Episode 206. Gye-ryeong (鷄靈) and Thunder Spirit (雷鷲神)
As the day was about to dawn….
Han Yi-bi and Wang Jia-yuk were walking inside Qilian Gate, being careful not to be noticed by people.
Ebi Han said.
“Thank goodness there are very few people.”
Wang Jiayuk nodded and said.
“That’s right. “It’s still early… Most of the security personnel who are awake have probably been moved to the outskirts.”
“Hmm. “It’s all because of me.”
“In other words, you can say so.”
“We need to move quickly before someone discovers that the prison has been completely destroyed… Is it still far away from that place called the Yogang Cave?”
Wang Jiayuk said while raising his finger.
“We’re almost there. ah! “I can see it over there.”
Han Ibi looked in the direction his finger was pointing.
“huh? “There’s nothing?”
“You should look down instead of there.”
Han Ibi heard those words and lowered her gaze.
“It’s at the bottom…”
Han Ibi squinted to strengthen her eyesight.
After a while he found a large square-shaped hole in the floor and said:
“There are a lot of stone caves here in Giryeonmun… but this one called Yogwang Cave is unique because it opens downwards. It’s not some kind of basement… But why can’t I see the guys watching? “I wonder if there is an ambush in an unseen place…”
Wang Ga-yuk said.
“The Hinayana thought it was strange at first, but… there are no special spiritual practitioners guarding this place.”
“That’s really strange. “They said it was so secret and important.”
“I only found out about Hinayana after spending some time here. “This is how fearful the disciples of the Qilian sect are of this place.”
“What on earth is so scary?”
“The object that these Qilian disciples revere is the Northern God.”
“Hmm… The pronunciation is similar to North Star.”
“In fact, there is no difference. They believe that an absolute being called the North God looks down on this world in the form of a star in the sky.”
“This is a truly unique idea. Why do you think like that…”
“According to the doctrine of Qilianmun, it is because all the stars except the North God revolve around the North God.”
“Hmm… I guess this world is bound to be very interested in stars. The stars are so dense in the sky that they look as if they will pour down as soon as the sun sets…” ‘
So, isn’t astrology developed that way historically too?’
At that time, Wang Ga-yuk asked with a puzzled expression.
“yes? “This world?”
Han Ibi realized her mistake and quickly changed the topic.
“Of course, I’m talking about the West Station. Because it’s very different from the midfield. By the way… what do you think about the doctrines of the Demonic Cult?”
Fortunately, Wang Jiayuk answered with a serious expression.
“Hmm… According to the Buddha’s words, in fact, all of this is nothing more than maya and is extremely impermanent. So, in Hinayana’s opinion, the stars are not objects of worship, but are just a more colorful illusion.”
Han Ibi suddenly felt like she had heard this somewhere.
‘ah! yes. The Yeom Society’s lecture on the doctrines of Demonicism… I think it was taught by Master Musang of the Shaolin Temple back then as well. Wow… If I had known I would use it like this, I would have listened more carefully…’
Han Ibi said with regret in her heart.
“hmm. After hearing those words, I now understand a little why the monk was sent to Ganja.”
Of course, Han Ibi did not believe in such superstitions…
Nevertheless, as soon as I tried to enter the cave, I felt my heart pounding due to some tension about the unknown.
Ebi Han said.
“Please come in.”
“yes.”
But Wang Jiayuk stood still and did not move.
Han Ibi asked with a puzzled expression.
“Is there a problem?”
Wang Jiayuk shook his head.
“doesn’t exist.”
“Then go in.”
“All right.”
But Wang Jiayuk only answered and still did not go in.
Han Ibi only realized the situation and spoke.
“Wang Daehyeop. No way…”
Wang Jiayuk looked at Han Yi Fei with a puzzled expression.
“…You’re not scared, are you?”
Then Wang Ga-yuk shook his head quickly and said.
“Is that possible? However, after staying here for so long, I feel a bit strange…”
Han Ibi watched him blankly for a moment and then said,
“Puh-ha-ha-ha-ha.”
I burst out laughing.
“oh my. King Daehyeop. “He’s a really interesting person.”
After laughing out loud, Han Ibi suddenly changed her facial color and spoke.
“You were talking about Maya and the welcome earlier, but as expected, your words and actions are completely different. “Are you afraid that if you go in, you’ll be cursed?”
“What is a curse…”
Han Ibi clicked her tongue and said with a knowing expression.
“Tsk tsk. I’ll just go in first. “Please follow behind me.”
After saying that, Han Yi-bi first took steps toward the entrance of the Liaoguang Cave.
So Wang Gayuk had no choice but to follow behind with an embarrassed expression.
“Adventure. “It’s okay…”
Han Ibi stands in front of the entrance leading to the floor.
Cool feeling.
A cold wind was flowing from inside.
“It’s a bit girly. “The wind noise is also a bit unpleasant.”
Yes.
The sound of the wind howling was like the sound of a ghost sobbing.
Ebi Han said.
“I’m going in.”
Wang Jiayuk reluctantly nodded.
So, Han Ibi stepped on the rather crude steps carved out of stone and entered the cave.
But then…
Han Ibi suddenly remembered going down to the comic book store near her house that was about to close.
‘Shit. It started from then. This nightmare that I can’t wake up from… Even if I hadn’t gone in there at that time…’
But this thought occurred to me again.
‘It was a nightmare to live anyway… I’m a man with nothing more to lose. Except for my mother…’
Every time he took a step, there was a loud echo.
Absolute darkness.
Regardless of whether it was true or not, it felt that way to Han Ibi.
‘Will I be able to return to my mother this time?…’
With a strange mixture of anticipation and tension, Han Ibi walked towards the inside of the Yogwang Cave.
But…
“Wang Daehyeop. “The night wine here has a strange color.”
It was like that.
Normally, the color of Yamyeongju was a soft fluorescent color… but
the Yamyeongju that was intermittently embedded in Yogwanggul had quite a reddish tint.
Wang Ga-yuk said.
“I have also seen Hinayana from time to time. This is a wild wine grown in the Pasha region and is very valuable. “It is also called the magic eye stone.”
“Hmm. “I don’t know if it’s precious or not, but the name and the color… it’s quite dull and unpleasant.”
‘It’s like a butcher shop.’
Contrary to what it looks like from the outside, the cave called Yogwang Cave was quite deep.
In general, while most of the caves in Qilianmun are ‘horizontal caves’, this Liaoguang cave was facing downward.
Unlike other caves, the ceiling was very high, so it felt like I was inside the underground structure of a large building.
And yet, this atmosphere is so girly…
‘Why do martial arts novels like caves so much… If I go back, I will never look at caves again.’
At that time, Wang Ga-yuk must have discovered something and pointed with his finger.
“There’s something over there.”
Han Ibi looked over and said in surprise.
“Who are you?”
A human-sized shadow.
Wang Ga-yuk must have been surprised, too, as he lifted the ladle in a state of extreme tension.
But…
some time passed, but the shadow did not move at all.
Han Ibi thought it was strange and slowly walked towards the shadow.
Wang Ga-yuk said.
“Amitabha Buddha. Zhong Li, the lord, please be careful.”
“If you’re that worried, why don’t you go first?”
“Ah Amitabha….”
That’s right.
The reason Han Ibi was able to relax like this was because she couldn’t feel any vitality from the shadow.
As Han Ibi got closer, she was finally able to confirm the identity of the shadow.
A statue about twice as large as an average person.
But it’s a bit strange.
“Oh!”
Wang Ga-yuk also made a strange expression.
The upper body is naked and muscular.
In its hand was a smooth sword that seemed to resemble lightning.
There is nothing strange up to this point.
But the head.
There was clearly something wrong attached to the place where a human head should be.
Han Ibi muttered.
“Is it chicken…?”
Then Wang Ga-yuk said with a puzzled expression.
“A chicken! “Isn’t it… shaped like an eagle’s head?”
Ebi Han said.
“ah! Now that I think about it, it’s true. Ugh. I also thought that the raw chickens that were sacrificed at the hands of King Daehyeop appeared as spirits.”
“Amitabha Buddha. “Every time they were sacrificed, they prayed for their return to paradise, so they would never have become vengeful spirits.”
“No problem.”
“It’s real.”
Han Yi-bi nodded half-heartedly and walked forward.
There was an incense stick placed in front of the statue, but no incense was put in it…
There was also a large, very ornately decorated cushion placed in front of it.
It appears that it was made to bow to ancestors.
Han Ibi asked.
“Is this a god that Qilianmun worships?”
Wang Jiayuk nodded.
“That’s right. It is the thunder god, one of the eight great protection gods of Qilianmun. But it’s the first time I’ve seen something so big… even Hinayana.”
Han Ibi said, raising one eyebrow closely.
“It seems that Qilianmun also has a method of protection.”
Wang Jiayuk shrugged his shoulders and said.
“Each sect is bound to influence each other. In particular, in the case of Noechwisin, other than the North God, he is the god worshiped most reverently by disciples.”
So, this is the most popular god among all the gods.
Ebi Han said.
“Well, that’s good. So now… what should I do?”
Yes.
The cave reached a dead end, starting with the stone statue.
Some kind of institution.
Something will have to be done here.
Wang Jiayuk thought for a moment and then spoke with a bright face.
“yes. “Probably all you have to do is bow.”
“Me…?”
“you’re right. “You will have to bow to the guardian deity to enter.”
“So… you’re saying I have to present myself well to the gatekeeper?”
“That’s right. “Let me give it a try.”
“But… Wang Dahyeop is a monk.”
“Nothing changes just because you bowed to the welcome.”
“I see.”
Han Yi-bi felt something was not clear, but since she had no other choice, she just watched what Wang Ga-yuk was doing.
Wang Ga-yuk stood in front of the cushion.
Ebi Han said.
“Something about you looks natural.”
“This level is basic for ganja activities within Qilianmun. “They bow all the time.”
“…yes.”
Wang Ga-yuk looked quite pious…
and soon bent his knees over the cushion.
Finally, the moment when Wang Ga-yuk’s knees touched the large, thick cushion on top.
Slurp.
White dust flew up above it.
As if it hasn’t even been cleaned in a long time.
At that moment, a thought crossed Han Ibi’s mind….
Han Ibi instantly caused a ‘random acceleration of reversal’.
Boom boom.
The inside of the cave turned gray and time slowed down.
The gray light is as eerie as the lighting of the Magic Eye!
At that time, something caught Hanibi’s eyes.
The brain’s right arm moves at incredible speed despite random reverse acceleration.
The sword he held pierced the upper part of the cushion where Wang Jiayuk was bowing at a speed beyond imagination.
Han Yi Fei immediately grabbed Wang Jiayuk’s back without even thinking about it.
King meat flopping around.
However, Han Ibi once again had to face twelve spear blades sticking out like springs from the stone walls on both sides.
He once again grabbed Wang Ga-yuk, who was sitting on the floor, by his neck and waist…
and jumped into the air with all his strength.
(Continued in the next part)
