What Is The Prize? (2)

She asked for two prizes.

The apothecary snorted and laughed—he had never seen a participant like this.

He figured it wouldn’t matter even if she asked for ten.

There was a condition to receive the prize.

“Alright! If you groan or take even a single step back, I’ll give you two.”

“Really. Don’t make any other sounds later.”

The apothecary lowered his voice and whispered into Yu Seol’s ear. “But you must hit with your best. Understood?”

Only then could he sell the medicine to the crowd.

If it looked like a clumsy act, it would be useless.

“Okay.”

The apothecary nodded, raised both hands, and stepped onto the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen! From now on I’ll properly show you the power of this Hobi pill! Just one and your strength surges—witness the tiger’s vigor!”

After finishing, he confidently stripped off his shirt.

Revealing his solid, muscular physique, the crowd cheered.

“Awesome!”

“Hobi pill is the best! Give me a bottle too!”

Riding the excitement, he tapped his stomach and approached Yu Seol.

“Now, I’ll take five hits from this terrifying club!”

The ridged pattern on his abs—shaped like the character for ‘fat ribs’—twitched from side to side.

Judging by the calluses on his skin, it was clear he practiced external martial arts.

He probably wouldn’t feel pain from most people’s blows.

But he had no way of knowing that the girl before him was one of the Ten Great Masters of the murim world—indeed, a Yin Monster eyeing the position of martial-world supreme.

“Ready?”

“Yes! If you want the prize in that box, hit with all your might.”

Yu Seol lazily grabbed the club and drew it back behind her shoulder.

Then, without hesitation, she swung at his abdomen.

It looked like a mere tap, but a thunderous, drumlike crack echoed to the audience.

At once, something unbelievable unfolded.

The apothecary’s feet lifted off the ground.

His body curled like a shrimp as he was hurled off the stage, flying as if endlessly.

Spectators gaped, unable to close their mouths.

At this rate, the apothecary seemed destined to flop and tumble in a pitiful mess.

But where he was headed stood Yu Jinsan.

‘That kid… she deliberately sent him to Grandpa.’

Yu Jinsan’s hand rose and gently caught his back.

Thanks to that, the apothecary landed without serious injury.

But his legs gave out and he soon collapsed to the ground.

He looked so shocked his mouth gaped like a goldfish; he couldn’t even cry out.

“You… you…”

He seemed about to ask who Yu Seol really was.

He, too, versed in martial arts, sensed that the girl on stage was a high master—far beyond his abilities.

Yu Jinsan leaned in and whispered into his ear.

“You may have heard—in Shaanxi she’s called a Yin Monster.”

The fame of the Yin Yang Twin Monster had spread even to Sichuan; the Tang Family’s disciples knew of them.

The apothecary blinked more than ten times.

Only now did he realize he’d just come back from hell.

While he stood dazed, Yu Jinsan whispered once more.

“Hurry up and get back on stage. You must deliver the prize.”

As if bewitched, the apothecary shambled back onto the stage.

Meanwhile, the clueless audience stood baffled.

“Oh my goodness!”

“Did he really get knocked flying by the club?”

Their words didn’t reach the apothecary.

Once on stage he approached Yu Seol and bowed, hands clasped respectfully.

Then, voice trembling, he babbled incoherently.

“Sa—save me… I’ve committed a mortal sin…”

He seemed unaware of what he was saying.

Watching from a distance, Yu Jinsan sighed.

‘How on earth did rumors about us spread here?’

He couldn’t understand why martial artists in Sichuan feared them.

A moment later the dazed apothecary exchanged a few words with the granddaughter and handed over the prize.

Yu Seol, having received the prize, smiled from ear to ear.

“T-take good care of them.”

The granddaughter hopped down from the stage, unmistakably delighted.

“Grandpa, I got us a prize!”

Yu Seol held two masks with beards attached.

“Good, well done. Let me see.”

The granddaughter handed him a mask, and he asked, “Hmm. What mask is this?”

Yu Jinsan examined the mask, then moved off with his granddaughter.

As Chengdu preserves the history of Ba and Chu, recognizing the masks wasn’t difficult.

From their appearance they were unmistakably generals of Shu.

“Let’s see. This mask’s fine beard is Lord Guan of Mi Yian Gong, Guan Yu. And that fierce face with the rugged beard must be Zhang Fei. Pick one.”

Yu Seol chose Guan Yu’s mask reflexively, without hesitation.

“I’ll take this one!”

“Hmm. Yes, good choice. It’s proper respect for the general said to stand behind you.”

Yu Seol was already trying the mask on, clearly pleased.

The mask was a bit large for her face, but not unwearable.

“How do I look? Scary?”

“Just looking at you sends a chill up my spine—you could be called the Great General of the World.”

In high spirits, Yu Seol grabbed her grandfather’s arm and set off.

“Heehee. Grandpa, let’s go that way.”

They walked into a market alley lined with food stalls.

Having come this far, they couldn’t pass up Sichuan’s street snacks.

“This area is famous for tofu. Want to try the fermented tofu they sell over there?”

If she set her mind to it, the granddaughter would try foods costing a hundred sheets of cash.

Yu Seol sniffed at the tofu stall.

Then she hunched her shoulders and shivered.

“Ugh! The smell is awful.”

Because it’s fermented tofu, a strong smell is normal.

Yu Jinsan laughed long as if he’d expected it, then spoke.

“Then how about that? The steamed sesame cake—Grandpa ate it when he was young; it’s quite tasty.”

“Yeah, that’s good. Hurry, let’s go try it.”

Steamed sesame cake is a steamed snack with sesame and syrup—an uncommon treat in Shaanxi.

As the pair approached, the young shop owner began to tout his wares.

“Come, have a taste. This is the best place in Sichuan.”

“Is this really the tastiest here?”

“Of course, little miss. Others use cheap sesame, but we roast whole seeds right here—it’s crunchy and delicious when you bite it.”

Yu Seol swallowed audibly.

Unable to wait, she rummaged in her pouch and said, “Two, please.”

After paying, Yu Seol and her grandfather each took one.

They popped them into their mouths; the crunch was loud as they chewed.

“How is it? Tasty, right?”

The savory snack, tasted for the first time, left Yu Seol dazed.

“F-five more, please!”

Yu Jinsan looked at his granddaughter in surprise.

They had only eaten recently.

The more he watched, the more astonished he was at her growing appetite.

‘Right—having money is what lets you buy so much.’

He now began to understand why his granddaughter didn’t want to be penniless.

For now they were spending the spoils they’d taken from the little prince, but that had its limits.

They needed to secure funds from the Ami Sect.

‘This time we’ll properly give the Murim Alliance leader a hard time.’

The Emei Sect was the sect of the Murim Alliance leader, who could be called the Yu Family’s mortal foe.

Moreover, it was an obnoxious sect since it was involved in training the Blue Dragon Troops.

Perhaps for that reason, they didn’t want to give it any slack like they might with the Southern Edge Sect or the Tang family.

While lost in thought, Yu Seol had somehow devoured five cakes.

“Already finished them?”

“Yes. Let’s go that way now. It smells delicious.”

“…You want to eat more?”

“Huh? ‘More’? What do you mean? This is just the beginning.”

Led by his granddaughter, Yu Jinsan ended up touring the whole Chengdu market.

They sampled many snacks, bought new clothes, and watched a play—enjoying a rare leisurely time.

As Yu Jinsan grew gradually weary in body and mind,

The sun finally began to sink and twilight set in.

The grandfather and granddaughter covered the distance from Chengdu to the entrance of Mount Emei in less than half a day.

They wore masks on their faces and each carried a sack slung over their backs.

Having reached their target halfway up the mountain, they paused to catch their breath.

“We’ve been here once, but doesn’t it feel new seeing it again?”

This was the only gateway to Mount Emei.

It was where the nuns had set up an ambush.

There was no turning back; they had to break through.

“There are eight hiding in the trees.”

“Alright. Grandpa will take the three on the left; you handle the other five.”

“Got it. But they won’t recognize us, right?”

The pair looked at each other’s faces behind their bearded masks.

“Can you see Grandpa’s face? Can they recognize us just by the masks?”

“No, they can’t.”

“See? How would they know we’re the Yin Yang Twin Monster?”

After the deed, they’d certainly become the primary suspects.

But even if that happened, it wouldn’t matter.

Because that was precisely Yu Jinsan’s intention.

“Now, let’s go!”

Their movements were unhesitating.

What was there to fear?

From here they planned to push in indiscriminately and seize the treasure.

Not long after, the bhikkhunis revealed themselves in the trees.

Exactly eight, as Yu Seol had said.

They seemed far superior in martial skill compared to the guards at the Southern Edge Sect gate.

“Halt!”

“Kneel immediately and reveal your identity!”

The bhikkhunis leveled their swords at the masked Yin Yang Twin Monster.

One could feel the killing intent; they were ready to use force if the duo didn’t cooperate.

But it didn’t threaten them in the slightest.

Yu Seol raised the Dragon Flower Spear and cried out in a solemn voice.

“I am Guan Yu!”

The bhikkhunis were left speechless, their bewilderment deeper than mere astonishment.

At that moment Yu Seol signaled her grandfather with a glance.

Yu Jinsan knew exactly what that meant.

He didn’t much like it, but since his granddaughter asked, he had to play along.

“…I-I’m Zhang Fei of the Zhangpan Sect!”

A brief, absolute silence followed.

Then the most hot-tempered bhikkhuni broke the silence, frowning and muttering.

“…What are these crazy kids?”

“I told you. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei!”

What more needed to be said?

The grandfather and granddaughter’s new forms shot forth like lightning toward the stunned nuns.

A single spear wrapped in cloth hung diagonally across their backs, but they didn’t need to use any weapons.

Clenching his fists, Yu Jinsan moved in a curve to the left, and Yu Seol curved to the right.