Episode 141

「Why is this here?」 the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon said in disbelief.

Yi-gang felt the same.

Ha-jun and Yi-gang already had two of the boxes that the Low Down Sect had acquired: the Water box and the Metal box.

‘It’s unbelievable.’

「…Perhaps it’s fate. Or maybe these boxes attract each other.」

‘Attract?’

「Isn’t that a thing? Like how a lost straw shoe returns on its own. Or like someday regaining my lost eye.」

It was a story he couldn’t quite relate to.

However, the boxes had indeed come into Yi-gang’s hands through a series of strange coincidences and connections.

The appearance of the third box was certainly astonishing.

“Your father gave it to you?”

“Yes, he said it would play an important role in the Five Elements Tomb…”

Even the Low Down Sect, the intelligence organization, didn’t know the exact use of the boxes.

But it seemed So Woon’s father had figured out their purpose to some extent and passed them on to his son.

“He must be an impressive man.”

“Hehe…”

Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, So Woon didn’t look like a scion of a prestigious family.

Yi-gang quietly asked the naive-looking So Woon, “But why show this to me?”

“My father told me to keep it a secret, but I felt I shouldn’t hide it from you, brother, since you saved my life.”

Yi-gang decided to let it pass that So Woon called him “brother” again.

“I have similar items.”

“Really?”

Yi-gang patted So Woon on the back.

“When you left home, did your father tell you to return as a man?”

“Yes. Although I’m still not sure how to do that.”

“Haha!”

Yi-gang patted So Woon’s back.

“You’re already quite the man!”

So Woon looked confused.

The Murim Alliance announced that the entrance to the Five Elements Tomb was about a four day journey from Kaifeng City.

The day after tomorrow, thirty successors and warriors from the Murim Alliance would set out for the area.

In case of emergencies, the Murim Alliance had decided to send a large contingent of escorts.

The force used to encircle and protect the mountainous region where the entrance to the Five Elements Tomb was located was considerable.

The surrounding major sects have also promised to send martial artists, making this probably the largest movement since the great expulsion of the Demon Cult.

The first reason for this show of force was to keep the Unorthodox Union in check.

It’s to prevent the unorthodox sects from having other intentions under the name of the Murim Alliance.

「More than that, it’s probably more about keeping each other in check.」

‘Of course, that makes sense.’

The second reason was for mutual surveillance.

The tomb of the Five Elements Divine Lord was a matter that attracted the attention of the entire martial world.

The fanatical obsession with absolute divine arts was no different even among the famous orthodox sects.

The gathering of various sects was also to keep an eye on each other.

It’s also the reason why the successors lead instead of the elite of each sect.

In case of disputes, they aimed to minimize the damage.

「Still, to divide the expedition into five teams.」

‘It’s the Five Elements. So, of course, there would be five.’

The Murim Alliance recently announced how the expedition team would be divided.

Apparently, the interior of the Five Elements Tomb was as complex as a labyrinth.

It split into five paths from the first fork. Each path is marked with the characters for Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.

After hearing this and seeing the Wood box that So Woon showed him, Yi-gang made a decision.

‘I’ll entrust the Metal box to Ha-jun and the Water box to Yu Su-rin.’

Even if these mysterious boxes were the keys to the Five Elements Tomb, no one knew how to use them.

Yi-gang could keep all three boxes, but it would be regrettable if the paths split and he couldn’t explore them all.

Yi-gang decided to take So Woon’s box and enter the Wood path.

It seemed good for Ha-jun and Yu Su-rin to each enter the Metal and Water paths.

The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon asked seriously, 「Can you trust them?」

Yi-gang remained silent for a moment.

The fist-sized fox doll in Yi-gang’s bosom was still seemingly dead, because the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon appeared in the form of a spirit.

‘If I can’t trust them, then there’s no one I can trust.’

「Right… I’m just saying, just in case,」 the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon said somewhat awkwardly.

Yi-gang didn’t point out her suspicious nature. Considering her complicated life, it was understandable.

‘As my ancestor, the Immortal Divine Sword, said, there’s only so much one can do alone.’

Yi-gang recalled the advice of the Immortal Divine Sword.

The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon didn’t make any further remarks.

What broke Yi-gang’s peace was the angry voice of Dam Hyun.

“Don’t touch it!”

“Is that yours?”

The one responding to Dam Hyun’s agitated words was a calm and slow voice.

In this place, Tang Eun-seol was present.

“It’s my junior brother’s, so it’s pretty much mine.”

“How can that be? It’s not yours, Senior Brother, it’s mine.”

“…”

As Yi-gang intervened, Dam Hyun scowled.

What was on the desk was an elegant wooden box.

Inside, moss was neatly laid, and on top of that, a golden round pill was placed.

“Is it okay to leave the box open like that? I wonder if the fragrance will escape.”

“Do you think internal elixirs are like alcohol? Worrying about the fragrance escaping.”

Dam Hyun said so, but the room was already filled with the fragrance of the Golden Flower Carp internal elixir.

It was a mysterious smell, a blend of a faint floral scent and a fishy smell.

Tang Eun-seol quietly moved her hand closer to the Golden Flower Carp internal elixir.

Snap!

“Ah!”

“Keep your hands off!”

“Did you just hit me?”

Yi-gang sighed as he watched Dam Hyun and Tang Eun-seol bickering.

They had been repeating this behavior since the morning.

There was a certain reason for their argument.

“Does it make sense to combine the Golden Flower Carp internal elixir with Qiugu and hyacinth orchid for pill refinement?”

The debate was about how to turn the Golden Flower Carp internal elixir into a miraculous medicine.

Unlike the internal elixirs of yokai, the internal elixirs of spiritual creatures often didn’t contain poison.

But that didn’t mean one could just eat the internal elixir as is.

“What do you know about pill refinement? It’s correct to add Qiugu and hyacinth orchid! Don’t you know Qiugu is also called the Immortal Longevity Herb…”

“Are you belittling the Tang Clan’s herbalism? It might even surpass that of the Azure Forest.”

“Ha! Have you even read ‘Kinship of the Three’? Knowing herbs and the method of pill refinement are completely different!”

“Hyacinth orchid just suppresses the yang energy of the internal elixir. Then, its effect will be less than half.”

As Tang Eun-seol frowned and said this, Dam Hyun seemed triumphant, as if he had caught her in an error.

“Clearly, your lack of knowledge is showing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Yi-gang has meridian blockage disease. Even if he needs Yang energy, there’s a limit. If you don’t neutralize the Yang energy, his weak meridians will burn up!”

Yi-gang, who had the deficient meridians, scowled.

It was a valid point, but now Tang Eun-seol wore a smug expression.

“Oh my, such shallow thinking.”

“What, what did you say?”

“Ever heard the saying, ‘The difference between medicine and poison is a matter of dosage’? The Tang Clan has mastered not just poison techniques but also medicine to a heavenly level.”

“Cut the nonsense and speak to the point!”

“Using neutral flowers like Heavenly Mountain Peach Blossoms or Silver Serenity Grass minimizes the loss of the internal elixir’s medicinal properties.”

Dam Hyun burst into anger.

“Do you think I don’t know that? Those are incredibly rare herbs! I would have obtained them if I could.”

“I thought so. You didn’t know that the Tang Clan’s herbal network could easily acquire them. I can, you know.”

Tang Eun-seol, fiddled with her butterfly-shaped earrings.

Dam Hyun’s face had now turned from red to almost livid.

「He’s met his match.」

‘No ordinary person, indeed.’

Of course, Yi-gang had planned to ask Dam Hyun to refine the internal elixir, but he didn’t expect Tang Eun-seol to intervene like this.

It was interesting to watch as both made valid points.

“If you entrust it to me, I’ll procure those herbs and mix them for you. The Yang energy might rise a bit sharply, but it won’t be hard to discharge.”

“I… I’ll use my personal funds if I must to create the best elixir. Don’t believe that weird woman!”

Ultimately, the owner of the internal elixir was Yi-gang.

They both urged Yi-gang to make a decision.

Yi-gang didn’t immediately respond and walked slowly towards the desk.

With their eyes on him, he examined the internal elixir.

It was a large pill, about the diameter of a circle made by the thumb and index finger.

There’s a misconception that elixirs or internal elixirs should be consumed all at once, but that’s not always the case.

“It’s quite large, so it should be fine to cut it in half.”

Yi-gang took out a small knife and swiftly cut the internal elixir in half.

Clack, the Golden Flower Carp internal elixir was halved.

Facing Dam Hyun and Tang Eun-seol’s stunned looks, Yi-gang declared, “I don’t know who is right, or who is more knowledgeable in medicine and pill refinement.”

“Obviously, it’s me.”

“I am better.”

He stopped their impending chatter.

“So, please both make one each. I’ll try them and decide.”

“You’re going to trust this precious internal elixir to that woman?”

At Dam Hyun’s remark, Tang Eun-seol bristled.

“Well, you’d say that, thinking you’ll lose.”

“What did you say? You…”

“If you’re not confident, just say so.”

“Fine, let’s do it! I’ll make the best elixir.”

“Wait and see. I’ll get Heavenly Mountain Peach Blossoms and Silver Serenity Grass right away.”

“Go! Don’t come back if you can’t find them.”

Tang Eun-seol slammed the door as she left.

“Just wait, Yi-gang. I’ll make an elixir that can’t even compare to that woman’s.”

“I trust you, Senior Brother. Can you make it before we leave the day after tomorrow?”

“If I start today, it will be enough. Though maturation will take a few weeks.”

Yi-gang left with a gentle smile.

“Then, I’ll be going.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Dam Hyun immediately began planning to make the elixir.

About an hour later, he lifted his head.

“Wait a moment…”

He decided to change his plan and gather the best ingredients to make the elixir.

The problem was that getting these ingredients would cost money.

But there was no worry since Yi-gang had given him silver.

“Was I tricked…?”

He remembered Yi-gang’s smiling face.

By now, Tang Eun-seol, who had left to get Heavenly Mountain Peach Blossoms, might have realized something similar.

But Dam Hyun clenched his teeth.

“Still, I can’t lose.”

After all, he had no intention of losing to that arrogant woman from the Tang Clan.

Dam Hyun and Tang Eun-seol devoted their energy and passion to making the internal elixir until the day they left for the Five Elements Tomb.

And then—

The Murim Alliance’s elite, the White Clad Twenty-Eight Masters, the Righteous Heaven Guards, and a hundred ordinary soldiers, along with thirty successors, left through the gates of Kaifeng City.

Only the Vice Leader of the Murim Alliance, Namgung Yu-baek, knew the exact destination.

The expedition team headed south, towards the Great Separation Mountain.

It was a three-day journey on horseback.

It wasn’t hard to find deserted places in the vast expanses of the Henan Province.

The foot of the Great Separation Mountain, forming part of the mountain range, was even more so. There were no sects residing there, not even the Green Forest bandits.

Squeak-squeak—

A unique sound of mountain birds echoed.

Yi-gang, riding a horse, looked up.

The air in the dense forest was humid, and maybe because of that, the horses seemed to be panting unusually.

Soon, it would be a path that horses couldn’t traverse. From then on, they would walk.

“What a nice forest.”

Tang Eun-seol approached closely on her horse.

Yi-gang just nodded his head, and she spoke again, “Have you consumed it?”

“Not yet.”

“Consume it quickly.”

“I’ll consume it on my own.”

Yi-gang had two internal elixirs in his possession.

One of the internal elixirs was made by Dam Hyun, and the other by Tang Eun-seol.

“Um, yes.”

“There will be a chance. The one my senior brother made needs maturation.”

“In that sense, my elixir is better.”

“Yes.”

Yi-gang said so, knowing Dam Hyun couldn’t hear.

Tang Eun-seol smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly.

She then looked ahead again and said, “If the entrance is this deep in the mountains, it’s likely it remained undiscovered until now.”

“That’s true.”

“How could the Five Elements Tomb, hidden for hundreds of years, be suddenly discovered?”

Yi-gang empathized with Tang Eun-seol’s curiosity.

Even if the map were found, locating the entrance wouldn’t have been easy.

Ahead, Namgung Yu-baek seemed to have stopped the advance.

Hundreds of people halted in unison.

“What’s going on?”

“They might be trying to find the way.”

Yi-gang’s guess was not wrong.

Namgung Yu-baek stood still as if waiting for something.

Then, from somewhere in the tranquil forest, a strange sound resonated.

Grrrrrrrrr—

It was a vibrating sound, like a dragon’s roar.

The mountain birds fluttered up into the sky.

The martial artists trembled at the noise that seemed to come from deep within the earth.

“Head northwest!”

Then, Namgung Yu-baek picked a direction and started off.

It was towards the direction from where the sound came.

“It seems that sound is guiding us.”

At Yi-gang’s words, Tang Eun-seol’s expression hardened.