"Where are we?"
"Who knows? But at least we're still alive."
The place they had broken into after smashing through the wall turned out to be a brand-new cave.
The end of their life-or-death challenge had led them to yet another unfamiliar cave. They were already sick of caves, but that's how life works—it doesn't always go according to plan.
Bi Ryu-yeon looked around the new cave.
"One thing is certain: this isn't Hwanmadong."
Even though it was still a cave, this place had small differences from Hwanmadong. The cave walls here were smoother and damper than in Hwanmadong. Plus, Hwanmadong had a strong artificial smell, while here the scent was completely natural. Because of that, Bi Ryu-yeon was willing to bet all his wealth that if anyone wanted to wager, this was definitely not the Hwanmadong where they had been buried earlier.
"Then where exactly are we?"
If this place was truly different from the previous one, it could be worrying. In Hwanmadong they could still hope for rescue, but if they had fallen into some strange unknown location even they didn't recognize, it would be hard to expect any rescuers. You could say they were now two or three steps farther away from any chance of being saved. The moment that thought appeared, a sudden chill ran through his body. Anxiety began to grow in his heart again.
"Hee hee hee! Hahaha!"
Had he finally gone crazy from the extreme situation?
From Na Yerin's point of view it wasn't exactly reassuring, but Bi Ryu-yeon was laughing freely in this hopeless moment. The sudden laughter startled Na Yerin and made her shiver for a second. After all, she was still a woman.
"What's so funny?"
With great effort she held back the anxiety that was boiling up and tried to regain control of herself.
"We might have just stumbled upon an incredible treasure."
Bi Ryu-yeon said with a wide grin.
"A treasure?"
From her point of view, she didn't understand Bi Ryu-yeon's words at all. She glanced at him again, as if checking whether his brain was still working. From the outside he still looked sane. Though she wondered how long that would last.
"What kind of luck could there be in this dark, cold cave?"
"Aish! Don't think so negatively right away. Haven't you read books like 'Strange Tales of the Martial World'? They're full of stories like this. Legends about legendary martial artists who hid gold, silver, and treasures inside deep caves, along with incredible destinies! Today we might get to see with our own eyes a fate that's only been rumor until now—and chances like this are rarer than stars in the sky. Isn't that amazing? Something that statistically almost never happens, maybe only once in a thousand years?"
Of course Na Yerin wasn't impressed at all. No, she was surprised, but not in admiration—more in shock. Her surprise wasn't because a treasure legend had come true, but because of Bi Ryu-yeon's absurd and downright strange way of thinking.
'He's still as unpredictable as ever!'
That was Na Yerin's assessment of Bi Ryu-yeon. Meanwhile Bi Ryu-yeon was still lost in his own world.
"Maybe there's a note that says, 'Congratulations! You have passed the test I created! I acknowledge your abilities and leave my will and inheritance here. Use it wisely for the martial world!'"
Bi Ryu-yeon said while making exaggerated gestures like a Peking opera actor. He was completely immersed in his own fantasy.
"It must be the inheritance left behind by a legendary martial artist from a thousand years ago, right?"
Even though the content of his words was like that, his voice held no warmth at all. His tone was full of sarcasm, but Bi Ryu-yeon didn't seem to notice.
"Of course."
"And there's definitely a legendary martial arts manual and elixirs that can make someone unbeatable, complete with all the types?"
Na Yerin's tone stayed flat.
"Of course! And most importantly, money, money, mooooney… We can't forget the huge amounts of gold and silver that the great senior left for his juniors. He must have prepared everything in case the junior he met was starving, so there's definitely gold and silver. And that beautiful golden glow must still look the same after a thousand years, ah!"
Bi Ryu-yeon's hazy eyes, filled with the golden light that hadn't faded for a thousand years spreading across his retinas, had already drifted into a world of dreams, illusions, fantasies, and speculation. He was now forcing a single reality too hard. But the world didn't obey that easily. Life had dozens, hundreds, thousands of factors that could change.
It wasn't because Bi Ryu-yeon liked it or truly hoped for it that his wishes and hopes would come true and appear before him. Because there was a wall called 'reality' in this world that could be called cruel.
His words were so sincere and full of passion that Na Yerin didn't argue at all. For some reason, she suddenly felt that arguing would be a waste of time.
"Gold, jade, rubies, agate, cat's-eye stones, pearls, crystals, diamonds, amethysts, money, money, money…"
Bi Ryu-yeon hummed about his imaginary treasures as if singing and walked lightly forward. Na Yerin had no choice but to follow his light steps. Even though they had only eaten a few Wall-Breaking Pills for ten days, Bi Ryu-yeon was full of energy. She wondered where his strength came from but decided not to ask. She felt it was wiser that way. Good choice.
"But where exactly is this place?"
Na Yerin asked while walking with the light from her sword.
"I can guarantee this isn't the Hwanmadong where we were buried before. The humidity and temperature difference are way too big compared to the previous place."
Just as he said, the humidity here was high, everything felt wet, and the cold pierced evenly throughout the cave.
"This cave doesn't seem man-made; it feels completely natural."
Bi Ryu-yeon said while looking around carefully. Na Yerin touched one side of the cave wall and her face showed confusion. When her jade-like fingers swept across the wall, a clear liquid stuck to her fingertips. It was sticky and slippery mucus.
Slurp!
When she rubbed the mucus between two fingers, it felt extremely slick.
"What is this?"
Curiosity appeared in her eyes.
"There's too little information right now to answer that."
"I see!"
His answer was simple, but her instincts and sharp senses sent a strong warning signal. Her sharp senses whispered to her.
'Don't just ignore it!'
"How about we walk a little farther?"
She couldn't stop walking now because of her anxiety. The dark cave ahead was long and deep. Fortunately the path behind them was completely blocked, so the only way was forward. There was no other choice. Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin observed their surroundings and continued walking.
Even in the darkness, the cave kept connecting endlessly. And it opened in a very irregular and chaotic way. But the path in the cave was unusual. Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin felt like they were walking in an endless spiral. But all they could do now was walk silently in this dark spiral. Sitting still wouldn't solve anything.
"There's no wind."
The lack of wind most likely meant the exit was blocked. If so, they had no choice but to rely on instinct to move forward.
Leaving their fate to heaven…
* * *
Buried for 13 days!
Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin walked through the depths of the cave, using the light from the Hansang Okryeong sword as a torch.
The journey was uncomfortable.
The two of them had already walked for quite a long time. The slope of the cave was quite unpredictable. The farther they went, the more unpredictable the path became. Sometimes it dropped sharply, sometimes it suddenly climbed steeply. The path twisted like a snake's trail. The same in every direction—up, down, left, right. Up and down repeatedly without end. On top of that, it was like a complicated labyrinth.
"It's so randomly back-and-forth that it would be troublesome even if someone made it on purpose. If this formed because of nature's harmony, then nature could never be called a skilled miner."
Bi Ryu-yeon grumbled.
"Exactly."
Na Yerin could only agree. The cave's paths were so irregular, uncomfortable to walk, and had no rules at all.
But they kept walking. They had to reach somewhere. The open middle of the cave meant nothing to them.
"Let's rest here today and look for a way again tomorrow."
Bi Ryu-yeon said. Somehow he had taken the lead on this journey. Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin sat down. Then he put away the sword that had become the most expensive lamp in the world. He wanted to be surrounded by darkness for a moment.
Then something surprising happened. Na Yerin's eyes widened. Stars began to appear one by one in the dark underground space. At first she thought it was an optical illusion. But it wasn't a mistake. Bright blue-glowing stars appeared on the cave walls, the ceiling, and even scattered across the floor. Like the night sky decorated with the Milky Way. A beautiful sight that brought a strange sense of emotion.
The sight that seemed to hold the stars of the night sky was extraordinarily beautiful. The stars that appeared underground instead of in the sky twinkled with soft, ethereal beauty. Maybe the cave stones contained minerals that glowed in the dark, but that fact meant nothing to them. The fact that they could witness this beauty was enough.
"This is its true form, only visible when the light disappears."
Na Yerin, sitting beside Bi Ryu-yeon, murmured while gazing at the stars.
Beautiful!
If one word could summarize Na Yerin's appearance as she looked at the stars, it was this word. Bi Ryu-yeon thought so. The constellation of stars shining in the underground darkness was beautiful, but in Bi Ryu-yeon's eyes, Na Yerin standing among them was far more beautiful.
It felt as if all the light, brightness, rays, and soft sparkle of the night sky's stars had been absorbed into her body. She was more beautiful than all the starlight gathered from that mysterious underground night sky. Her beauty was equally noble, whether under the stars of the sky or under the stars of the underground.
Suddenly Bi Ryu-yeon felt very happy. Joy surged inside him, beyond his control. Bi Ryu-yeon picked up the black geum he had placed beside him and set it on his lap.
"Now! In honor of the beautiful night sky inside the belly of the earth and the beauty of Lady Na Yerin, I will play a song."
Bi Ryu-yeon bowed to his only audience.
"I don't believe it."
Na Yerin said, sounding surprised. She couldn't believe Bi Ryu-yeon was going to play the geum. As far as she knew, Bi Ryu-yeon only used the geum to hit people. But she had to admit that was a prejudiced judgment toward Bi Ryu-yeon.
Ding, ding, ding!
Bi Ryu-yeon's fingers began to dance across the black geum.
A beautiful melody started flowing like the Milky Way in the underground night sky. The melody had a special power that could melt the heart of even the coldest woman. This was the first time Bi Ryu-yeon had played the geum sincerely for someone. His ten fingers danced across the black geum as if possessed.
Na Yerin closed her eyes and quietly enjoyed the melody that wrapped around her. The sweet melody calmed her heart and loosened the tension in her shoulders. Finally able to soothe her strained nerves, Na Yerin unconsciously rested her head on Bi Ryu-yeon's shoulder and fell asleep. Feeling the heavy but gentle pressure on his shoulder, Bi Ryu-yeon turned his head toward her. Bi Ryu-yeon smiled softly. But his hands stayed focused on playing the geum.
The underground stars shining blue remained beautiful. Bi Ryu-yeon continued playing the geum carefully so as not to wake her. As if hoping she would still hear it even in her dreams.
The gentle melody kept flowing between the rivers of stars.
* * *
Buried for 15 days!
"It's already been half a month since he disappeared!"
Yong Cheon-myung said while carefully observing Feng Ha-ryung's expression. He deliberately used the word "disappeared" instead of "died."
"I see."
Feng Ha-ryung answered shortly.
"Every day that passes, their chances of survival get smaller. I heard that for some people, their deaths are already certain."
"I see?"
Feng Ha-ryung answered in an indifferent tone. Yong Cheon-myung's face wrinkled slightly at Feng Ha-ryung's continuing short replies.
"Do you feel like I've become colder toward you since the Hwanmadong incident? Or is it just my imagination?"
At Yong Cheon-myung's question, Feng Ha-ryung flinched for a second. But he quickly returned to his usual short manner.
"It's just your imagination! There's nothing like that."
Even though he said that, Yong Cheon-myung felt it on his skin.
'What exactly is making him unhappy?'
He had no reason to endure this baseless coldness.
'Why does this guy keep butting in?'
Feng Ha-ryung couldn't tell Yong Cheon-myung the truth. That day in Hwanmadong, he had also seen a shadow in his heart.
At first it was a giant lump of flesh. It protruded from his entire body. The sight was so horrifying that he couldn't hold back a scream. Even now just thinking about it made him shiver.
Feng Ha-ryung glanced at Yong Cheon-myung's face.
'By the way, why did this guy's face appear right after that…'
Feng Ha-ryung disliked that fact more and more. After the rampage of the flesh lump, the next thing he saw was an illusion of Yong Cheon-myung. Ever since experiencing that illusion, Feng Ha-ryung could no longer treat Yong Cheon-myung the same way. And there was one more thing, but it was too horrifying to remember.
He had never treated Yong Cheon-myung well before, but since that day even making eye contact felt awkward. As the silence continued, Yong Cheon-myung, feeling awkward, changed the subject.
"How do you feel now that he's gone?"
"It feels refreshing, like pulling out a rotten tooth. Now I can finally sleep soundly."
Feng Ha-ryung answered coldly.
"Your face, which should look relieved, is instead full of displeasure. What exactly is bothering you?"
It wouldn't be this bothersome if he knew the reason. He seemed dissatisfied with everything in the world lately.
"It's nothing. Please stop caring."
Feng Ha-ryung shouted.
"It doesn't look like nothing…"
Yong Cheon-myung's suspicious gaze didn't waver.
* * *
Buried for 21 days!
It felt like almost three weeks had passed. But since they didn't know whether the sun had risen or set in this place, they could only guess the time based on how their bodies felt. But even that had its limits, and they weren't sure how much time had really passed since they were trapped in the cave. It was only a rough guess…
Even though they had entered with almost no preparation, empty-handed except for a handful of Wall-Breaking Pills, they were still holding on well. Even in an extreme situation where ordinary people would have starved or frozen to death long ago, Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin were still maintaining their strength and enduring well. Martial artists had extremely strong vitality and great survival ability, and their bodies were very suited to harsh and difficult situations.
They could last a whole day with just a sip of water. With Wall-Breaking Pills, it was even better. That was why they were still maintaining their vitality after three weeks. But even that was nearing its limit.
"This is the last Wall-Breaking Pill left."
Bi Ryu-yeon said while splitting one of the last two pills. Na Yerin's hand trembled slightly as she received it.
"Can we really get out of here alive?"
It was an unusually weak attitude from Na Yerin.
"Of course. Don't worry. They say even ghosts who die after eating well have good faces. I want to become a ghost with a good face. I don't want to become a dull-faced ghost who starved to death here."
Bi Ryu-yeon encouraged Na Yerin. After that, Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin continued exploring the cave. All they could do was keep walking in one direction. This cave was far longer than they had thought. And the bigger problem was that the paths connected like a labyrinth. They wondered if they were trapped in a formation. But Na Yerin was sure it wasn't a formation.
"I'm not sure this is a man-made formation. There's no regularity in the placement or structure, which would definitely exist if it were artificial."
She also understood formations. Her words could be trusted.
"But one thing is certain—the structure is extremely vicious and hostile."
At that moment.
'Huh?'
Bi Ryu-yeon's nostrils flared. A fishy smell wafted from somewhere. This was a completely different sensation from anything they had experienced before.
"What's that smell?"
Na Yerin shook her head.
"It doesn't smell like someone is preparing sashimi…"
Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin decided to follow the source of the smell. Bi Ryu-yeon's heartbeat quickened. This bad feeling had a very high accuracy rate. A tingling sensation crept down his spine.
The fishy smell grew stronger the farther they walked. Now Bi Ryu-yeon was certain. There was something ahead in this darkness! Maybe something very dangerous. But Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin had no choice.
All that remained for them was to keep moving forward.
"It feels colder and colder, doesn't it, Ryu-yeon?"
Just as Na Yerin said, the air was indeed getting colder and damper. Bi Ryu-yeon spoke while staying alert.
"Any change in the environment is good for us, whatever it is. We have to get out of here somehow."
That made sense. Bi Ryu-yeon's words hit the mark for their current situation. After walking a little farther, they saw something like red light. Both of them approached the light carefully. And finally they saw its true form. Like two glowing rubies embedded in the darkness.
Those two rubies were the eyes of something.
Jet-black scales like thick black ink, and a body thicker than a tree trunk!
From their position, Bi Ryu-yeon and Na Yerin couldn't see its full length. But from the size of its head, it was easy to understand that it was extremely long.
Huk!
It was the black-scaled Imugi Mukryeon-hyeolmang that only appeared in legends.
Bi Ryu-yeon stared straight at the Mukryeon-hyeolmang without the slightest fear. Avoiding an opponent's gaze was the same as admitting you were weaker. Whether it was a beast or a human. Especially because it was a beast, it would be even more sensitive to that. Bi Ryu-yeon knew the law of survival well—the strong prey on the weak. The moment they lost the staring contest, they would become food for the Imugi.
In terms of staring contests, Bi Ryu-yeon had never lost to anyone. Bi Ryu-yeon spoke with a cold smile.
"You look delicious. How dare a spirit creature make its nest here, at the entrance to the underworld. Aren't you afraid? Or are you just stupid?"
The martial world gathered at Cheonmu Academy would definitely chase any spirit creature. No matter how powerful the Mukryeon-hyeolmang was, as a creature that failed to become a dragon, there were many experts at Cheonmu Academy who could dissect it with a few slashes. Even ordinary blood vessels would be easy to steam. If this blood vessel were discovered by them, it would immediately turn into a health supplement to nourish the body or increase internal energy.
Bi Ryu-yeon was happy that there were no other cultivators around this blood vessel. The martial world was indeed a cruel place. Especially when finding delicious food like this, the fewer mouths competing, the more advantageous.
For the blood vessel, this was probably the first time in nearly a thousand years of its life that it was treated as a valuable ingredient, a spiritual medicine.
Ssshiii! Sshiissshik!
The blood vessel blinked its blood-red eyes threateningly, intimidating the two of them. It was a giant creature that could crush an old tree in a single embrace.
It seemed this cave was the Imugi's home.
"Aish, looks like the host isn't welcoming the guests."
Even in this unexpected situation, Bi Ryu-yeon spoke without wavering. He still looked composed.
"Uninvited guests are usually treated badly."
Na Yerin carefully placed her hand on her sword, ready to draw it if needed. A drop of saliva fell from the threatening blood vessel's mouth onto the ground.
Chiiik!
Then the stone melted with a hissing sound and gave off smoke.
"You rude snake, spitting saliva everywhere."
Bi Ryu-yeon treated the blood vessel that was almost an Imugi as if it were just an ordinary snake head.
"It looks like the cave widened because of that saliva. The cave walls must be slippery because of it."
Na Yerin said.
"Huhu! Then he's quite a talented miner, huh?"
Indeed, if considered a miner, this blood vessel was very gifted.
"Hey, Mr. Snake! How about you reincarnate as a mole instead?"
Bi Ryu-yeon openly teased the blood vessel. He wasn't afraid at all.
Shieeek!
The blood vessel's momentum grew stronger. Even though it didn't understand the words, it seemed to understand the mocking tone.
"One thing is certain."
Bi Ryu-yeon said, his gaze still locked with the Imugi's eyes.
"What is it?"
"It looks a bit stupid, doesn't it?"
Bi Ryu-yeon whispered softly into Na Yerin's ear. But surprisingly, the blood vessel seemed to have good hearing. Besides, as a spirit creature, it seemed to understand human language. Bi Ryu-yeon's reckless action was like scratching the reverse scales of a sleeping Imugi with a wire brush. It might not have become a dragon yet, but it still had reverse scales.
Shieeek!
The blood vessel, with a body thickness that couldn't be hugged by one arm, let out a strange sound and shook its head threateningly. It was an action to intimidate its opponent.
"You're offended at being called stupid?"
The blood vessel's threatening behavior might be effective on other humans, but it wasn't very useful against this insensitive person named Bi Ryu-yeon.
"You should be careful with your words. Otherwise, it could become a knife aimed at your own throat."
Na Yerin advised kindly. But a moment later it was clear that Bi Ryu-yeon wasn't listening to that advice.
"A mere snake that can't even become an Imugi, let alone a dragon!"
Bi Ryu-yeon shouted.
Kwaaaah!
Shieeeeek!
Clearly the blood vessel was extremely angry because of Bi Ryu-yeon's sarcastic tone.
Bi Ryu-yeon had no intention of testing compatibility with a strange creature he had never seen before—one that looked quite ferocious and seemed to have an appetite that could swallow one or two humans in a single bite. He was very negative about the need to calm and coax the Mukryeon-hyeolmang at the risk of his own body becoming lunch. After all, if he got eaten, he would be the one who lost the most. Besides, he had always been the hunter, not the hunted. He had never been an animal tamer, and he had no desire to become friends with a strange creature like that.
On top of that, the opponent was showing open hostility. No fool would consider bared fangs that looked ready to swallow them as a friendly signal. So the answer he had to give was very simple and clear. No need to hesitate. There wasn't even time to hesitate. Hesitating in front of an enemy was as stupid as throwing your life into danger.
Shieeek!
The enraged Mukryeon-hyeolmang leaped forward like an arrow shot from a bow.
A lightning flash shot from Bi Ryu-yeon's hand like a ray of light.
Shik!
There was no hesitation in his action. But the result was unsatisfying.
Ting!
The white-silver flash of light that seemed ready to pierce the Mukryeon-hyeolmang's forehead didn't harm it at all and bounced off the cave ceiling with a clear ring. A star appeared for a moment then vanished.
"Hah? Hah?"
Bi Ryu-yeon, who had never expected to fail, was shocked by this unexpected event.
"Even though I only put in the power of three stars, I couldn't take down an ordinary snake like that… This food is pretty tough!"
Bi Ryu-yeon's pride was hurt because the blood vessel didn't die in one strike.
"Now I remember, I once read about this. A book called 'Compilation of Strange Spirit Creatures in the Martial World.' According to the book, the scales of the Mukryeon-hyeolmang are hard and strong like steel, and their strength and elasticity increase with age."
Na Yerin shouted urgently.
"That's very pleasant information."
Bi Ryu-yeon smiled, but it wasn't a relaxed smile.
Shweeek! Shieeek!
The blood vessel's ruby-like red eyes blazed with an even more intense fiery red light than before.
"It looks angry, huh?"
Na Yerin nodded at Bi Ryu-yeon's question.
"Who wouldn't be angry after being stabbed!"
Huiyiik!
Bi Ryu-yeon whistled softly. He seemed a little impressed by his opponent.
"I praise you. You're the first one to withstand a direct hit from my Biloedo. Of course, since I can't tell the gender, I'll just call it 'he.'"
He smiled again, but he had no intention of failing on the second attack. Being embarrassed by a missed shot was enough once.
But the blood vessel, even after being hit once, didn't seem willing to give a second chance. Its ruby-like red eyes sparkled as it flicked its blood-red tongue toward the unexpected snack. The snack's resistance was stronger than expected.
It seemed he needed to show more of his dignity.
Shweeeek!
With a thin, sharp sound, the blood vessel opened its mouth as wide as possible and shot up from the ground. It seemed intent on swallowing Bi Ryu-yeon whole. Faster than an arrow shot from a bow! Like a flying tiger attacking.
Its speed was respectable and praiseworthy, but unfortunately Bi Ryu-yeon had plenty of experience catching many flying tigers—or more precisely, flying Imugi. That was the blood vessel's misfortune. Bi Ryu-yeon quickly spun his body, foiling the blood vessel's eating plan. And he kindly didn't forget to retaliate.
Lightning flashed again from his hand. Blue flames caused a powerful energy release, accompanied by a majestic sound, and slammed hard into the blood vessel's smooth, slender body.
Papapapat!
"Kieeeeee!"
A scream that made people want to cover their ears rang out. The blood vessel shrieked in pain and rampaged wildly. Like a dragon's thrashing, but actually a snake's thrashing.
Kwakoangkoang! Tteongtteongtteong!
As big as its body, so was its rampage. Dust flew everywhere, and the entire cave shook. They were even worried the cave might collapse. While protecting Na Yerin and clearing the falling dust, Bi Ryu-yeon's eyes gleamed.
'If this drags on, we'll be buried alive!'
His instinct screamed.
"Ryu-yeon! Be careful."
Na Yerin shouted with a worried face. She had already drawn her sword, ready to help Bi Ryu-yeon if needed. But it seemed she intended to let Bi Ryu-yeon handle it himself for now.
'The shortest, fastest, and simplest! And the easiest!'
Bi Ryu-yeon's eyes shone golden. And his hand moved slowly. His mind became a sharp spear that could pierce steel.
Secret Technique Biloedo
Sword Qi
Life and Death Determiner
Lightning Spear
In the dark abyss, white gem dust sparkled, and a brilliant white lightning shot toward the Mukryeon-hyeolmang's mouth. The blood vessel finally ate the lightning as if it were food. The lightning that shot like a bolt split the flickering forked tongue into four, then eight, making it easier to lick. After that, the Biloedo that entered its throat through the tongue rearranged its throat, stomach, and intestines, turning them into a single digestive organ, as if shortening the blood vessel's digestion time. To put it crudely, there was no digestive organ left between the blood vessel's mouth and anus. After the Biloedo's rampage, the blood vessel that had licked with its sixteen tongues became a truly strange spirit creature that expelled everything it ate. Even a spirit creature not yet a full thousand years old couldn't withstand an attack that powerful.
Kieeeek!
The blood vessel shook its body violently and slammed into the cave wall. But only for a moment… The blood vessel, as if drained of energy, collapsed to the ground. A futile end for a spirit creature that had lived nearly eight hundred years.
'Aish! Was I too harsh? I hope the core inside its body isn't damaged!'
Feeling a little guilty, Bi Ryu-yeon approached the blood vessel lying on the ground. Praying that the core wasn't damaged…
"Tsk! There's no core?"
Disappointment was clear in his voice. He had searched its stomach hoping for something, but even after searching thoroughly, there was no core—not even the size of snot. It seemed like a less-trained specimen than expected.
"You should have trained harder. Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Bi Ryu-yeon sighed with regret.
"If there had been a core, I could have sold it for a high price…"
Bi Ryu-yeon's trademark was thinking of selling the core for a high price, not eating it to increase internal energy like other martial artists.
But Bi Ryu-yeon didn't give up right then. He vaguely remembered hearing that the blood of spirit creatures had quite effective properties. Either way, both of them needed to fill their stomachs. Na Yerin, the top student at Cheonmu Academy, confirmed there was no poison.
"Hmm! It doesn't seem poisonous. I'm not sure there would be any problem eating it as is."
Na Yerin said after dipping her fingertip into the Mukryeon-hyeolmang's blood and tasting it. Fortunately it didn't seem poisonous. Since they had been living only on Wall-Breaking Pills for many days, they had to drink this blood vessel's blood, even if just to survive. If the book was correct, it would be effective. Even though the blood smelled fishy, they decided to drink it for the sake of survival.
The moment the blood vessel's blood entered their stomachs, a sudden hot sensation surged inside their bodies. Then suddenly their entire bodies felt refreshed again. The Mukryeon-hyeolmang's blood was indeed effective. The effects of the Mukryeon-hyeolmang written in the book were not lies.
For the time being, they didn't have to worry about food.
* * *
Buried for 26 days!
"Aish!"
Bi Ryu-yeon's face turned grim as he looked at the blood vessel's corpse and the cave that continued behind it.
"Ryu-yeon? What's wrong?"
Na Yerin asked.
"…"
Bi Ryu-yeon didn't answer her question right away. He sensed there was a problem.
A moment later Bi Ryu-yeon spoke again. He tried to speak lightly, but the content was anything but light.
"It looks like that snake head took its final revenge on us."
"What? What do you mean? It… it can't be?"
"Yes! It seems with its final death throes, it blocked the entrance it used. There's no trace of where it entered or exited no matter where I look. And there's no cave continuing farther behind."
It was truly the worst news. Na Yerin's face turned pale. They thought they had finally found a way out after defeating the Mukryeon-hyeolmang, but it was all in vain.
"Damn it!"
A curse slipped from Bi Ryu-yeon's mouth.
"…Isn't there a good solution?"
"Hmm… We have to think about it now!"
* * *
Buried for 34 days!
More than a week and a day had passed since then. Bi Ryu-yeon had searched everywhere for a way out. But rocks were scattered all over, making it impossible to tell the exit direction. But they couldn't give up like this.
"Uuuuwheeech!"
Bi Ryu-yeon sneezed loudly because his nose was itchy. A long echo rang throughout the entire cave and bounced back. At that moment a thought struck Bi Ryu-yeon that made his hair stand on end. It was admiration for his own intelligence.
'How could I! Why am I so smart?'
No matter how many times he thought about it, he seemed like an undeniable genius of beauty.
The cone in the bag—a great person can't hide their talent.
There was still one more step he could take.
* * *
And then… Buried for 44 days!
For the next ten days, Bi Ryu-yeon continued using the blood vessel's blood as his main food while sending energy into the walls. This was to determine the wall's thickness through energy transmission and reflection. If there was a cavity behind the wall, the sent energy would collide with the far end of the wall and bounce back. This allowed him to determine the entire wall's thickness. Bi Ryu-yeon had used this method when escaping the buried place before. But he had forgotten it because of the shock of being betrayed by the blood vessel, and remembered it again when he sneezed.
Now, this was the only reliable method Bi Ryu-yeon had. But the exit wasn't found as easily as last time. Because of that, Bi Ryu-yeon had to repeatedly tap various parts of the cave for more than ten days.
"Hah?"
Tap, tap!
Bi Ryu-yeon sent his energy through once again. But the repeated action didn't completely resolve his doubts.
"Hmm? Wow, this…"
He clicked his tongue.
"What is it, Ryu-yeon?"
Na Yerin asked carefully, sensing something wrong from Bi Ryu-yeon's wrinkled face. Bi Ryu-yeon shook his head.
"It's not that. It's too thin. There definitely feels like empty space behind it."
"Then why don't we just break through like yesterday?"
Na Yerin asked in a confused tone.
"That would be simple. But the problem is, the other side isn't just an ordinary empty space."
It would have been nice if it were the same as yesterday, but this time it wasn't.
"Then…"
"If we break this, it could explode. It seems there's an underground water flow behind this wall. We need to prepare before breaking it."
Bi Ryu-yeon looked at Na Yerin. Na Yerin understood what Bi Ryu-yeon meant to say. She nodded.
"I already entrusted my life to you once. I'll entrust it again, Ryu-yeon."
Bi Ryu-yeon smiled brightly at her answer.
"Alright! I've taken your life as collateral! I'll definitely return it. I don't want to pay a penalty for losing it. Are you not afraid, Yerin?"
Na Yerin shook her head.
"No! What about you, Ryu-yeon?"
"Huhu… For some reason, death doesn't feel real yet. And somehow, I don't feel like I'll die. My vitality is strong enough."
"I see? That's very reassuring."
There was something in Bi Ryu-yeon's words that gave her confidence. Maybe it was the power that came from his calmness.
"The only thing I can't stand here is not being able to taste delicious food that pleases the tongue. That's why I've already decided to taste the Eight Famous Guangdong Dishes and the Best Beijing Dishes as soon as we get out of here."
Bi Ryu-yeon said while making exaggerated gestures.
"Even if we want to taste the Eight Guangdong Dishes and the Best Beijing Dishes, shouldn't we get out of here first?"
She still wasn't completely confident they could escape successfully. But since their food was almost gone, they had to take action. The Wall-Breaking Pills had run out long ago, and now the blood vessel's blood was also running low.
"Yerin! If we get out of here, do you want to eat the Best Beijing Dishes and the Eight Guangdong Dishes together?"
"Alright."
Na Yerin agreed right away.
"Are you sure you won't regret it?"
"I'm not sure I won't regret it, but I can't deny that we can't find a better way than this."
Na Yerin answered.
Bi Ryu-yeon stood in front of the stone wall he had chosen with a serious expression. Then, looking at Na Yerin once more with a serious expression, he said.
"Yerin, did you forget something?"
"What is it?"
Na Yerin seemed unaware. Bi Ryu-yeon looked a little disappointed.
"Before we start another life-or-death challenge, how about receiving a blessing from the goddess of luck, Your Highness?"
At Bi Ryu-yeon's question, Na Yerin's face suddenly turned red.
"Does it really have to be like that?"
"Of course!"
Bi Ryu-yeon answered firmly without hesitation.
"Can't we just skip it?"
"No way!"
Bi Ryu-yeon answered firmly.
"The procedure must be followed."
Bi Ryu-yeon himself often ignored procedures like that.
After hesitating for a moment, Na Yerin nodded.
"Alright!"
Finally Na Yerin agreed.
Na Yerin lightly kissed Bi Ryu-yeon's lips. It was the blessing from the goddess of luck. Na Yerin lowered her head shyly. A sight that didn't match her cold and arrogant reputation at all.
Bi Ryu-yeon just smiled.
'Today is exactly the 44th day! Is this the turn of fate? Or a test from heaven?'
If it was a coincidence, it was an amazing coincidence.
'The previous forty-four times couldn't defeat me! This time is no different! If it's a screen that determines fate, I'll break it with my own hands!'
Kwaaaah!
Finally Bi Ryu-yeon's fist, transformed into blue lightning, struck the stone wall.
Kwakoakoakoakoa!
A large amount of water burst out from the hole.