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C134. Tell Me, Who Am I?
Yeon Jeokha’s group didn’t leave the dining hall until late in the afternoon. They spent the entire day there, idly wandering, claiming it was too cold outside. Although it seemed like they would stay until dinner, the owner showed no signs of annoyance due to the lack of other customers.
When the conversation waned, Yeon Jeokha sat by the window, absentmindedly gazing outside. Despite being late February, the weather remained gloomy. Although the spring equinox was near, the landscape still seemed wintry. That was why the group stayed in the dining hall.
With hardly anyone passing by, the street was deserted. If someone did pass, Yeon Jeokha would follow them with his eyes until they disappeared from sight. At that moment, a child came running and stopped in front of the inn, panting.
Yeon Jeokha observed him with little interest. The boy couldn’t have been more than ten years old. His clothes appeared in good condition but disheveled, which was unusual. Leaning on his knees, the boy tried to catch his breath when his eyes met Yeon Jeokha’s.
Since it was just a child, Yeon Jeokha didn’t avert his gaze. If it had been an adult, he likely would have looked away to avoid discomfort. The boy nervously glanced back, occasionally throwing looks at Yeon Jeokha.
Intrigued by the boy’s behavior, Yeon Jeokha wondered if he was seeking help or simply wanted to flee. Realizing he had caught the attention of the diners, the boy began hesitantly approaching the inn. Finally, he opened the door and entered, timidly moving toward Yeon Jeokha.
“Excuse me, sir...”
“I’m not a sir.”
As the boy approached, Yeon Jeokha looked at him disdainfully without even turning toward him.
“Then how should I address you?”
“Don’t address me at all.”
The boy, nervously wringing his hands, finally spoke in a low voice:
“Please, save me.”
“If you’re sick, go to a doctor.”
“I’m not sick. People want to kill me.”
The boy anxiously looked out the window. Frowning, Yeon Jeokha asked:
“Don’t you have a home?”
“Yes, I do.”
“And your parents?”
“They’re there.”
“Then why do people want to kill you if you have a home and parents?”
“My parents and the townsfolk listened to the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens, and that’s why this is happening.”
“Who is the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens?”
“A fortune-teller.”
“So, you’re saying your parents and the townsfolk want to kill you because a fortune-teller said something?”
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would a fortune-teller want to kill you?”
“She says an evil spirit possesses me, and they have to kill it to keep the house and town safe.”
“The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens said that?”
“Yes.”
As the conversation between Yeon Jeokha and the boy dragged on, the innkeeper, Jang Ichu, approached with a firm step.
“Hey, boy, why are you causing a ruckus in my inn? Get out now!”
He grabbed the boy roughly by the shoulder. At that moment, Yeon Jeokha spoke coldly:
“Innkeeper, what are you doing? Can’t you see I’m talking to the boy?”
“Oh, young master. It’s best not to get close to him. He’s possessed by an evil spirit...”
“Have you seen this evil spirit?”
“If I could see those things, I wouldn’t have an inn but a fortune-telling shop. No, I haven’t seen it, but the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens has. She said the evil spirit killed the boy’s younger brother a month ago.”
Yeon Jeokha stared intently at Jang Ichu. The name Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens irritated him more and more. He didn’t like that someone used a name so similar to the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens and deceived people.
“Did the fortune-teller say she saw it? And you think that’s reason enough to want to kill a healthy boy?”
“The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens is not just a simple fortune-teller. Surely you’ve heard of the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
“That woman is her reincarnation.”
“The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens?”
“Yes, she gave birth to two sons without having relations with any man. That’s why in this region, we call her the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens. It means a mother as pure as a child.”
Jang Ichu’s face was completely serious. In Jangokchon, the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens was worshipped as a goddess on earth.
“Ha, ha, ha! It seems that in this town, they believe such nonsense. Reincarnation of the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens who gave birth to two sons without sleeping with a man? Is that why they call her the Pure Mother?”
“...”
Although Jang Ichu was upset, he didn’t dare show it. If it weren’t for the fact that Yeon Jeokha was a warrior of Murim, he would have thrown him out of the inn.
Shim Tong, sitting nearby, laughed and said:
“Ha, ha, ha. That woman has a face tougher than leather. Master, I bet a thousand coins that those two sons have different fathers.”
Shim Tong’s mockery made Jang Ichu press his lips together and return to his post. With Jang Ichu out of the way, the group’s attention turned to the boy.
Jin Seolha, sitting next to Yeon Jeokha, smiled at the boy and asked:
“Little one, what’s your name?”
“My name is Jang Sojin.”
“So, Sojin-ah, what happened to your lips?”
“I bumped into an adult’s arm while fleeing home.”
“Oh, heavens! At home?”
Surprised, Jin Seolha widened her eyes. She couldn’t believe the boy had fled his own home, where he should be protected.
“Weren’t your parents there?”
“Yes, but they just watched.”
While Jin Seolha interrogated Jang Sojin, a group of people appeared on the street. Seeing a woman dressed in a flashy manner among the crowd, Jang Sojin’s face turned pale. Jin Seolha’s eyes grew cold.
“Sojin, is that the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens?”
“Yes.”
Yeon Jeokha glanced at the woman through the window and complained:
“No, she doesn’t resemble her at all! How can they say that woman is the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens?”
“Young Master Yeon, have you ever seen the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens?”
“Yes, I saw her once, and I assure you that woman is not her. She’s just an overweight village woman. Everything she said about the evil spirit is a lie.”
“Oh, I see.”
Jin Seolha assumed that Yeon Jeokha had seen a portrait of the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens somewhere. Finally, the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens and the townspeople saw Jang Sojin inside the inn. The woman shouted and pointed at the inn, urging the crowd to enter.
However, once inside, the villagers froze, unable to approach Jang Sojin due to the Murim warriors. Soon after, the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens, a woman in her forties, entered and glared hatefully at Jang Sojin before approaching Yeon Jeokha.
“You don’t seem to be from Jangokchon. You’re not from around here, are you?”
Yeon Jeokha ignored her with a look of disgust. The strong smell of perfume mixed with her body odor nauseated him. Shim Tong also noticed it and shouted:
“Stop right there! What a stench! It’s the first time I’ve smelled something worse than sweat. Isn’t it enough to know that we’re strangers? What do you want?”
The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens forced a smile and responded:
“I’m concerned for the safety of travelers like you.”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
“That boy is possessed by hundreds of evil spirits. Some of them are already passing to you. It’s natural for me to worry.”
At her words, Shim Tong laughed.
“You’re crazy! How dare you lie in front of this person?”
In the past, Shim Tong’s nickname was Immortal Sword Demon. He was known for his ability to manipulate people with his words.
“Oh, I see that one of the spirits has just moved to the venerable one’s shoulder. No. Don’t you feel your shoulder getting heavy?”
“You’re crazy! You must have a death wish. If you knew who the master here was, you wouldn’t say such nonsense. What a pity!”
The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens looked at Yeon Jeokha.
“Who is the master?”
“If you can’t recognize her only disciple, you’re a fraud.”
“Disciple, you say?”
The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens didn’t understand what the old man was saying.
“Our Young Master learned martial arts directly from the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens. Some even call the Young Master the God of the Nine Heavens.”
It wasn’t a lie. The village leader in Ha Hyeopjeomchon called Yeon Jeokha the God of the Nine Heavens after he defeated the bandits of Gusunsan.
“Really? Then, are you saying he is truly my disciple? Maybe you don’t know, but I am the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens of this era. She’s telling me now that he is her disciple.”
“How brazen! You sleep with men and have two children, and still pretend to be a virgin. Now you claim to be our Young Master’s teacher?”
The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens screamed, pale with fear.
“How insolent! The owner of this body is the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens. If you don’t want to suffer divine punishment, watch your words.”
“Ha, ha, ha! If you are the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens, then I am the Jade Emperor. Have you ever seen a real evil spirit?”
Shim Tong looked at the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens with disdain. The woman, feeling outmatched, began looking for an exit.
“If you know who I am, then kneel and beg for forgiveness.”
The villagers supporting the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens blushed with anger. They were furious because she was being humiliated in front of them.
Just as the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens stood her ground, Shim Tong raised his voice.
“Kneel!”
With a shout, Shim Tong emanated his energy. The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens collapsed with a loud thud. Feeling the oppressive pressure, she began trembling and spoke in a broken voice:
“M-my body is possessed by the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens. Don’t you fear divine punishment?”
Finally, Yeon Jeokha intervened.
“You say you’re my teacher, so I’ll give you one last chance. Guess who I am, and we’ll forget everything. But if you can’t, you’ll face the consequences. I promise you.”
The Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens looked at the young man with resentment.
“Consequences?”
“You tried to deceive and wanted to kill a child. Do you expect us to let you go?”
“But that child is truly possessed by an evil spirit...”
“Shim Tong, if she mentions evil spirits again, tear her mouth off.”
“Yes!”
Shim Tong stood up and positioned himself next to the kneeling woman. With a fierce look, he seemed ready to rip her mouth off at any moment. Terrified, the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens shrank even further.
“Fine, tell me, who am I?”
Suddenly, the woman began convulsing, and her eyes rolled back as if she were possessed.
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