Chapter 22

Janggeon, who was about to run straight into the forest, suddenly stopped in his tracks. Someone was running towards him from the forest.

"Janggeon!"

It was Birang. She approached Janggeon with quick, bounding steps and then let out a small exclamation as she looked around.

"All this..."

In the middle of the forest path, dozens of various-sized throwing stars that Tang Jianxiang had thrown and Janggeon had deflected were scattered around. There was also a recently beheaded corpse.

"...It's over."

Janggeon only nodded in silence. Birang looked at him for a moment and then suddenly remembered something.

"Ah! The antidote! We need to find the antidote for the poisoned people!"

"Are the swordsmen still alive?"

"...I didn't kill them all."

That was what he expected. Warriors who used elemental powers could easily subdue the swordsmen, who were confined to a limited space.

"There's no need. That guy was bluffing."

"What? Bluffing? You mean it was a lie?"

As Janggeon approached Tang Jianxiang's corpse, he explained.

"The swordsmen were agitated and fell for it easily. A poison that can kill people just by being scattered in the air is rare and very expensive. It's not something you use casually unless you have a lot of money to burn."

Birang watched as Janggeon searched Tang Jianxiang's body. He had intended to loot him after helping the tribe, but it seemed Tang Jianxiang had already been stripped. Janggeon figured he could just check.

Another pile of throwing stars, in addition to those already thrown, spilled out from Tang Jianxiang's body. There was also a small money pouch and a small rectangular paper envelope. Nothing that could reveal his identity was found.

Janggeon picked up the small paper envelope and looked inside. He saw another piece of paper, yellow with red stains. When he took it out, he found about five or six paper talismans. As Janggeon examined the talismans, wondering what they were, Birang suddenly jumped back in shock.

"Why are you doing that?"

"Wh-What is that?"

Janggeon, seeing Birang point at the paper talismans, wondered if he had missed something and examined them closely. But they were just yellow paper with red, unreadable characters. Janggeon couldn't sense anything unusual.

He showed the talismans to Birang.

"Is this what you're talking about?"

"Ugh! Get that away from me!"

Birang recoiled in horror, as if he was holding something dirty and disgusting. Janggeon was taken aback. To him, they were just pieces of paper.

"Why are you reacting like this?"

"Can't you feel it, Janggeon? That paper is terrifying. I can't describe it, but it's creepy and disgusting... Anyway, don't ever show that to me again!"

Janggeon, wondering if there was something wrong with him, focused his inner energy in his eyes and even smelled the paper. But he could only detect the musty smell of old paper. He even infused his inner energy into the talisman, but nothing happened. It just became a bit stiffer, like any other piece of paper.

"I don't understand."

Shaking his head, Janggeon put the talismans back into the paper envelope. He thought One-Eyed Cloud would explain better than Birang. Janggeon picked up the money pouch and stood up.

"Let's go back."

* * *

Out of the thirty swordsmen, fifteen were dead, and the rest were disarmed and confined in a fence at the edge of the village. They sat together, looking dejected, while the tribe members watched them. Birang was inside the fence, applying splints to the injured.

As Janggeon watched Birang and the swordsmen, Jeongpung approached him.

"Your clothes are torn. Are you hurt anywhere? I thought that dark-skinned guy was more dangerous than those thirty swordsmen."

"I'm fine."

Janggeon smiled slightly at Jeongpung's worried tone. Despite the various weapons and dark arts, the swordsmen had been no match for Janggeon's single strike.

"Hehe. If you say so, then it must be true."

Jeongpung nodded, understanding the light-hearted jest. He then looked at Janggeon, Birang, and the captured swordsmen and said,

"Thanks to you, no one was hurt. I'm grateful, Janggeon."

"It's not over yet. We need to call the Wulin Alliance branch leader to explain the situation and secure the valley's ownership."

"Still, no one will die or get hurt because of the explanation. We have the unfair trade document from that Zhongyuan person, Jiang Long, and the swordsmen can prove it was self-defense. That should be enough."

"Don't forget what I said before."

"About confirming the valley's ownership? I understand. I'll make sure to do that."

Janggeon nodded and turned to leave. Jeongpung called out to him.

"Where are you going? Aren't you hungry? It's time for dinner."

"I need to see One-Eyed Cloud."

Jeongpung smiled and said,

"Don't be late for the evening feast."

Janggeon nodded slightly and walked away. Jeongpung turned back to the prisoners, then met Birang's eyes and went to help her.

Birang, who had summoned her uncle with a glance, watched Janggeon's retreating back. She thought his broad, sturdy back looked somewhat lonely and wondered how she could sit next to him naturally at dinner.

Jeongpung, seeing Birang blushing and lost in thought, gently shook his head. He thought it was time for his niece to leave his care.

Janggeon, leaving them behind, headed straight for One-Eyed Cloud's tent. As he approached, he was about to call out when a low voice came from inside.

"Come in."

Janggeon, curious if shamanism could see through the tent, entered. Inside, he saw the colorful decorations he had seen before and One-Eyed Cloud with a clean face. Both eyes were open, and the fire in the center of the tent flickered, illuminating them.

"First, I want to thank you, Janggeon. I'm really grateful. Thanks to you, no one from the tribe was hurt, and the matter is resolved."

"I already told Jeongpung, but it's not completely over. We need to call the Wulin Alliance branch leader to confirm self-defense and the valley's ownership."

One-Eyed Cloud smiled as Janggeon sat down.

"Everything will be fine. Our peaceful life in this valley will continue."

Janggeon looked at One-Eyed Cloud's two eyes, which glowed white and red, feeling a sense of prophecy and hope. He then took out the small paper envelope and said,

"It seems the valley's gold wasn't their real goal. It was just a pretext to drive the tribe away. I found this on the most dangerous one. Birang was very repulsed by it. Can you identify it?"

One-Eyed Cloud silently extended his hand and took the paper envelope. He carefully and slowly took out the talismans and examined each of the five.

After examining all five, he put them back in the envelope and handed it to Janggeon. His lips, which had been tightly closed, finally opened when Janggeon took it.

"These five talismans, when combined, are a very evil spell. I now understand what they truly wanted."

Janggeon waited for him to continue, but One-Eyed Cloud fell silent, lost in thought. Janggeon, wondering why he was being so quiet after being so talkative last time, finally spoke.

"What is it?"

"Huh? Oh, right. I should explain. I was just thinking about the upcoming feast. It's been a while since we've had one. The last one was two months ago, when the swaying tree and the hasty river got married. We used to have one every month, but we've been busy. We'll tear into the meat we've been saving and drink the wine we bought from the lower village. What was it? Chuyeong? I bought two clean deer skins for it, and it was really good. Jeongpung has a few bottles stored, so this feast will be quite something..."

Janggeon sighed and scratched his eyebrow with his thumb. One-Eyed Cloud, noticing his reaction, gave a small cough.

"...I guess old age brings only wrinkles and talk. I was talking too much in front of my benefactor."

He coughed again and continued.

"You didn't meet her, but there is a spirit in this valley. She opens the hearts of our warriors and gives me inspiration. She is part of nature and all of it, our ancestors and descendants. She teaches us the wisdom and joy of life and supports the happiness of giving and the love between us. The reason we don't want to leave this valley is because she is here..."

One-Eyed Cloud looked up at the smoke hole in the tent ceiling, gazing at the sky. After a while, he continued.

"...I've heard a story. In your land, they call beings like our spirit 'spirits.' They forcibly pull them out of nature and cut them open to eat, all for the sake of martial arts."

Janggeon understood what he was getting at.

"The purpose of the spell is to pull the spirit down to the earth and cause her pain. It's a wicked power that wounds the soul and scatters the will. It's natural that Birang felt repulsed. She is to be the next shaman after me..."

One-Eyed Cloud looked at the sky, which was turning red and blue.

"It seems the quick crow sold information about the valley... Anyway, now the spell is yours. Since you obtained it by defeating evil, it's right for you to use it as you see fit... If I may make a selfish request, please don't use it here. Don't harm the one we love and who loves us..."

Janggeon, holding the paper envelope, listened to his words. If it was so dangerous, he could have just burned it when Janggeon handed it over. It seemed irresponsible to give such a dangerous item to an outsider without any precautions.

But Janggeon felt that this was the greatest respect One-Eyed Cloud could show. It was their way of not handling something that wasn't theirs, even if it could kill them.

So, without hesitation, Janggeon threw the paper envelope into the fire.

One-Eyed Cloud's eyes widened.

"...I heard that martial artists in your world risk their lives for spirit medicines made from spirits."

"I'm not like that. I don't even know how to use it."

Janggeon brushed his hands and stood up. One-Eyed Cloud, seeing his detached demeanor, said,

"Are you... leaving? Now?"

"I think I've done everything I need to do here."

"Eating dinner and leaving tomorrow..."

Janggeon lightly clasped his hands in a salute.

"If I stay, I might end up staying longer without realizing it. I can't impose on you like that."

"Staying here would be no imposition. You are welcome to stay as long as you like."

"Goodbye, One-Eyed Cloud. I'll see you again."

One-Eyed Cloud, hesitating, finally said,

"...I understand. Goodbye, Janggeon. I'm truly grateful for what you've done for our tribe and the spirit."

Janggeon smiled and turned to leave. One-Eyed Cloud, like Janggeon, clasped his hands and bowed as he watched him go.

Janggeon walked straight to his tent, where Zaozao was tied. Since he didn't have much to pack, he could leave immediately.

On his way, he met tribe members preparing for the feast. Adults, children, and warriors alike greeted him with smiles. Janggeon returned their greetings and walked slowly, hoping, as One-Eyed Cloud had said, that they could continue their peaceful life.

When he reached his tent, he saw that Zaozao had become plump from days of rest and play. Zaozao, sensing Janggeon's actions, snorted and seemed annoyed.

"Hey, you've had enough fun. Can't you feel how fat you've gotten?"

Zaozao shook his head and sighed deeply, as if he couldn't get enough of playing. Janggeon chuckled and stroked his mane.

At that moment, a child's laughter was heard. Janggeon turned to see a tribe child sitting at the base of a tree, resting his chin on his hands and laughing.

The child, meeting Janggeon's eyes, laughed again and asked,

"He's so funny. He's really smart. He's almost like a person."

"...He's more cunning than smart."

Janggeon, repeating his previous answer, felt a strange sensation. The child, seeing Janggeon's expression, laughed again.

"That expression is funny too. You're funny."

The child's golden eyes were innocent like a child's but also wise like an old person's. After a moment of laughter, the child suddenly asked,

"Are you leaving?"

"...Yes. I've done what I needed to do here."

The child, resting his chin on his hands, nodded playfully.

"You're a wanderer. The path is the floor of your home, the sky is the roof, and you are the only pillar of that home. A lone standing pillar. It's quite impressive."

Janggeon realized who he was facing. The one who opened the hearts of the tribe's warriors and taught love and wisdom.

"Thank you, wanderer. For helping the children and for burning that spell to protect my friends."

Facing the valley tribe's spirit, Janggeon smiled slightly.

"...It smelled. If I carried it, I would smell too."

"Hmm. That's true. No one likes a smelly person. The one who made it must be very unpopular."

The spirit, in the form of a child, smiled and stood up. She approached Janggeon and extended a clenched fist.

"What is it?"

"Take it. Good people always deserve a reward."

When Janggeon placed his palm under her fist, the spirit placed something on it.

"I was going to open your heart like I do with children, but I thought you might not like that. So, I prepared this instead."

Janggeon looked at his palm and saw a small, soft bead. It felt squishy, unlike the shiny pearl.

"You can put it in your stomach."

A spirit medicine? A spirit pill? Janggeon didn't know what to call it, but he could tell it would be good for his body and inner energy. He thanked the spirit, but when he looked up, she was already gone.

Janggeon, looking at where the spirit had been, put the bead in his pocket. He planned to find a sunny spot to eat it and digest it with his cultivation technique. Zaozao, who had been quiet, sniffed at Janggeon's pocket.

"Get away, you. You've had enough fun and food. Are you still greedy for this?"

Pushing Zaozao away, Janggeon finished saddling him and mounted. He looked at the busy village and then gently patted Zaozao's side, signaling him to move. Zaozao understood and walked out of the village.

The tribe members, seeing him leave, watched his retreating back with puzzled expressions. By the time Jeongpung and Birang heard the news and rushed over, they could only see him far away, descending the valley.

The tribe members, preparing for the feast, gathered and silently watched the wanderer disappear into the distance under the reddening evening sky. They remained silent, offering a silent farewell until he was just a dot on the horizon.