Chapter 57

"Right, you said you didn't want to act like a dog or a servant. Then there's no choice."

"Huu..."

Cheong-ra was barely able to gather his wits while sweating profusely, unable to properly respond. Just for talking back, he's retaliating like this? However, contrary to Cheong-ra's thoughts, Dang Ran-yeong didn't seem to have hit him with the purpose of retaliating for talking back.

He lightly lifted Cheong-ra, who couldn't offer any resistance, and slung him over his shoulder. With his already painful solar plexus pressed against the shoulder, Cheong-ra felt agonized to the point of death. Whether Cheong-ra squirmed and clawed at his back or not, Dang Ran-yeong paid no attention and said,

"This way, you're within half a zhang."

"Ugh, D-Dang Ran-yeong..."

"Young Master Baek Ri, why are you behaving so endearingly? It makes me want to tease you more."

As he said this, Dang Ran-yeong slapped Cheong-ra's buttocks with loud smacks. Cheong-ra's face turned bright red with shame, but he couldn't do anything. Dang Ran-yeong had already struck his pressure points, paralyzing his body. So all he could do was breathe heavily.

Hwan-hong, who had been silently walking around and carefully looking for traces of something, approached. She glanced at Cheong-ra, neatly perched on Dang Ran-yeong's shoulder, and said expressionlessly,

"Lord Owner, do you like Young Master Baek Ri that much?"

Cheong-ra gritted his teeth inwardly. This? Is this how someone treats a person they like?

"Isn't it quite cute how he whimpers about being scared of insects?"

Dang Ran-yeong said, slapping Cheong-ra's immobilized buttocks a couple more times. Though it seemed like playful hitting, his hand was so harsh that tears almost welled up in Cheong-ra's eyes even in his paralyzed state. It was utterly humiliating.

However, on the other hand, the tension in his body relaxed due to the deep relief of no longer having to suffer from insects.

But for some reason, he felt something crawling inside his clothes. Cheong-ra tensed up, wondering if the insect-repelling sachet was a lie, but soon realized that Rin-rin, the Venomous Horned Serpent, had crawled into the folds of his clothes.

Dang Ran-yeong walked lightly despite carrying the limp martial artist on his shoulder. Cheong-ra, with Rin-rin coiled around his nape, swayed and got a thorough view of the ground. As time passed, the painful ache in his solar plexus gradually subsided. The striking technique from earlier had been so exquisite that despite the intense pain, there was no internal injury.

Even while lightly jumping over steep slopes or rocks, Dang Ran-yeong never once stumbled or faltered. Being carried like this, Cheong-ra could clearly feel how firm and powerful his leg muscles were, like those of a stallion.

Cheong-ra's heart sank as he watched upside-down as they passed paths where a single misstep would lead to a cliff. When Dang Ran-yeong leapt down from a rock, he adjusted Cheong-ra, who was sliding off his shoulder helplessly while sweating cold, and explained,

"What we were looking for were traces of spirit beasts. Those people Young Master Baek Ri is searching for greatly dislike spirit beasts. The spirit beast that was living well as the master of Mount Heng suddenly disappeared, so something must have happened to the Hengshan Sect as well. They hate Taoists and monks as much as spirit beasts. That's why we're going to the Hengshan Sect."

Only then did Cheong-ra properly understand the reason for heading to Mount Heng. It was good to obtain valuable information, but he didn't feel particularly pleased to receive it like a reward after such hardship.

Moreover, Dang Ran-yeong teased the paralyzed Cheong-ra, who couldn't do anything, by asking,

"Anything else you're curious about? I'll tell you anything until we reach the Hengshan Sect."

"...Uh!"

Cheong-ra tried to say something, but only a faint groan came out. Dang Ran-yeong, enjoying himself, slapped Cheong-ra's innocent buttocks again with loud smacks.

In this way, Cheong-ra traveled for two hours, hanging upside down on Dang Ran-yeong's shoulder. Gradually, the dense undergrowth decreased, and a well-maintained path appeared. It was undoubtedly the path leading to the Hengshan Sect. Even as he traveled in a half-resigned state, Cheong-ra harbored doubts.

'The Hengshan Sect is off-limits to men, won't we just be turned away at the gate?'

Especially if they were in the process of closing their doors, there was no way they could set foot inside. But Dang Ran-yeong wasn't the type to turn back quietly either, so Cheong-ra just hoped they wouldn't have to intrude into this area forbidden to men. While thinking this, they finally reached their destination.

'I hope he releases my pressure points now...'

Since it was no longer the dense undergrowth from earlier, Cheong-ra wouldn't have to show such an unsightly appearance anymore. However, far from releasing his pressure points, Dang Ran-yeong kept him slung over his shoulder and pounded on the main gate. He knocked so hard it seemed like he might break it down, to the point where it wouldn't have been strange if someone from the Hengshan Sect came rushing out with weapons.

After knocking like that for a while, the gate that had shown no response slowly opened. Wary eyes appeared in the gap of the gate.

"...Who are you?"

The clear voice was definitely that of a woman, but it had a youthful edge to it. It was more the voice of a girl than a woman. Cheong-ra wondered about the voice that seemed to belong to someone barely over fifteen at most. This was the Hengshan Sect, one of the Five Mountains Sword Sects, not just any random group. How could the gatekeeper of such a sect be so young?

"We have an injured person and would like to stay for the night."

Dang Ran-yeong answered in a nonchalant voice. Cheong-ra, who had suddenly become an injured person, quietly listened and heightened his senses. The atmosphere inside the Hengshan Sect was too quiet. It was truly strange for a sect full of vigorous martial artists to be this silent.

"Our sect is currently closed to outsiders, and this is an area forbidden to men. Please look for another place."

The girl, who had spoken thus after glancing at Cheong-ra and was about to close the gate, let out a surprised gasp. This was because Dang Ran-yeong had somehow slipped his hand into the closing gate and was applying force.

The girl grunted and exerted her strength, but it was a force that even a martial artist like Cheong-ra couldn't handle. With just a light application of force from Dang Ran-yeong, the gate was already half open. He smiled like a true criminal and said,

"Forbidden to men or not, do you think there's anywhere else in these deep mountains besides the Hengshan Sect? Are you telling our young master to go out and die?"

"Senior Sister! Senior Sister!"

Unable to close the gate with her strength alone, the girl urgently called for reinforcements. The sound of people rushing over from inside could be heard.

Watching this scene, Dang Ran-yeong let out a mocking laugh. This was because the disciples of the Hengshan Sect rushing over with torches and wooden swords in hand were all young novices who hadn't even become Buddhist nuns yet.

***

"Ugh...!"

"Devotee, are you alright?"

As Cheong-ra groaned, Mu-hwa asked in a worried voice. Cheong-ra, who was massaging his limbs that were tingling and aching from the aftereffects of having his pressure points pressed for so long, smiled.

"I'm fine, Nun Mu-hwa. Thank you for your concern."

"I'm sorry. We knew you were injured, but our sect's situation wasn't good, so we couldn't let you in."

"No, I understand."

Cheong-ra shook his head, feeling embarrassed to even call it an injury. Then he carefully examined the young Buddhist nun before him.

Her bright, lively eyes and youthful appearance made her look no more than fifteen years old at most. However, surprisingly, she was currently the oldest Buddhist nun in the Hengshan Sect.

Earlier, when Dang Ran-yeong saw the young novices rushing to block the gate, he opened it wide in disbelief. The novices trying to close the gate screamed and tumbled to the ground. As the man who clearly looked extraordinary stepped over the gate, the children retreated hesitantly. Their young eyes were filled with fear.

'Th-this is an area forbidden to men! Please withdraw!'

Someone gathered courage and shouted, but their voice trembled uncontrollably. Nam Gang-ryong, who had followed Dang Ran-yeong over the gate, sighed and chanted "Amitabha," while Hwan-hong let out a sigh. Dang Ran-yeong, after surveying the surroundings with sharp eyes, said,

'The area forbidden to men is the inner court, not the outer court. As I said, we need to stay for one night, so guide us to the outer court.'

His voice commanded as if he were the master of the Hengshan Sect. Yet when the frightened children couldn't move easily, Dang Ran-yeong gently threatened,

'Shall I break down the inner court's door as well?'

Only then did Mu-hwa, who was the oldest nun among them, introduce herself by her Buddhist name and nervously guide them to the outer court.

It was only after entering the outer court that Dang Ran-yeong finally released Cheong-ra's pressure points. Having his pressure points pressed for so long made his body unresponsive. Moreover, having been carried on a shoulder the entire way made his whole body stiff and painful. So as he was quietly groaning, Mu-hwa noticed and expressed her concern. Cheong-ra belatedly showed his manners.

"Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself yet. I am..."

"He's called Ye Cheong-cheong."

What? Cheong-ra was taken aback by the sudden change of his name. It even seemed like a name derived from knowing his childhood name. Dang Ran-yeong continued nonchalantly,

"I'm called Jang Gyun, and this is Gong So-hye. And this is Monk Gong-ryun."

"Ah! So you were indeed a monk!"

Mu-hwa exclaimed happily, grasping both of Nam Gang-ryong's hands. Jang Gyun! It was truly a name that didn't suit Dang Ran-yeong at all. Although he didn't know why they were using false names, Cheong-ra nodded for now.