By Zephyria 
The tree Young-pa pointed to was an ancient tree that looked five times the height of a person. A small squirrel was shivering, hiding among the high leaves.
“Why are you tormenting that squirrel?”
“I’m not tormenting it; I’m hunting it. I intended to boil it as a restorative tonic for you once you woke up.”
“There is no need. Leave it be.”
“Then what about the pheasant?”
“That is enough as well. I do not enjoy killing.”
The jacket lying at Young-pa’s feet wriggled. When he untied the knot he had made with the sleeves, two squirrels and one pheasant bolted out.
“I worked hard to catch those…”
He muttered regretfully.
“That is not the issue. Follow me.”
Biryoo turned abruptly and headed back the way they had come.
In the forest shrouded in a thick, bluish mist, the three moved as quietly as shadows and as swiftly as tigers. The vegetation covering the sky shielded them from above, and the deep shade hid their forms.
“Biryoo, this mountain seems exceptionally quiet.”
Young-pa asked out of the blue. He had been unusually polite, but it seemed he had already forgotten to maintain that formality. Having adapted to his lack of manners while staying in the mortal realm, Biryoo found it too tedious to even make an issue of it and left him be.
“Why would that be?”
“Is it because some mad dragon chases away all the other animals?”
When Biryoo didn’t answer, Young-pa added, “That Yellow Dragon—is he your subordinate?”
Biryoo’s lips curled into a cold sneer.
“Absurd. He is my sworn enemy.”
“No wonder. His behavior was far more malicious than yours,” Young-pa replied nonchalantly. Biryoo glanced at his profile.
“You managed to survive after encountering him.”
“It’s a long story, but I carefully avoided him as much as possible to stay out of his sight. There were one or two dangerous moments.”
A soft chuckle brushed against Biryoo’s ear. When Biryoo didn’t respond, Young-pa remained silent thereafter.
Upon reaching the cave where he had awakened, Biryoo stopped.
“You chose the location of the hideout well.”
The cave’s position was nearly perfect as a sanctuary. It was a reasonable distance from the enemy’s dwelling and sat atop a cliff that serpents could not climb, making it arguably the safest place on Asadal Mountain.
“I may have a twisted personality, but I’m not a fool,” Young-pa said with a proud smile.
A man confident in any situation. Whether he realized the severity of the crisis they faced or not, Young-pa wore an expression as joyful as the day they had gone on an outing. Biryoo wondered if this temperament—which knew no pessimism—would be a help or a hindrance in the days to come.
His expression hardened as he looked down at Young-pa.
“That Yellow Dragon’s name is Jeolgon. You will see his violent nature for yourself.”
“He was a piece of filth I wouldn’t even want to associate with.”
“If he finds out I have lost my divine power, he will likely throw a feast. Therefore, we must not be discovered.”
“Still, there are two of us. If we fight, couldn’t we beat one measly dragon?”
Young-pa’s eyes gleamed as if he were ready to go slice Jeolgon’s throat right then and there. Biryoo suppressed the urge to flick his forehead.
“I did not ask for your opinion.”
Young-pa rolled his eyes and sighed.
“Of all the mountains, why did you tell me to come here, where we have to walk on eggshells around that guy?”
Choosing Asadal Mountain had not been a carefully considered conclusion, but a split-second decision made just before losing consciousness. However, upon reflection, it was not a bad judgment.
Despite Biryoo remaining silent, a keen intelligence flickered in Young-pa’s gaze, and his bead-like eyes sparkled.
“I get it! That Yellow Dragon hates serpents and kills them as soon as they appear. Perhaps that’s why no serpents can set foot on this mountain. Which means… Ji Seo-gu’s surveillance network cannot reach here…”
“You are correct. Additionally, it is no secret that Jeolgon and I are on bad terms.”
“Then… Asadal Mountain would be the place in all the mortal realm you would be least likely to visit.”
As Biryoo nodded, Young-pa added excitedly, “Then shall we plot our future here, avoiding the eyes of Ji Seo-gu and Jeolgon?”
Biryoo looked around. No matter how remote the cave’s location was, it was an open space. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before they were discovered by Jeolgon.
“Let us postpone the complicated talk. Hiding the cave entrance is the priority.”
“Is that so? What kind of spellcraft is it? A type of transformation art?”
“It is not a trick of the eye, but a spatial secret art.”
“Sounds difficult.”
“Indeed. I might fail, or my spiritual energy might deplete midway. If so, we must abandon this mountain and leave.”
What Biryoo had in mind was an extremely complex barrier. In a body that had lost the abilities of a dragon, it was uncertain if he could even finish it. But to stay safe here for even a single day, there was no other way.
“That sounds interesting.”
Biryoo read curiosity in Young-pa’s eyes. He also saw longing. The thing Young-pa desperately wanted—the will to survive and take revenge on Black Tortoise by any means—was another name for hope.
Perhaps because he had fallen into the same pit as Young-pa, Biryoo found himself seized by a strangely optimistic emotion, even while knowing how easily hope could crumble.
He brought both hands toward the cave entrance. Then, closing his eyes, he began to gather power. Fortunately, nature had not completely closed its doors to him; the water droplets in the air, the vitality of the vegetation, and the nutrients in the soil lent him their strength. However, compared to when he was a dragon, the speed was painfully slow.
Biryoo painstakingly gathered the essence of nature and drew it out into long forms. The act of sketching the barrier was similar to weaving cloth with weft and warp threads. This was why dragons, who had scales and needed no clothes, were masters of weaving.
Because he had lost his dragon abilities, Biryoo could not see his own sorcery. Weaving an invisible barrier was like walking through a maze blindfolded. However, since it was a maze he knew every corner of, he skillfully entwined the essence he had drawn out like threads.
When the time came, Biryoo opened his body wide, allowing the power drawn from the outside to pass through him and fill the barrier from the bottom up.
The start was smooth. But as time passed, he felt a premonition that something was wrong. The flow of the spellcasting technique became unstable, his fingers trembled, and cold sweat poured from his forehead. Biryoo realized that his physical spiritual energy was draining away helplessly.
‘My body cannot endure it.’
There was nothing wrong with the method. The problem was that his physical body had been eroded by toxicity, causing him to lose his dragon abilities. The sorcery was far too burdensome to perform with a weakened body.
“I didn’t know such a spellcasting technique existed.”
Just as Biryoo stood at a crossroads—whether to force the sorcery through or quickly give up and find another mountain—Young-pa’s voice pierced through the gaps in his thoughts.
“How marvelous…”
Biryoo pretended not to hear him marveling again. Young-pa, muttering like a child, seemed unaware of how grave a danger they were in.
“At first it looked like threads, but looking closer, it’s like a flowing stream of water…”
Eyes that had been irritably closed snapped open. Biryoo asked in disbelief.
“Can you see the spellcraft?”
“Huh? It’s right here.”
It was impossible. Human eyes cannot see the sorcery of a dragon. Yet, Young-pa was staring directly at the point where the spellcasting technique was filling in.
“If I try, I feel like I could almost touch it…”
As he reached out, the invisible wall of power surged violently.
Biryoo flinched at the sudden stimulus. It felt as if he had been struck by falling thunder. It wasn’t a fitting metaphor for a divine dragon who commanded thunderbolts, but Young-pa’s interference felt that tingling and sharp, leaving Biryoo considerably bewildered.
“Why stop? You have to keep going.”
Young-pa covered the back of Biryoo’s hand with his palm. Immediately, a foreign power surged into Biryoo’s body, which was open to the outside.
The emotion that followed the bewilderment was unpleasantness. Young-pa’s flow was far too fast. It was scorching hot and erratic. Not only was it sticky, but it came in surging clumps. It was a miracle that Biryoo did not push him away.
“Biryoo, your power is just like you.”
Young-pa’s voice was trembling, just like Biryoo’s fingertips. He spoke while gripping the back of Biryoo’s hand.
“It is soft yet powerful, transparent yet distinct.”
Biryoo happened to be thinking something similar.
Strong and firm, but not metal; hot enough to burn the skin, but not flame; unpleasant and stinging, but not poison.
Blood flowing through veins, lethal thorns, sharp chestnut burrs, soft silk, flowers blooming from shadows, fallen red leaves stained in the mire, underground water pooled in low places.
Biryoo could not gauge the identity of this miscellaneous power. Only one thing was certain: the energy spreading strongly like a heartbeat resembled Young-pa.
“Adjust your breathing. So that I may contain you.”
Enduring the surging waves of power, Biryoo barely managed to exhale.
“So that I… may be contained by you.”
As Young-pa closed his eyes, the wild flow changed. Like a violent storm calming, the air current—which had been fast, hot, stinging, and irregular—gradually softened.
As Biryoo accepted Young-pa, the two colors that had been pushing against each other began to mix. The two forces met, invaded one another, and became one. It was a dark red wave, heavy snow falling on a scorching heaven, a willow tree rooted in a desert.
The spiritual energy infused by Young-pa spread over the sorcery Biryoo had woven. The barrier, slowly filling up, was built upon the framework of a dragon but possessed the vitality of a human. This made even Biryoo, who was rarely surprised, shudder.
“Ah…”
A low gasp escaped Young-pa’s lips. His eyes were wide and his cheeks were flushed red. Biryoo felt a strange impulse, not wanting to take his eyes off him.
A human who was willful from head to toe. A hopeless wretch whom even Black Tortoise, who had kept him for hundreds of years, had given up on in disgust. Because he had become entangled with him, Biryoo had fallen from the heavenly realm to the bottom.
‘A human who belongs in the rotting underground, so why can I not hate him?’
Was it because of the brilliance that allowed him to grasp ten things after being taught one? Was it the talent that transcended human limits? Was it the spirit that did not give up even in the face of death? Was it the temperament that laughed even when broken and shattered? Was it the hope he did not let go of even in the darkness? Or was it all of those things?
Biryoo felt a mist-like sense of crisis, but he had no time to analyze its identity.
When Young-pa gripped the back of his hand tightly, the barrier into which Biryoo had poured everything was completed. A dim light emanated from the cave entrance, and it transformed to look exactly like the surrounding cliffs. Its surface had borrowed the properties of the cliff opposite, thus possessing a hard physical nature. Only those who knew a space existed there—namely, Biryoo and Young-pa—could pass through.
Only then did Biryoo lower his arm. Perhaps because he had squeezed out every last drop of spiritual energy, it was difficult to stand straight. He staggered and leaned his back against the cave wall.
“Fuck, I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life!”
It was quite a talent to spout such vulgar words with that pretty face. Biryoo wanted to snap back, but he didn’t even have the energy to part his lips.
“Biryoo. Biryoo, are you okay?”
Only then did Young-pa notice Biryoo’s condition and approach. Beside him, the monster wore a worried expression. Biryoo waved his hand as if to say leave him alone, but it was futile.
“Biryoo!”
Young-pa hugged Biryoo as if he had been waiting for the moment. His crotch was bulging. Even as his vision blurred, Biryoo frowned.
It was something Biryoo did not want. The flushed expression, the excited voice, even the suspicious bulge in his pants—everything about Young-pa was overwhelming to him. But there was no way to resist.
As the world spun and his consciousness drifted away, he had no choice but to entrust his weight. Biryoo lost consciousness in Young-pa’s arms.
During his long sleep, Biryoo had constant, distracting nightmares. One of them was a dream where Young-pa was sucking his ear while masturbating.
≋ ≋ ≋
After Biryoo collapsed, Young-pa moved him inside the cave. He rolled up some clothing to use as a pillow and carefully laid the noble back of his head upon it.
Despite his pale, bloodless face, he was a sight difficult to look away from. Even after looking at him again and again for three days, it felt new; it seemed he wouldn’t tire of it even after a year. Looking down at Biryoo, Young-pa thought about what had happened a moment ago.
When he saw the shining streams of water spreading in a grid pattern, he found it merely fascinating. But when he reached out, wanting to touch that vigorously surging, clear energy, everything changed.
The torrent when he entered that flow… Young-pa felt as if his entire body was being sucked into Biryoo. He struggled to protect himself, but on the other hand, he wanted to be devoured by Biryoo.
When Young-pa suppressed himself and accepted Biryoo, when the two began to mingle, ecstasy arrived. He was captivated beyond the cloud and rain affection between a man and a woman. His cheeks burned, his heart hammered, and even though they were only holding hands, he felt as if they had shared a deep intimacy.
Young-pa knelt and pulled down his pants. Without taking his eyes off Biryoo, he slowly began to stroke himself.
The man lay there with a gaunt face, but in Young-pa’s eyes, it looked as if he were lying prone, shaking a waist that was surely as supple as a willow branch. Even though the only faces he had shown Young-pa were cold or indifferent, it seemed to him as if he were looking at him with half-closed, sultry eyes. His already erect penis reached climax after a few strokes.
“That dragon is going to be the death of me.”
Young-pa muttered, enveloped in a sense of emptiness.
The lying Biryoo was like a well-set dining table. His quietly placed arms did not know how to push Young-pa away, and his serenely closed eyes held no sign of contempt. His lightly closed lips would not utter words of refusal. Ravishing an unconscious man would be as easy as picking up a spoon.
Young-pa shook his head violently.
“I must endure.”
If he did that, how much more would he be hated by a man who already despised him?
In a situation where they were being hunted by Ji Seo-gu, Biryoo was the only person Young-pa could rely on. If he made an enemy of the Azure Dragon here, it would be more than just a headache, so he had to be satisfied with lusting after the sleeping face.
Even in this state, Young-pa spent every day pondering how he could kill Ji Seo-gu. The anger and hatred toward Black Tortoise were like the breath he inhaled and exhaled.
However, the enemy had awakened, and Young-pa was currently in hiding with the Azure Dragon. There was nothing he could do for now.
‘It’s frustrating, but it’s impossible to exorcise him right now. Unless I can gather all the heavenly gift of four gods… or if I can just make them fight among themselves…’
‘I do not like him. He is an eyesore as it is, and there is an old grudge.’
‘But why…’
‘Still, I do not wish for Black Tortoise to disappear. Balance cannot be achieved if only one power is strong; the world needs a twisted darkness like him.’
The Azure Dragon had some sort of grudge against Black Tortoise and their relationship was poor, yet he did not wish to be embroiled in revenge. But now that he had even drunk centipede venom, his thoughts might have changed. Young-pa continued to think, organizing his plan.
‘I will finish him off someday. But there’s no need to rush.’
To cool off, he went outside and examined the entrance. With his abilities, it was difficult to gauge the complexity and harmony of this secret art. It was simply mysterious how it turned into an ordinary cliff when far away, but revealed the space when he reached out.
Woof woof!
The monster dog barked, pacing back and forth inside and outside the cave.
“You find it fascinating too, don’t you? Since you no longer need to guard the front, you’re free to roam as you please.”
Young-pa muttered with a grin.
“Let’s go find some food. That fastidious fellow says he hates killing, so I’ll have to pick a bunch of wild greens.”
Young-pa took a beast and circled the area. Not a single ripple disturbed the myeonggyeongjisu, and there were no traces of serpents in the green forest where rabbits lived. It seemed the Yellow Dragon, who had left somewhere in disgust of the smell of serpents, had not yet returned.
With a much lighter heart, he gathered food to feed Biryoo once he woke up. He picked baskets of shepherd’s purse, stonecrop, dallae, and other nameless greens, drying them in one corner of the cave.
He carved pieces of wood to make bowls and plates. He cut down a pine tree to build a crude small table and trimmed branches to make two pairs of spoons. If he were alone, he could have eaten raw meat with his bare hands, but he was setting the stage to serve a noble divine beast.
There was a certain joy in preparing the household while waiting for Biryoo to wake up. Young-pa was so busy moving about that he couldn’t even masturbate that many times.
Biryoo woke up after being unconscious for a full day. When he emerged from the cave, Young-pa was gathering kindling to start a fire.
“Biryoo!”
Young-pa flung the divine tree branches he was holding and rushed over. He tried to embrace Biryoo, but as expected, he was met with a cold reaction.
Young-pa pulled back his wide-open arms and crossed them, wearing a joyful expression.
“How are you feeling?”
“Stiff,” Biryoo said, gazing into the distance.
“How long was I asleep this time?”
“Let’s see, it’s evening now… it must have been about a day and a half.”
Biryoo narrowed his eyes and touched his ear.
“Could it be that you….”
“Hmm?”
“Nothing.”
Excited, Young-pa led Biryoo to the mouth of the cave.
“I’ve prepared a table for when you woke up, so have a seat.”
As Biryoo sat down with a suspicious look, Young-pa presented a pine table before him. With utensils, a water cup, and a plate set upon it, the cave’s furnishings looked quite decent. When Biryoo picked up the cup to examine it, Young-pa shrugged his shoulders proudly.
“In my youth, I spent fourteen years on baekun mountain. Back then, I learned how to make most kinds of tableware.”
Young-pa went into the cave and came back carrying a water jar. He filled Biryoo’s cup to the brim and spoke proudly.
“I thought you’d be thirsty when you woke up, so I fetched clean spring water from the upper reaches of the valley. I did well, didn’t I?”
However, Biryoo frowned and turned his head away.
“What’s wrong?”
“It smells like dirt.”
“That’s impossible. I’ve lived drinking this water just fine. Try it.”
Biryoo seemed reluctant, but since Young-pa insisted, he lifted the cup. Young-pa watched with anticipation, hoping to see him moisten his lips. However, Biryoo’s expression froze, and he pushed the cup far away. When he even gagged, Young-pa felt awkward.
“Well, forget the water… at least have some food.”
He quickly brought over wild greens gathered from the mountain and piled them high on the plate.
“Since you said you don’t eat meat, I prepared only the tastiest greens.”
Biryoo glared at the plate with a frigid gaze.
“This smells like dirt, too.”
Young-pa picked up a root of stonecrop and sniffed it.
“It smells fragrant to me. Why are you being like this?”
“Take it away.”
“Biryoo, this is no time to be picky about side dishes. You aren’t a deity anymore, so you need to eat to keep your strength.”
Biryoo turned his head as if he didn’t even want to respond. Seeing his reaction, Young-pa knew he had hit the nail on the head.
“Look at your state. You haven’t eaten for a week, so that’s why you have no energy.”
Thinking that this made him even more sensual, Young-pa secretly licked his lips. Despite all his efforts to cater to Biryoo going to waste, he wasn’t upset; rather, he was excited.
“As a huge concession, at least drink the water.”
“I told you I can’t drink it. You drink your fill.”
Taking the opportunity, Young-pa took the cup and drank greedily, placing his lips exactly where Biryoo had touched. A look of contempt poured over his cheeks, but it couldn’t be helped.
“Have you been stripped of your recovery ability?”
“Yes. Black Tortoise took it back. How did you know?”
Biryoo gestured toward Young-pa’s hand. When Young-pa flipped his palm over, a blackened burn mark remained. A burn that would have vanished in a few shijin in the past was healing slowly.
“It’s a scorch from four days ago.”
Four days ago, the day Biryoo lost consciousness and Young-pa had faced the serpents alone. While firing off spells indiscriminately, a tingling thunderbolt sparked from his fingertips, burning his hand.
“I was casting sorcery as usual, but a streak of light, like heavenly lightning, appeared. That’s when my hand became like this.”
Biryoo’s eyes widened slightly. Young-pa tried to concentrate power at his fingertips to show him directly, but only a vortex formed; the bright yellow streak from that day did not appear.
“Since I can’t do it now, I wonder if it was a dream.”
“If it were a dream, your skin wouldn’t be damaged.”
Biryoo remained silent for a while before continuing.
“I suspect that calling down thunderbolts is the special ability of the Azure Dragon. If what you say is true, you have acquired a portion of my power. That is likely why you could see the barrier I had set.”
As Biryoo looked at him with a strange gaze, Young-pa felt a surge of pride.
“Of course it’s all true. Why would I lie?”
“How should I know why a fellow like you makes a habit of lying as often as eating meals?”
“Good grief, why do you always put it that way?”
As Biryoo glared with an irritated look, Young-pa’s mouth shut instinctively.
Biryoo remained silent, seemingly lost in thought. After a long while, he spoke as if he had made a decision.
“This is not the first time I have lost my wish-fulfilling orb. When I was a young dragon, I once accidentally succumbed to centipede venom.”
“Really? What happened?”
“I lost the powers of a dragon, just as I have now. The dragon who looked after me at the time scolded me severely and made me reconstruct the wish-fulfilling orb by finding medicinal ingredients.”
“That means there is a way to fix this.”
Biryoo nodded. Young-pa could intuitively feel that it would not be an easy task.
“What are the ingredients?”
“Water gathered high, a deeply sunken pearl, aged blood, and a light feather. Four in total.”
Young-pa tilted his head at the riddle-like list.
Water, pearls, blood, and feathers were common materials, but the clues attached to them were the problem. Was there a specific standard for ‘high’ or ‘deep’? From how many years was blood considered ‘aged’? Weren’t feathers generally ‘light’? His head was full of questions. However, looking at Biryoo’s expression, it didn’t seem like the right atmosphere to pour out questions.
“Dress yourself properly and sit upright.”
As he snapped sharply, Young-pa, who had been sitting crookedly, picked up and put on his jacket. When he straightened his back and knelt, Biryoo glared at him arrogantly.
“From now on, I will not overlook your insolence, so you shall serve me with absolute devotion.”
Young-pa sighed and avoided Biryoo’s eyes.
“And repeat after me.”
“Huh?”
“What did I say?”
“Yes.”
When Biryoo said, ‘I am your servant,’ Young-pa wondered if he had misheard. But since the other’s cold expression remained unchanged, he stammered out the words.
“I… am?”
“Your.”
“Your…”
“Servant.”
“Ser… vant…?”
Biryoo recited the next sentence with an indifferent attitude. Though unable to shake his suspicion, Young-pa followed along helplessly.
“Until you recover your divine power… I shall contribute… even my meager strength.”
A faint smile appeared on Biryoo’s lips, but it was fleeting; he quickly returned to a stern face. Meanwhile, after saying the words, Young-pa felt it was unfair.
Of course, he had been released from the underground thanks to Biryoo and was alive because of him. But it wasn’t as if Biryoo had saved Young-pa out of compassion; he must have done it for his own ulterior motives. Why did he have to become his servant?
‘I catered to him a bit, and now he thinks I’m a pushover.’
A hint of rebellion flickered in Young-pa’s eyes. He had an important goal, and he couldn’t afford to be held back in a place like this by a task that might take an unknown amount of time.
“Isn’t it enough that you looked after me so I didn’t die while unconscious? Do I have to help reconstruct the wish-fulfilling orb too? You’re a total thief in spirit.”
Biryoo looked as if he had expected Young-pa to react this way. He replied with a gaze as cold as ice.
“Do those words still come out of your mouth after seeing what state I’ve been reduced to because of you?”
“You rescued me and saved my life. However, that was not for my sake, but a move you made to obtain the treasure.”
“Treasure, is it.”
Biryoo’s eyes narrowed; bringing up that topic had been a mistake. Young-pa rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.
“I intended to give it to you. Truly.”
Biryoo snorted. His wide eyes now seemed to breathe hot fire.
“You cunningly hid a fake at mount geumo. When we went to the snake cave, you acted as if you would hand over the divine artifact immediately, but once rescued, you changed your story. When your mind was drifting from pain, you said it was in your belly, then you said it was in your heart. Do you think I would believe a single word you say now?”
It was a perfectly logical account from start to finish, leaving no room for rebuttal. Even so, Young-pa struggled to find some excuse.
“The fact that the ring is at the bottom of the cave on mount geumo is not a lie. I hid it not far from the fake. Now that things have turned out this way, I wish to bring it to you personally, but I fear I might be spotted by Black Tortoise if I leave this place.”
“I told you I do not believe you. I have no spiritual energy to waste on a problem that cannot be solved immediately, so I will not argue. Right now, my own problem is far more urgent than the divine artifact.”
Biryoo glared fiercely at Young-pa.
“Since you seem not to understand, I will say it one more time. From now on, I shall reconstruct the wish-fulfilling orb while receiving your meager service. I will take the divine artifact after that.”
A powerful sense of intimidation pressed down on Young-pa. Even though it was just a man who had lost his divine power looking at him, he couldn’t even part his lips. The demand was reasonable, and Young-pa lacked a sufficient excuse to refuse.
‘Damn it, if Biryoo recovers the wish-fulfilling orb, I’ll lose the somyeonghwan.’
Young-pa exhaled heavily, recalling how Biryoo had imprisoned and threatened him.
‘But if I cross him the wrong way, I’ll make enemies not just of the underground, but of the heavenly realm as well.’
There was no choice. For now, there was nothing to do but follow Biryoo’s will. Nothing but to cater to his whims while devising a way not to lose the divine artifact.
“I shall help find the medicinal ingredients without a word of complaint.”
When Young-pa answered obediently, Biryoo averted his gaze as if dissatisfied. Meanwhile, a question occurred to Young-pa belatedly.
“Azure Dragon, you are the master of the heavens. Couldn’t this be solved quickly if you just summoned your subordinates to bring the materials?”
Biryoo snorted at that.
“A divine beast has their pride. To which dragon would I brag that I swallowed centipede venom and broke my wish-fulfilling orb?”
“What? Is pride the issue right now?”
“Do you think I am the same as a lowly creature like you? I am the king who rules the heavenly realm.”
Biryoo spat the words out as if it were absurd, then added dryly,
“Since I have lost my divine power, it is difficult to summon anyone, and in this body, I cannot achieve ascension. Therefore, I intend to solve this alone.”
“If you have my help, you aren’t alone, are you?”
“How dare a mere servant try to be treated as a human being.”
It was only a moment ago that Biryoo had urged him to sit straight, but Young-pa was already leaning diagonally, propping himself up with his palms on the cave floor.
“Your words are absolutely correct. Since you have saved my wretched life several times, I shall bring you a mere pearl and feather.”
A crooked sneer hung on Biryoo’s lips. To think that was a smile—Young-pa’s heart fluttered.
Even if he was an unpleasant man who didn’t even treat him as human, his appearance was impossible to hate. The man, who was already elegant, had become even more ethereal after suffering from the centipede venom, greatly stimulating Young-pa’s lust.
‘What does that dragon trust in to be so fragile? Having lost his divine power, how does he plan to stop a lewd human if they decide to pounce?’
Young-pa narrowed his eyes and secretly licked his lips.
If he stripped those clothes all off, would he make a shy expression? If he bound his hands and climbed atop his belly, how would that noble face distort?
“…you?”
Young-pa had been so busy looking at Biryoo’s face that he didn’t hear what he was saying.
Bang!
He snapped back to reality as Biryoo struck the table with his fist. Escaping his brief, deep fantasy, Young-pa faced the man who was looking down at him with a frigid gaze.
“My apologies. What did you say?”
“I said that the four ingredients are each in difficult places, and that someone like you could not obtain them alone.”
“Yes, sir.”
Biryoo crossed his arms arrogantly and continued.
“For now, I intend to rest and recover for a few days. Therefore, I told you to gather morning dew for me to drink and clean fruits for me to eat every day. As for the greens, I will eat them if you wash them in running water and blanch them in boiling water.”
Young-pa sighed and nodded.
“Of course. Did you ask something at the end?”
“I asked where the four is.”
He let out a short laugh. It was funny that the noble king of the heavenly realm was curious about the whereabouts of a mongrel dog with a scarred face.
“I don’t know. He probably went to hunt for food. Unlike you, that fellow likes meat.”
“When he returns safely, tell him to be careful of Jeolgon.”
“What use is saying such a thing to a beast?”
“Do not talk back.”
Biryoo snapped fiercely and walked further into the cave. Halfway in, he swung his arm, carving a long scratch into the floor.
“From now on, I forbid you from entering beyond this line.”
Young-pa answered a compliant “Yes.” And as soon as he turned around, he wore a wicked smile.
Biryoo seemed wise, yet he had a naive side. What in the world is more enjoyable than breaking a taboo?
≋ ≋ ≋
Young-pa hid his true feelings and played the role of a servant faithfully, bowing and scraping. It was a servant’s life he had never imagined, but recalling how Lee Shim used to flatter him helped him mimic the behavior.
When he woke at dawn, he carried a water jar and collected the dew clinging to every leaf. After that, he searched for places where fruit grew. During the day, he picked greens, and in the evening, he gathered pine branches for firewood. After working all day, he fell into a deep sleep.
Biryoo drank only clean dew and would not touch it if even a speck of dust was mixed in. Among the fruits, he liked strawberries the most and often ate berries from the mountain ash tree. He wasn’t picky about the greens. However, if they were blanched for too long, he would take one bite and put down his utensils; the same happened if they were blanched for too short a time. After a few days, Young-pa became quite adept at matching Biryoo’s taste.
Biryoo was also incredibly strict about dining etiquette. If Young-pa smacked his lips, spat while talking, took off his jacket, talked about feces, burped, or farted, Biryoo would slam his utensils down and retreat into the inner part of the cave. Once that happened, he would eat nothing for the rest of the day.
Serving such a demanding master, Young-pa changed rapidly. He learned how to conduct himself with caution, how to read another’s mood, and the trick to holding back burps and farts. It was tedious, but to coexist with Biryoo, he had no choice but to bend.
As days passed, Biryoo grew healthier. Despite eating only greens and fruit, his complexion returned, and his hair regained its luster. His sleep became lighter, so Young-pa couldn’t even dream of masturbating beside him, let alone crossing the line drawn on the floor.
Once his physical strength had recovered to some extent, Biryoo taught Young-pa the knack of handling thunderbolts. He supervised him practicing for an hour or two at a time, and Young-pa frequently burned his palms and hair.
He tried to summon the lightning and grasp it, tried to ride atop it only to slip, and tried to plunge it into water, all while being scolded by his strict teacher. However, as time passed, he gradually became able to control the power.
Biryoo slept for long periods. He would wake up late and have a small amount of the meal Young-pa prepared around noon. Then, he would oversee the spellcraft practice, return from bathing somewhere, and take a midday nap. In the evening, he would eat a bit of fruit, wander leisurely outside, and then fall asleep.
Unexpectedly, tending to the master’s needs was not painful. Just watching Biryoo sitting with his tied hair let down brought a sweet sense of stability.
The face he made while eating the prepared greens and fruit was so pleasant to look at that Young-pa often forgot the food on his own plate while stealing glances at Biryoo. Moreover, the subtle fragrance that wafted whenever he brushed past… sometimes Young-pa thought he wanted to dive into and swim in that refreshing scent.
While Biryoo recovered, Young-pa quietly did his work. There was almost no conversation between them. Aside from the time he nearly died after peeking at Biryoo bathing in the lake, the days were peaceful.
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“Jeolgon has returned.”
On the seventh day since hiding the cave entrance, Biryoo spoke while eating strawberries. Young-pa, who had been admiring his face with his chin resting on his palm, looked up.
“How did you know?”
Biryoo looked toward the ceiling with a sharp gaze. Young-pa, not understanding the situation, put a strawberry in his mouth and chewed. But before he could swallow the fruit, a thunderous roar erupted above his head.
“I can hear it now too. It seems a mad dragon is screaming.”
“Quiet.”
Young-pa shut his mouth and focused his hearing. The roaring sound continued intermittently. It seemed to be growing slightly louder.
“Azure Dragon, could it be that he is coming this way….”