By Zephyria 
It was deep in the night, past midnight. The waning moon hung high, and the mortal realm was filled with yin energy.
When Young-pa returned to the annex, he found the child and Lee Shim fast asleep. He tried to open the door to the room where Biryoo was, but finding it locked, he simply ripped the door off its hinges. However, there wasn’t a single soul inside.
‘If he wanted to go out, he could have just used the door. Why go through the trouble of leaving through the window?’
Young-pa stepped outside through the open window. He landed and looked around with vigor, but since Biryoo had left no footprints, he was at a loss as to where to go.
‘Where did that impudent brat go?’
Left with no choice, Young-pa searched the surrounding area thoroughly. Then, sensing a presence, he dove headlong into the thicket.
The human sitting on a wide flat stone was none other than Biryoo. He was drinking alone, with a gourd placed by his side.
‘What a joke, he didn’t even go that far.’
Young-pa sat down, keeping a bit of distance from Biryoo. Biryoo merely glanced at him warily from the corner of his eye but did not move away.
As soon as Young-pa sat, he realized why Biryoo had come here. He wondered how he had found such a scenic spot; the majestically unfolding sky and the winding mountain ridges below were breathtakingly beautiful.
“It seems you like the night sky.”
Only after speaking those words did Young-pa realize that there were things he liked as well.
‘Come to think of it, I like stargazing too.’
He remembered a day when he had fallen asleep on the roof of an inn and spent a long time looking up at the stars. That day had been the first night Young-pa spent as a free man after escaping from the snake cave.
Young-pa gazed at the stars in silence. Against a backdrop that was neither black nor indigo, countless jewels were embedded, their distance impossible to gauge. He had a feeling that no matter how much he trained and grew stronger, he would never truly understand that mystery.
‘I like meat and honey cakes, too.’
While staying in the snake cave, Young-pa had known nothing about himself. All he possessed were feelings of helplessness and rage, but after ascending to the mortal realm, he had found things he enjoyed.
His gaze dropped to Biryoo’s captivating profile.
“What kind of food does the pretty one like? Other than alcohol.”
Having been teased so much, Biryoo seemed accustomed to Young-pa’s flirtations. As Biryoo acted as if he heard nothing, Young-pa felt a surge of mischief.
“I feel sorry for your wife. To have a husband who is as cold as a winter breeze and lacks any tenderness.”
Only then did Biryoo give Young-pa a look, though it was far from a kind one.
“What nonsense is this?”
“Weren’t you chasing me to return a ring to some woman? A ‘longed-for one,’ was it?”
Biryoo’s lips parted slightly, and a heavy sigh escaped. Looking into the distance with shadowed eyes, Biryoo spoke softly.
“I spoke needlessly. He died long ago.”
A man trying to recover the belongings of a lover who died long ago. Young-pa was curious about this poignant story, but seeing the coldness in Biryoo’s eyes, he found he could not pry further. Regardless, the fact that he was bereaved of a spouse made him a perfect target for a scoundrel like Young-pa to tease.
“Then that means you’ve remained chaste for a long time.”
At the suggestive whisper, Biryoo clicked his tongue.
“Here we go again.”
“Yes. Now you’re going to glare at me as if I’m filthy and suddenly stand up and leave, right? I know all your tricks. You’re in the palm of my hand now.”
As Young-pa laughed and teased, Biryoo narrowed his eyes. Having bound him with a few words, Young-pa chuckled triumphantly.
“Since we’re on the subject, let me ask. Why do you hate me so much?”
Biryoo did not answer, but Young-pa already knew. Because he was barbaric, unclean, loud, and a glutton who devoured ten plates of meat. Above all, because he was a Prisoner of Hyeonmu from the underground.
“Treating a person like a maggot… how cruel. I’m truly hurt.”
Young-pa muttered words he didn’t mean. Strangely, he didn’t feel offended even when insulted by Biryoo. Of course, he wasn’t pleased, but actions that would have led him to crush anyone else into a pulp were somehow acceptable when Biryoo did them.
“Why do you continue to flirt with me even though I recoil?”
Biryoo asked quietly. Since he rarely revealed his inner thoughts, Young-pa leaned in, treating it like a windfall.
“I wonder. Strangely, the more you tell me not to, the more I want to.”
“What a wretched human. Did you act this way toward Black Tortoise as well?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Young-pa reflexively clenched his fist, but since he was bare-handed, he couldn’t destroy anything. Belatedly, he picked up a stone and aimed it at Biryoo, only to throw it elsewhere at the last second.
Crash!
A rock nearby was shattered to pieces.
“Do you think that was all? Getting beaten and having my skin torn for resisting was my daily routine. What would a pampered thing like you know? You can’t even imagine what I went through underground.”
Biryoo’s inscrutable gaze slid over Young-pa’s profile.
“Even if Black Tortoise’s grandfather came, I wouldn’t fix this habit. So just give up and accept me.”
Only after speaking did Young-pa realize that today was the last day he would spend with Biryoo. He felt it was just as they were starting to communicate, and he felt a sense of regret at the thought of parting.
‘It can’t be helped.’
Young-pa remained quiet for a while. He kept his silence until Biryoo took two more sips of alcohol and until the shadow of a cloud leisurely passed over their heads.
“Biryoo, isn’t it nice here? How would it feel to live here for the rest of your life?”
“In a place like this, for a lifetime?”
Biryoo muttered, tilting the gourd to his lips. His tone suggested that the Pacheondang estate was nothing more than a bug’s hole.
“Why? The food is great here, and from what I’ve seen while walking around, it’s a good place for cultivation. Moreover, there’s a nursery to raise your child.”
“Where do I have a child…?”
Biryoo started to refute, then sighed.
“What an irritating human.”
Young-pa thought that this time Biryoo would surely stand up and leave, but he merely gripped the bottle a bit more roughly and poured alcohol into his mouth. As he did, the clear scent resembling pine needles mixed with the subtle aroma of grain liquor.
“The man I saw in the wax-sealed room told me I was pretty and asked to spend the night, but you only call me irritating. If I’d known it would be like this, I should have just slept with that guy.”
As Young-pa laughed lowly, Biryoo’s gaze, which had been fixed on the distance, dropped to his face.
Biryoo blinked slowly. In his pupils, bathed in the pouring moonlight, an indigo energy more mysterious than the night sky shimmered.
“How do I… look to you?”
Young-pa leaned his upper body forward and tilted his chin slightly. The distance between their lips was now only a couple of spans. Yet, Biryoo simply looked down at Young-pa’s face.
“What sin could your face possibly have? Everything about you except that face is the problem.”
‘He should have run away long ago, so what’s happening?’
A subtle expectation rose, and his heart hammered. However, Young-pa did not forget that there was something more important than the urge to throw himself at the other.
“Is that so? Do I look pretty to you too? Even though I’m a man?”
As Young-pa moved closer, Biryoo’s brow furrowed. He placed his palms on the ground behind him to push away. This was the moment Young-pa had been waiting for.
“Got you at last!”
By the time Biryoo looked back, both his wrists were bound with black chains. As their eyes met, Young-pa smirked with a vile expression.
“Just as I was about to give up, you give me an opportunity.”
From the moment Young-pa decided to sell Biryoo to Pacheondang, he had been constantly looking for a chance to bind his hands and seal his abilities. Biryoo, who never allowed Young-pa close, had given him no opening until this day.
“Not bad.”
Biryoo muttered, showing no sign of surprise.
“Don’t hate me too much. The scenery here is nice and the treatment seems good, so it wouldn’t be bad to settle in.”
Young-pa expected Biryoo to throw a fit, but he sat calmly with his wrists bound behind him. Thanks to that, Young-pa could examine his face up close to his heart’s content.
The straight forehead, the sharp bridge of the nose, the downward-cast eyelashes, and the lips that would never be granted to him. And that characteristic, empty gaze. His neat appearance ignited the fire of Young-pa’s lust.
Young-pa even forgot about handing him over to Pacheondang and licked his lips.
“Wait. How about… you and I have some fun tonight?”
Biryoo glared at him as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Why that face? I was thinking of giving you the ring as a reward if you behaved… then it wouldn’t be a rape, would it?”
“I’ve heard all sorts of things in my life, but this is new.”
Where did this confidence come from? Biryoo snorted as if he could break free from the restraints if he so desired. This only made Young-pa want to break and conquer him more.
“Do you prefer it here, or inside the house? I’ll let you choose.”
Just then, Biryoo lifted his head and looked toward the annex. Young-pa unconsciously followed his gaze, but there was nothing there. However, Biryoo was wearing a faint smile.
“Unfortunately, it seems today is not the day I will be raped by you.”
Just as Young-pa was about to speak, a shout erupted from the direction of the annex.
“Brother! Brotheeeeer! Where are you!”
“Jireong, you’ve come at the right time. Come over here.”
Before long, Lee Shim popped out from the bushes.
“Brother! You were here!”
“Yes. I’m finally going to carry out the great deed today. So take that Baemttong or whatever he is and go far away.”
“Pardon?”
Lee Shim opened his eyes wide in bewilderment and looked around.
“Now is not the time for jokes! The Vice Clan Head has arrived; isn’t he an important person?”
Young-pa rolled his eyes in frustration. He hadn’t expected Wudam to appear so early. However, since he was the one who told him to come even if it was late, he had nothing to say.
“Consider yourself lucky. Follow me.”
Young-pa gestured with his chin toward Biryoo and returned to the annex.
When they returned, two dark figures were on the veranda of the house.
“Greetings once again, Master.”
One was the Vice Clan Head of Pacheondang, Wudam. Beside him was a white-haired elderly man with a benevolent impression. As Wudam stood up, the old man also rose slowly.
“This is Master Neungui, the Great Master of our Pacheondang.”
Master Neungui gave a deep bow. He was leaning on a cane with a smiling face.
“I know it is an intrusion to visit so late at night, but since you insisted I come even if it were late…”
Wudam bowed his head as if troubled.
If it was an intrusion, it was committed by Young-pa, who had summoned someone in the middle of the night while staying at someone else’s house. However, he remained bold without a hint of modesty.
“So you are Neungui. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Despite the fact that a man who looked incredibly young was speaking informally, Master Neungui did not lose his smiling face.
“Yes. I am teaching practitioners with my lacking skills.”
“You must have heard the details from the Vice Clan Head. Are you going to show me the changjingyeong, or not?”
“The changjingyeong is a precious treasure and is kept in the deepest part of the treasure vault. Outsiders cannot enter that area.”
The Master spoke strictly, then placed a hand on Wudam’s shoulder and looked at him affectionately.
“However, since the young master requested it this once, I think I shall turn a blind eye.”
“Thank you! Thank you, Master Neungui!”
Wudam jumped for joy. Young-pa chuckled, but he did not take his eyes off the Master.
The man was an ordinary old man with a wrinkled face and a bent back. But for some reason, a feeling of loathing welled up from deep within his heart.
“I heard there is someone who wishes to enter the clan… who might that be?”
The Master asked with an innocent expression. Just as Young-pa was about to push him forward, Biryoo stepped forward as if he had been waiting.
“It is I.”
Young-pa stared at his back, dumbfounded.
They say you can know ten fathoms of water but not the heart of a man; he had a perfectly calm face, yet who knew what he was thinking.
“Ho… You seem strong, just as I was told.”
Young-pa did not miss the way the Master’s eyes sparkled upon seeing Biryoo. What did this man intend to do once he took Biryoo away? Perhaps he, too, felt lust for Biryoo.
“I heard you have thousands of disciples; you certainly have an eye for talent.”
“Cultivating talented juniors is a supreme joy, no matter how many times it is repeated.”
“This fellow is exceptional. Not only his skill, but his face is quite handsome, so you won’t regret taking him. But don’t expect too much. He’s not one to easily loosen his clothes-tie.”
Master Neungui bowed politely.
“Since it is late tonight, I shall visit again tomorrow.”
“No. I cannot wait until tomorrow, so lead me to the treasure vault right now.”
“Right now, you say?”
Had he misseen the momentary flash of ecstasy in the man’s eyes? A chilling shiver ran through Young-pa’s body.
If Master Neungui was plotting some sinister scheme, it would actually be welcome. Young-pa had been bored for the past few days because he had nothing to cause a ruckus with.
“Yes. Is it difficult to do it right now?”
“No. It is not difficult.”
Master Neungui smiled calmly and looked up at the sky. As he struck the ground three times with his cane, he felt the presence of something approaching rapidly from all directions.
Four humans, who had not been in sight, appeared in an instant and knelt around the Master. They were dressed in blue, red, white, and black clothes, respectively. Young-pa laughed softly, finding it amusing that they were trying to imitate the four spirits. If he had to fight them, he already knew who he would kill first.
“Did you call for us, Master?”
“Guide this person into the treasure vault.”
“How far should we guide them?”
“To the deepest part.”
The subordinates bowed their heads in unison.
“My disciples will guide the way.”
“What guarantee is there that those fellows won’t take me somewhere strange? I can’t trust your disciples, so I’ll take the Vice Clan Head with me.”
If Wudam accompanied him, those disciples wouldn’t dare take a wrong turn. Moreover, if he took the only son of the Clan Head as a hostage, it would be advantageous in many ways if a problem arose.
“How insolent!”
The one in red shouted with a stern face, but Master Neungui raised his hand to stop him. The Master maintained a warm smile without any sign of displeasure.
“If the young master accompanies you, I shall also be at ease.”
Wudam ran to Young-pa’s side with a bright expression.
“Yes. I shall do so with pleasure. Since Master Young-pa is a guest, it is only right that I assist him.”
“Then while the Master visits the treasure vault, I shall introduce myself to the new disciple.”
He hadn’t misseen it. The gaze Master Neungui cast upon Biryoo was not benevolent or kind in the slightest. The glimmering desire in his eyes could not possibly be a wish to cultivate a junior.
Biryoo remained expressionless as usual. Young-pa was inwardly concerned, but he had a far more important matter at hand.
As Young-pa turned to depart for the treasure vault, Biryoo called him.
“Hey.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you not taking the child?”
Instead of scoffing at what he considered a crazy suggestion, Young-pa laughed lowly.
‘Does this fellow know something, or is he telling me to take the child because he senses danger? Who knows, maybe he just thinks the child will be a nuisance.’
Young-pa went inside and came back out carrying the child, whom he had completely forgotten. The child was asleep so deeply that he wouldn’t have known if he were being carried on a back.
“Brother, am I coming along too?”
Young-pa had completely forgotten about Lee Shim as well. He called Lee Shim close and whispered in his ear.
“You stay here. Both Biryoo and that Master are suspicious, so watch closely and tell me the details later.”
“You’ll return safely, right, Brother? You’re even taking Baemttong, and the atmosphere feels strange somehow…”
“Stop talking nonsense and go act natural.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lee Shim went to the Master and bowed obsequiously as if he had been waiting. Young-pa felt a strange sense of anxiety, but leaving Biryoo and Lee Shim behind, he urged Wudam forward.
“Let’s move.”
“Yes. Please follow me.”
Carrying the child, Young-pa moved away with Wudam and the four guards. The child woke up and whined in the middle of the journey, but soon even that sound faded away.
Lee Shim, who had been standing blankly in the direction Young-pa had gone, belatedly came to his senses. He smiled and bowed to Master Neungui.
“I am Brother Young-pa’s lackey, Master. If there is anything I can help with, please tell me…”
Before Lee Shim could finish his sentence, his body was tightly wound in dark cords. Looking beside him, he saw that Biryoo was in the same state. Lee Shim was extremely panicked, but Master Neungui merely smiled while looking at the distant sky.
“Uh, Master? What is the meaning of this? The one entering the clan is that man, so why am I also…?”
When the Master turned his head, Lee Shim’s heart nearly stopped. It was because the man’s eyes were bloodshot red.