there, it showed no hesitation.
Like a beggar given a feast, it began swallowing the wild boars nonstop.
And just as it was about to return to its lair.
Shweeeeeeeek.
The creature let out a sound and began suffering in pain.
Then its throat started bulging as if it were trying to vomit up the wild boars it had just swallowed.
Without delay, I sprang forward and threw the prepared stone at it.
Thud.
The creature recognized my existence along with the stone and instantly charged.
Rumble, crunch, crunch.
Whenever the Iron-Armored Black Python moved violently, the weakly built houses of the slash-and-burn farmer village collapsed without a trace.
After a brief time of chasing and being chased, the creature seemed to judge that it could not possibly match the speed of World-Solitary Divine Movement, and once again tried to vomit out the boars in its stomach.
I immediately changed direction and poured the Myriad Transformations Invincible Fist into its lower jaw.
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.
I could not wound its skin at all, but I did manage to make it close its mouth.
The chase continued again, and the creature’s body slowly began to slow down.
Keh, keh.
It looked as though it wanted to vomit something but could not.
Keeeeh.
Red blood gushed from between its closed mouth.
It was proof that the wild boars it had swallowed whole were gradually dissolving, and the herbs were beginning to mix together.
Keeeeh! Keeeeeh!
Every time the creature tried to vomit, I stuck close to it persistently and prevented it from spitting anything out.
Then, a short while later.
Thud.
Its massive body collapsed and no longer moved.
‘Now.’
I immediately approached it and activated the Blue Dragon Ring.
It had no inner core, but its body had lived while containing spiritual energy.
Moreover, had the Blue Dragon Ring not easily neutralized even the poison of the Human-Faced Spider?
Its spiritual energy and poison energy would be good nourishment for me.
Since I did not have the Flying Dragon Claw, I covered my wrist and was absorbing the creature’s energy when people who had been watching with bated breath outside the village began approaching one by one.
“Did he… really catch it?”
“He caught it this easily?”
“No way.”
The people who had been afraid to approach eventually saw me touching the Iron-Armored Black Python and began coming closer one by one.
“It really is dead?”
“The damned imugi is dead!”
“The imugi is dead!”
“The warrior really caught the imugi!”
“The young warrior caught the imugi alone!”
Starting with those who confirmed the Iron-Armored Black Python’s death, people shouted until Mount Geummok seemed to shake, without distinguishing between village people and slash-and-burn village people.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
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