By Zephyria 
Lee Shim rushed over to him. He had set up a flat stone slab and was grilling meat.
“Why on earth are you wearing two hair ribbons?”
Before Young-pa could even answer, he was knocked over by Cheongsim’s sudden attack.
Woof! Woof woof! Woof!
Cheongsim licked Young-pa’s face, expressing the joy of his recovery. Young-pa smiled weakly, stroking the dog.
“That stubborn human must actually be sick. How strange that he’s so lifeless? And yet he’s greedy enough to wear two ribbons.”
Seo-o sneered, crossing his arms.
“Brother, go inside and rest. I’ll grill some exquisite roe deer meat and serve it with the honey cakes you love. I’ve already prepared the steamed rice.”
“I made some mulberry punch too!”
It felt unfamiliar to have so many people fussing over him just because he wasn’t feeling well, but Young-pa entered the cave without a word.
While Young-pa lay down, Lee Shim and Seo-o brought in a magnificent spread. Three plates of grilled meat, heaps of rice, honey cakes, sliced rice cakes, songpyeon, and even punch—it was a feast that would make anyone’s eyes widen. However, Young-pa toyed with his chopsticks for a moment before putting them down.
“Where is Biryoo?”
“The Master said he would return before evening.”
“I need to sleep a bit more, so you two eat this. Give some of the meat to Cheongsimi as well.”
Lee Shim wore a look of disbelief.
“Brother, are you really that sick? They say people start acting out of character when their time is coming….”
“I have no appetite.”
Regardless of Lee Shim’s jaw dropping, Young-pa pushed the small table away and stood up.
He missed Biryoo. He needed nothing else. Even if being by that man’s side caused his heart to crumble and his wounds to tear open, spilling blood, it didn’t matter. Young-pa needed Biryoo.
As he lay down on the blanket, Cheongsim followed him in and rested its chin on his stomach. Young-pa hugged Cheongsim and fell asleep.
≋ ≋ ≋
Young-pa woke up in the evening. Opening his eyes, he saw that the cave was dark. The midday sun had retreated, and twilight was settling over Asadal Mountain.
Cheongsim was sprawled out asleep beside him, and Biryoo was sitting facing the outside. For a long time, Young-pa gazed at the flawless man’s back, his broad shoulders, and his smoothly tied hair.
“When did you return, Azure Dragon?”
As he turned his head, the dim light spilled over a profile as exquisite as jade. It was a face Young-pa loved beyond measure.
“I returned a short while ago.”
“What kept you away for so long?”
“I had things to think about.”
Young-pa hesitated, forgetting what to say in response.
He approached Biryoo and wrapped his arms around his neck from behind. As he inhaled the scent of the one he had missed and kissed the nape of his neck, the resentment and sorrow that had dominated him before sleep resurfaced.
“This is the first time I’ve seen you welcome me so warmly.”
“I learned it from Cheongsimi.”
“How is your body feeling?”
Biryoo asked, gently enveloping the back of Young-pa’s hand. Young-pa didn’t answer, instead licking his neck and ear.
“Stop.”
Ignoring Biryoo’s words, Young-pa sat on his lap and untied his clothing ties. As he tried to strip off the outer robe, Biryoo grabbed his wrist.
“Why are you acting like a spoiled child?”
Biryoo lifted Young-pa’s chin with his fingertip. Young-pa averted his gaze and turned his head away. He roughly stripped off Biryoo’s robe and untied the ties of his inner jacket.
“I thought it was strange that you hadn’t eaten the meat or the honey cakes….”
As the jacket was removed, a scar crossing his lean chest was revealed. A deep wound left by a sworn enemy. That man, who had been cast out of the heavenly realm for committing an unpardonable sin, knew something.
‘You know nothing about Biryoo.’
Biryoo let Young-pa strip his clothes haphazardly. He merely reached out and touched Young-pa’s forehead.
“You still have a slight fever.”
“It is a sickness of the heart, so it only heals with radiant energy.”
Biryoo continued to reject Young-pa, leaving him feeling slighted. Whenever Young-pa tried to grasp his phallus, he avoided it, and when he tried to kiss him, he turned his head.
“Don’t be like this, please hold me, hm?”
“Your body is not well. You must rest.”
“I don’t want to, I said I don’t want to!”
Finally, as Young-pa began to struggle, Biryoo grabbed both of his wrists. There was no trace of a smile on Biryoo’s face. He examined Young-pa’s face with eyes that seemed to pierce through everything.
Young-pa’s lips parted instinctively, and words spilled out.
“I did not receive an answer yesterday, Azure Dragon.”
“To what?”
“Do you… love me?”
Biryoo ignored Young-pa’s words without even a hint of fluster, making it feel as if time had stopped.
“Answer me.”
Even as he threatened him fiercely, nothing changed. What answer did he want to hear? The answer was already clear.
“I told you that I love you! Why won’t you answer? Tell me what you plan to do with me once you find your divine power!”
In front of the man who remained composed in any situation, Young-pa looked even more anxious. Biryoo released Young-pa’s wrists and created distance between them. Young-pa felt a sense of loss even as the man’s hand left his skin.
“I think you are mistaken about something.”
His voice was terrifyingly calm.
“I told you that the human heart changes as easily as flipping a palm. A few words from you that will change by tomorrow hold no meaning for me.”
Every emotionless word felt as if it were tearing Young-pa’s heart apart.
“Furthermore, it is too early to discuss that. You remember the promise, do you not?”
Young-pa was in a position of owing Biryoo two debts. Among the materials to reconstruct the wish-fulfilling orb, he had to find the final piece: the light feather. And before that, there was the dreaded ring.
“…Yes.”
“If you haven’t forgotten, then simply act upon it.”
Biryoo’s voice was soft, yet cold as ice. He didn’t seem like the man who had cherished him in an embrace and kissed him sweetly the day before.
“I want to, but… if I do… you might throw me away.”
“You shall receive the reward for your devotion as a servant.”
As a servant.
Then what of his heart as a man? What of the days he had fluttered, feeling as if he had become his lover, immersed in a sweet daily life? What of the emotions so hot they were mistaken for romantic love?
“If you don’t love me, then why… why did you shake me up like this?”
Biryoo turned and stood up. His expression was stiff. Young-pa clung to his leg, pleading.
“No, Biryoo. Don’t go. Please? I was wrong.”
“I will stay elsewhere for a while.”
“Where?”
When Biryoo didn’t answer, Young-pa sprang up and blocked his path.
Biryoo easily pushed Young-pa aside and walked away. Overcome with anger, Young-pa threw the shoes placed in front of the cave inside. Without a change in expression, Biryoo walked out barefoot.
“Stop right there! I said stop!”
Young-pa screamed until the cave echoed, but Biryoo did not return.
He sat there in despair, and by the time he regained enough composure to try something, it was midnight. He stood up shakily and went outside. There was no one—not Cheongsim, Lee Shim, nor Seo-o.
Young-pa searched the lakeshore like a hound. Like he had become Ji Seo-gu, he searched every single pond on Asadal Mountain with burning eyes. Even though he didn’t know what to say if he actually met him. Even knowing he would only cling and ask questions that would receive no answer, he searched for Biryoo’s traces.
Not only the waterside, but also the valleys, cliffs, mountain ridges, and peaks. Biryoo was nowhere to be found. Now, there was only one place in the vast mountain that Young-pa had not visited.
“It can’t be helped.”
Knowing full well that Biryoo was not there, Young-pa turned his steps.
≋ ≋ ≋
Jeolgon’s dwelling was submerged in darkness, like other places on Asadal Mountain. The mad dragon was eating something in the cave; the tip of his golden tail was poking out.
Boom!
When Young-pa punched the half-collapsed cave, Jeolgon let out a shout and rushed out in a flurry.
“Who is it! Who goes there!”
He glared with red eyes, checking everywhere. Then, after a while, he discovered Young-pa standing upon his shadow.
“What are you doing here?”
He looked bewildered, as if he hadn’t expected Young-pa to come at all.
“You told me to find you.”
The yellow dragon’s eyes widened, and he immediately transformed into human form.
The man, with long, shaggy black hair, had a decent-looking face, but his impression was vile, just as it had been when he was a dragon. His skin was tanned by the sun, and his clothes were filthy. The only thing he had in common with Biryoo was his tall stature. They seemed to share almost nothing that would suggest they were childhood friends.
“I didn’t think you’d come in just one day… are you ready?”
Excited anticipation leaked from his voice. When Young-pa nodded, he told him to follow.
Young-pa was led into Jeolgon’s hut. The dwelling, which had been crudely rebuilt after Young-pa tore it down a while ago, was extremely primitive. There were few household items inside. There wasn’t even a hearth or a brazier, suggesting he didn’t light fires. Still, the bed covered with a leather mat looked like a good place for a nap.
“You’re living quite well for yourself.”
Young-pa said words he didn’t mean and flopped onto the bed. Jeolgon looked down at him with a strange gaze, then, as if to show off, he roughly threw off his jacket. His lean body was muscular and covered in scars of various sizes. He looked strong, befitting one who had survived even after being banished from the heavenly realm.
“Your husband made this for me a thousand years ago. I almost died.”
He spoke, pointing to a hideous scar running from his neck to his stomach.
“You should have died then.”
“I know. I guess I stayed alive just to meet you.”
Jeolgon slowly approached the bed and reached for Young-pa’s leg. He fumbled between the thighs, his hand trembling like an amateur. Young-pa let him do as he pleased, but when he tried to kiss him, Young-pa turned his head.
“I’m not in the mood. I’ll hear the story first.”
“What? If you just hear the story and leave, what happens to me?”
Young-pa was annoyed, but he forced a smile. As he stroked the groin with his fingertips, Jeolgon shuddered. His cock was already hard as a rock from arousal.
“This is a secret… but actually, I’m quite flirtatious, so I can’t resist a man’s phallus.”
Young-pa whispered lowly with half-closed eyes.
“I even put a severed root’s member in and out of my body, wondering what sexual encounters with others would be like.”
He was just talking nonsense, but Jeolgon’s nostrils flared. As he lunged to embrace him, Young-pa kicked him square in the chest.
“Ugh!”
Jeolgon was sent flying and rolled across the floor.
“How rude. If you’re going to act like that, I’m leaving.”
“No! No! I’ll tell you anything you’re curious about, just don’t go. Please?”
“Stop your tricks and sit far away!”
At that command, Jeolgon sat obediently at the edge of the bed. An awkward silence flowed between them until Jeolgon hesitantly spoke.
“Fine. What story do you want to hear?”
“The thing the Azure Dragon has been preparing for a long time, the thing he hid in the heavenly realm. Tell me everything.”
“It’s a long story, where should I start….”
Jeolgon rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. A triumphant sneer appeared on his face once he had finished thinking.
“Anyway, what you need to know is that no matter how much you struggle, you won’t even reach the shadow of that woman.”
The owner of the Azure Dragon’s divine artifact. The beautiful woman whom Biryoo had longed for incessantly even after a thousand years had passed since her death. Young-pa already knew of her.
“Was she a dragon?”
“No? Why do you think the Azure Dragon hates humans so much? It’s because he has a history of giving his heart to a human and being betrayed!”
Jeolgon’s answer filled Young-pa with jealousy. He would have accepted it if she had been a fellow dragon, but to think a divine dragon had adored a mere human.
“She was a woman named Yeon-hwa, or what was it… a princess of some country? She was a madwoman who claimed she would end the civil war by unifying the human kingdoms.”
A royal who sought to end violence and achieve peace. To Young-pa’s ears, it didn’t sound as bad as Jeolgon made it seem.
“Her appearance seemed ordinary too, so I still wonder what was so great about her. Biryoo went mad for that woman. It was as if his eyes had flipped. Out of jealousy, he even killed the benefactor who had raised us.”
Malice was evident in every syllable of Jeolgon’s words.
Coincidentally, just the day before, Young-pa had heard Biryoo speak of his benefactor. The intimate words he had rarely shared were filled with deep respect and longing. How could someone who killed his benefactor speak that way? The Biryoo Young-pa knew would not do such a thing.
But what if Biryoo had lied? What if his true nature was different?
“I rebelled against Biryoo and lost the fight. As a result, my name was revealed to the whole world and I was banished. That happened a thousand years ago.”
Jeolgon looked proud as if he had finished the story, but Young-pa had not heard the crucial part.
“What does that have to do with the thing the Azure Dragon has been planning for a long time?”
“Ah, I almost forgot the important part! You really are clever.”
Jeolgon laughed boastfully.
“Biryoo is a foolish brat if you look closely. He couldn’t even forget one human all these years… I don’t know if I should call it a severe obsession. He probably still cherishes Yeon-hwa’s bone ash.”
“What’s the point of keeping bones?”
Jeolgon snorted as if he couldn’t believe it. Then, with a vile expression, he continued.
“I’ll have to take back that word ‘clever.’ Why keep the bones? To bring that human back to life, of course!”
Young-pa’s heart, which was already riddled with scars, sank. He doubted his own ears, wondering if he had heard incorrectly.
“A person who died a thousand years ago… by what means?”
“You wouldn’t know, but there is a treasure imbued with such power. It’s a divine artifact that has disappeared now, and Biryoo is wandering around like an idiot searching for it.”
A divine artifact that has now disappeared. The heavenly ring containing the power of life.
Young-pa felt as if he were falling down a thousand-foot cliff. He gasped for breath, and his vision went black. All of Biryoo’s incomprehensible actions suddenly clicked into place.
Why he wanted to find the ring so badly, why he had come all the way underground to save Young-pa, why he had sucked out the centipede venom to keep him alive, why he had ordered the palace to prepare for a guest, and why he had avoided answering the question of whether he loved him.
‘Clan Head, there is a story that the Azure Dragon can bring dead people back to life.’
‘What? Who says so?’
‘It’s information brought by Solgeo, and it seems quite reliable.’
Young-pa recalled when Yeogo died. Yeongparang had waited at the Azure Dragon’s bathing place with bloodshot eyes, clutching at any straw of hope. Biryoo must miss the woman named Yeon-hwa as much as that—no, even more than that.
The somyeonghwan was the only way Biryoo could meet his lover again after thousands of years. And Young-pa, who knew the whereabouts of the treasure, was Biryoo’s key.
“How was it? An interesting story, right?”
Jeolgon chuckled and slid closer, but Young-pa didn’t even avoid him, as if he had lost his soul. Jeolgon’s hand slowly stroked Young-pa’s cheek.
“You’re even prettier up close. Is it because you’re wearing two ribbons? Now that I think about it, I think I fell for you at first sight.”
He spoke shyly, his cheeks flushing.
“I only fought you because you were throwing a fit, but I didn’t dislike you from the start, you know?”
Young-pa’s hand was pulled and overlapped in Jeolgon’s grip.
“You and I have many similarities, so we’d make a well-matched pair. If you become my bride, you don’t even have to go back to that heavenly realm. Let’s find a nice waterside and live happily together, hehehe.”
It was only when Jeolgon knocked him over and pressed him down with his body that Young-pa came to his senses. The man was strong and extremely aroused. Instead of pushing away the hand roughly groping his chest, Young-pa gently wrapped his hand around it.
“You know, Jeolgon.”
Jeolgon was struggling to untie Young-pa’s jacket. Unlike Biryoo, his fingers were thick and his movements clumsy.
“Jeolgon!”
When Young-pa slapped his cheek, Jeolgon finally lifted his hazy eyes.
“Yeah? What?”
“Once we unite our bodies, you’ll become my husband, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then there’s an important fact you should know.”
“What is it?”
“Actually, because my Gokdo is narrow, the Azure Dragon’s phallus was quite overwhelming. Since you said yours is even larger… I’m worried my body might break from receiving such a huge member.”
Jeolgon grinned like a fool.
“I was just saying that. How would I know since that bastard never showed me his cock.”
Young-pa stroked Jeolgon’s arm with his fingertips.
“Since you’re so manly, it must be an extraordinary size, right? I hate it when it hurts….”
As Young-pa trailed off, Jeolgon hugged him so tightly he felt crushed. Young-pa frowned and grit his teeth at the feeling of being pressed down.
“My bride is unexpectedly timid. How cute…. I’ll do it gently, so don’t worry.”
As Jeolgon parted his lips and closed his eyes, Young-pa subtly turned his head away.
“You just need to wet your finger in oil and loosen the back… Surely you can do that much for your bride?”
“F-fingers? In your body?”
“Between my legs, you know….”
“The oil, it’s over there in that cave…. Sh-should I go get it right now?”
“I’ll be taking my clothes off in the meantime.”
Taking advantage of Jeolgon’s dazed expression, Young-pa pushed his shoulder with a foot. As he untied his coat strings, Jeolgon, pinned to the edge of the bed, widened his eyes. Young-pa lowered his jacket, revealing one shoulder and his chest. It was a display of coquetry he had learned from Maegu and Cheon-ho in the past.
“Hurry back. I can’t stand it.”
It seemed as if steam was blowing from Jeolgon’s nostrils. With a bright red face, he burst through the door.
“Just wait a little longer, my bride!”
Young-pa watched his retreating figure with an indifferent face, and as soon as he disappeared into the cave, he slipped out of the hut.
‘Thank god that piece of shit is completely oblivious.’
Young-pa climbed the mountain without looking back. Using his special ability to lighten his steps, he leaped deeper into the forest. As he ran at high speed, he recalled Jeolgon’s words.
‘You and I have many similarities, so we make a well-matched pair.’
Perhaps he was right. Even to himself, Young-pa felt he resembled Jeolgon far more than Biryoo. However, presumptuous greed was Young-pa’s inherent trait; he was a human born to dream of things beyond his station.
After running for a while, the roar of a dragon echoed behind him.
Young-pa sprinted in the opposite direction of the sound. Before long, a blue bird appeared in his path.
“You human! I truly cannot deal with you!”
Seo-o transformed into human form, spreading both arms to block the way. When Young-pa was forced to stop, Seo-o narrowed his brows and snapped irritably.
“You, you-you, you! To go to Jeolgon, if the Master finds out about this….”
Only then did he notice Young-pa’s disheveled clothing and turn pale. Unluckily, his chest and neck were covered in marks where Biryoo had played with his lips the day before.
“Did you two do that? You crazy bastard, are you out of your mind!”
Seo-o was so excited that his chirping sounds were dizzyingly loud.
“Move. It’s none of your business.”
“Oh dear, oh dear, another human is about to bring chaos to the world. I’m going crazy.”
Young-pa did not miss the word ‘another.’
“Do you also know who Yeon-hwa is?”
“Ye-Yeon-hwa? Who is that? I don’t know!”
Seo-o avoided Young-pa’s eyes with a highly suspicious attitude. Young-pa grabbed him by the collar and forced him to look into his eyes.
“Tell me everything you know, you sparrow. Before I fry and eat you.”
“It happened before I was born, so I don’t know much. Besides, even if I did, I can’t say. I am a Celestial Scribe! Do you think I’d spread the Master’s stories like rumors? What do you take me for, hmph.”
“I said tell me!”
“Is shouting all you can do? Just kill me instead!”
Even as Young-pa growled fiercely, Seo-o talked back loudly. No matter how much Young-pa shook his collar, he seemed to have no intention of saying a word.
While the story he heard from Jeolgon was shocking, Young-pa could not believe his words at face value. Since that man was Biryoo’s enemy, it wouldn’t be strange for him to fabricate lies and slander.
He needed someone else to verify the facts. Naturally, it had to be someone far more trustworthy than Jeolgon.
“Oh, my head. The Master is working so hard to prepare to take that naive child to the heavenly realm… and yet that ungrateful brat has been secretly consorting with the Master’s enemy. What on earth to do.”
“Listen, Biryoo has no intention of taking me to the heavenly realm.”
“No intention? Just yesterday, he inquired if a new room had been prepared.”
“I am not the owner of that room.”
“Then who is?”
“I don’t want to tell you, so shut your beak!”
When Young-pa shouted, Seo-o’s defiant spirit wilted slightly. The two glared at each other, panting.
“Look at that temper…. Well, I suppose. There’s no way that crude human could be the owner of such a magnificent room. It must be a very noble guest. The Master even said that fellow is like a grotesque Dokkaebi….”
Seo-o’s muttered monologue deeply irritated Young-pa.
He had known for a long time how Biryoo viewed him, yet he felt as if his heart was collapsing. A noble princess whom the Azure Dragon had longed for for a thousand years, and a grotesque Dokkaebi he had played with for a while. Even thinking about it superficially, it was obvious who the owner of the magnificent room would be.
Nevertheless, Young-pa wanted the truth, not a guess. But Seo-o’s personality was too stubborn to communicate with, and as for going to Biryoo….
‘He’ll just avoid giving me an answer.’
Young-pa gritted his teeth and caught his breath.
“So what now? If the Master finds out you’ve had an argument, he’ll be furious…. I can’t handle that. You caused the mess, so you deal with it. Or… how about we just pretend this never happened? I’ll just keep the secret. I’m quite good at keeping secrets.”
While Seo-o prattled on, Young-pa was lost in thought. Then, a decent trick suddenly occurred to him. Since he needed Seo-o to execute the plan, Young-pa suddenly grabbed his shoulder.
Seo-o jumped in surprise, his eyes widening.
“What is this human doing?”
“Nothing happened with Jeolgon. I just went to ask him something.”
Seo-o frowned, looking coldly at the area around Young-pa’s chest.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“This is your master’s handiwork. If you don’t believe me, ask Jeolgon. He’s angry because I played a prank on him.”
Young-pa pointed with his finger toward the distance where the dragon’s roar echoed. Seo-o still looked confused, but he nodded as if he understood.
Young-pa looked into his eyes and asked.
“A place where an endless bamboo forest and a phoenix tree forest meet. Do you know a place where a cold spring flows, as if cutting through the two?”
“The… Illusion Nest?”
“Yes.”
Seo-o swallowed hard, a look of fear on his face.
“I know where it is, but….”
“I have to go there. Take me.”
“Why there? If you must go, I will ask the Master after daybreak.”
“Every second counts. I have something to say to the owner of the nest immediately.”
Seo-o rolled his eyes in bewilderment and let out a sigh that seemed to sink the ground.
“If I refuse, you’ll wake up that pitiful, ailing dog and fly away, right? Then I’ll be wandering in search of the Master until dawn…. And when the Master returns tomorrow, he’ll be furious and chase after you late.”
“You know me exactly.”
“Hmph, rather than let that chaos happen, I’ll go along to keep an eye on you.”
As expected, Seo-o was not someone who deserved to be called a bird-brain. Young-pa grinned.
“You tedious human! You make everything difficult, everything!”
After pouring out his complaints, Seo-o transformed into his original form, a dignified black-capped bird. As Young-pa hopped onto his back, he let out a sigh through his beak.
“Hold on tight. I won’t be responsible if you fall.”
“Just get us moving.”
As Seo-o flapped his wings, a strong wind rose and his body soared into the sky. Young-pa lowered his posture and hugged the black-capped bird’s neck. Seo-o circled once in the air and then glided, riding a thick, strong wind.
The sight of Asadal Mountain grew smaller, and the thunderous sound of Jeolgon destroying the forest in a frenzy faded away. Young-pa took his eyes off the mountain and looked far into the distance.
≋ ≋ ≋
In the dense bamboo forest, a whistling sound echoed whenever the wind brushed past. The rows of tall bamboo cast shadows over one another, staining the forest in darkness. Just as the sound of rustling leaves merged with the sound of a flowing stream, the black-capped bird fluttered its wings and descended to the ground. It was the point where the forest was ending.
“It should be just ahead.”
Fear and awe were mixed in Seo-o’s voice. Young-pa leaped off the bird’s back. He muttered while picking suitable fruits from the surrounding bamboo.
“You seem scared, so stay here. I don’t want you eavesdropping on the conversation and reporting it to the Azure Dragon anyway.”
Seo-o clicked his beak irritably at Young-pa’s words, but soon replied quietly.
“I am a bird, but I belong to the heavenly realm. I fear I might offend that person, so I will wait here.”
“I’ll be back soon.”
Turning his back on Seo-o, Young-pa walked toward the sound of water. A spring, said to be the cleanest in the world, trickled along the boundary of the bamboo forest, and beyond it began a vast phoenix tree forest.
Young-pa walked past countless phoenix trees. The lush appearance of the green forest was unchanged from what he remembered. Only the season was different; back then, wild chrysanthemums bloomed and the mountains were dyed in autumn colors, but now, pale purple flowers bloomed on every tree.
The fragrance grew stronger as he walked deeper into the mysterious forest. Petals bathed in the faint moonlight swayed in the breeze. Because the tall trees covered the sky, the surroundings appeared dim. Just as he began to doubt if he had taken a wrong turn, a dazzlingly brilliant place appeared.
In a wide, circular clearing, only leaves and petals were piled high; there wasn’t a single tree. Instead, a giant nest floated majestically in the air.
The clear moonlight illuminated the place sacredly. The inside and outside of the nest were decorated with curved jade pieces of various sizes and colors, causing light to reflect, scatter, and break in all directions. Surrounded by a brilliant glow of five colors, the nest looked like a fragment of a dream.
“Illusion Nest….”
Young-pa muttered in admiration. When he first came here, he thought it was the most beautiful place in existence. That impression remained unchanged.
Three hundred years ago, Yeongparang, writhing in the sorrow of losing Yeogo, resolved to take revenge on the Vermilion Bird. He obtained precious jade beads that Yeon Mu-geum liked and headed for the Illusion Nest.
Yeongparang offered gifts to the Vermilion Bird and won their favor with eloquence. He lured them into a gambling den where he had already cast a spell, making them fall deeply into a game of dice, and then, when they let their guard down, he suppressed them by mobilizing all the capabilities of the salcheondang. Afterward, he stole their bow and arrows from the Illusion Nest and used them when facing the White Tiger.
After a long time, Young-pa had returned to this place. The situation was different from then. The Yeongparang of that era was a hero carrying the weight of humans on his shoulders. Currently, the only thing Young-pa carried was his own fate. Yet, he didn’t know why it felt so burdensome.
There was a large tree stump at the entrance of the nest. Young-pa placed the bamboo fruits he had gathered from the bamboo forest upon it.
“Wise Vermilion Bird, a lowly human dares to seek your guidance.”
As he bowed his head, the leaves and petals piled on the ground rose and swirled.
“For what… purpose… do you… disturb this body’s… sleep….”
A voice as solemn and authoritative as thunder shook the forest. Since this wasn’t his first time experiencing it, Young-pa was not surprised. He spoke without being intimidated.
“I have a request. I don’t know if you remember, but you said you would grant my request.”
“Wait….”
The thunderous voice spoke slowly.
After a short wait, flames appeared, and a young child dressed in red poked their head out from behind. They had an expectant expression, but as soon as they saw Young-pa’s face, they frowned.
“What, it’s you?”
The heavy and grand voice from before was gone. The girl had not grown a bit from the appearance Young-pa remembered.
Soon, Yeon Mu-geum fully emerged from the flames. Floating in the air with arms crossed, he spoke bluntly.
“By now, shouldn’t you have aged miserably from being overworked in the underground?”
“Somehow, I managed to escape.”
“I thought the movements of the serpents had been unusual lately; it seems you’ve screwed over the Black Tortoise again? I don’t know the details, but it’s quite satisfying.”
The Vermilion Bird descended to the stump, picked up the bamboo fruits Young-pa had brought, and turned them over to inspect them. It was a well-known fact that the Bonghwang loved bamboo fruits. When Young-pa joked that the gift was meager because he came in such a hurry, Yeon Mu-geum chuckled and replied.
“Better than empty hands. I’ll enjoy these.”
The Vermilion Bird tucked the bamboo fruits into his robes and crossed his arms. He floated up again and looked down at Young-pa.
“You said you have a request?”
“Yes. Before that, there is something I wish to ask.”
“What is it? Speak.”
Young-pa opened his lips, but the words did not come easily. His mind was complicated and his emotions were unstable. He was terrified of being abandoned by Biryoo and could be certain of nothing.
While Young-pa hesitated, Yeon Mu-geum waited without rushing him. Once his thoughts were somewhat organized, he asked quietly.
“I wish to ask about the Azure Dragon’s divine artifact.”
“What? Why ask me about that?”
Yeon Mu-geum replied bluntly, but Young-pa knew he wasn’t as harsh as he appeared. If the Vermilion Bird had been gloomy like the Black Tortoise, ruthless like the White Tiger, or indifferent like the Azure Dragon, Young-pa would not have been able to deceive him three hundred years ago.
“Please teach me, wise Vermilion Bird. Is the somyeonghwan, the heavenly divine artifact, a ring that brings the dead back to life?”
“You are correct.”
The Vermilion Bird answered without hesitation. It was a tone of obviousness, as if stating that strawberries are red and mulberries are black. Young-pa, who had hoped Jeolgon’s words were lies, felt hope slipping through his fingertips.
“I believe it had been in the underground, but then you stole it, so it returned to the heavenly realm, is that not so?”
Yeon Mu-geum was mistaken about the facts, but Young-pa did not correct him. He smiled bitterly and continued.
“Then, do you know of a human named Yeon-hwa who lived a thousand years ago?”
“Who? Yeon-hwa? Who is… Ah!”
Yeon Mu-geum opened his mouth as if remembering something.
“That human! The one the Azure Dragon fell head over heels for and favored….”
Young-pa felt as if his heart was crumbling, but he feigned indifference. In any case, the Vermilion Bird was not looking at him, as he was digging up old memories.
“Yeon-hwa, Yeon-hwa…. Right. It’s faint, but I remember roughly. Back then, human forces were fragmented into various kingdoms, constantly fighting and killing each other. Then, the Azure Dragon intervened, which was unlike him, and everything changed.”
The Azure Dragon was not the type of person to interfere in human politics. If he had done so, what could have happened?
“That human wanted to end the war and achieve peace. It’s just a pity that it ended the way it did.”
“What… happened?”
“Yeon-hwa was a princess of a small kingdom among many. Moreover, she had many older siblings, so she was in a position where she could not aspire to the throne.”
The Vermilion Bird began to tell the story calmly.
Yeon-hwa was someone born away from the path of power. However, her life changed after forming a bond with the Azure Dragon.
With the Azure Dragon’s support, she became the monarch. The Azure Dragon became Yeon-hwa’s strong backing, following her wherever she went, exercising divine power, and leading wars to victory. Thus, the country ruled by Yeon-hwa quickly absorbed the remaining nations.
“At the time, there was a lot of gossip that the Azure Dragon was being too swayed by a human. But it was a fact that peace came to the mortal realm thanks to that. Thus, we four spirits agreed to recognize Yeon-hwa’s unified kingdom.”
The Vermilion Bird sighed.
“Even then, Ji Seo-gu stabbed them in the back and ruined things. Anyway, he is the root of all evil.”
“Ji Seo-gu… you say?”
“Yes. Back then, it was an era when serpents fed primarily on human flesh. If the human kingdom becomes prosperous and strong, the creatures of the underground have nothing to eat, right? Thus, Ji Seo-gu, who loves chaos, plotted a conspiracy.”
“In what way?”
“I don’t know how he managed to seduce the Azure Dragon’s partner, but he made Yeon-hwa take a divine artifact out of the heavenly realm. Then, he killed her brutally and threw her body onto the mortal realm for the Azure Dragon to see.”
The Azure Dragon, driven mad by betrayal and grief, lost his reason and rampaged. This resulted in the annihilation of one-third of the unified kingdom that Yeon-hwa had established.
“The world was submerged in water, and countless lives vanished. Is it not truly a tragedy?”
It was an unbelievable story. Young-pa could barely find the words and could only manage to nod.
“It was the Black Tortoise’s victory. He got his hands on the somyeonghwan, and the bothersome human kingdom was torn apart once again. From then on, the underground and the heavenly realm entered a state of complete hostility. That structure has continued until now.”
There was nothing in Yeon Mu-geum’s story that contradicted Jeolgon’s claims. The two stories were complementary, meaning Yeon Mu-geum had effectively proven that there were no lies in Jeolgon’s words.
‘I only played with your human for a bit, what is the problem?’
‘I heard nothing of the atrocities you committed in the past.’
Only then could Young-pa understand the words Biryoo had spoken to Ji Seo-gu.